Snowman, Bamodi, Radarmaker @Amplifier Bar, Perth(9/11/2007)

Wed 14th Nov, 2007 in Gig Reviews

It was a small but appreciative crowd at the Amplifier on Friday night, who had come down early to see Radarmaker which was for many the first time since they ended their six-month hiatus, due to band member Adam Trainer’s time overseas.

The break didn’t show though, with the band playing a great set, flowing effortlessly between songs from their Aristocracy and the Horse EP and debut album Drawn Like Spires. With the members of the band in constant rotation between guitar, bass and drums, each song had its own special level of intricacy due to the diverse style and ability of each member. The mix made the band as enjoyable to watch as they were to listen to.

Next up were punk/hardcore locals Bamodi. Their set consisted of mainly short, fast bursts of sound, punctuated by awesome heavy basslines; unfortunately the vocal mix seemed a bit off so it was hard to make out any of the words, although if you needed a mental image, picture the crazy cat lady from the Simpsons fronting a punk band. Not that this was a bad thing: it acted as a good segue into the headlining act…

Snowman took to the stage to a smaller than average crowd for a Friday night, playing their first headlining gig since returning from their nationwide tour with The Drones. They have added a keyboard to the already large range of tools they utilise in making their horrorbilly soundscapes, which gives their set a more operatic depth.

They played a good selection of songs from their album, as well as a few new tracks which had their audience dancing in appreciation. The band seemed like they had more energy than usual, with guitarist Joe McKee making his way through the crowd during Wormwood to make a stopover in the ladies’ room with his guitar, while Andy Citawaran jumped between pounding keys and climbing the drum kit with his guitar.