As the line for Metro City extended up to a block and a half away from the venue on a Thursday night, you knew something exciting was about to take place. Powderfinger brought their Upstairs at the Downstairs Tour over to Perth for an intimate show for the people who have come to expect nothing but the best.

Indeed it was for the people, as they chose the night’s setlist by voting for their favourite tracks online prior to the concert. Even though the choice of a nightclub was slightly strange as they had only been playing in theatre venues across the country, the venues acoustics proved worthy.

Laurence Greenwood, better known as Whitley, brought his unique folk-style melodies for all to admire. Showcasing songs from his debut album The Submarine, he opened with Lost in Time with enough sincerity and charm to captivate those who gave him the respect of their attention, but it wasn’t enough to convert the rest into fans.

As the set went on, it became more apparent to the crowd that this artist was truly talented, evident in the fading sounds of idle chatter and drunken ramblings. More Than Life and A Shot to the Stars were highlights of his micro-set of only thirty-odd minutes while his anecdotes about being a Perth-born now Melbourne-based singer-songwriter made him that much more endearing.

And then the red curtains rose to reveal a fantastical backdrop to set the scene for the first of Powderfinger’s two-part show: the acoustic set. The Finger’s Odyssey Number Five album dominated the setlist that night with Waiting for the Sun and My Kind of Scene being the first taste of the massive cross-section of this bands career that would follow. They even played a B-side from the single Save Your Skin called Sweet Lip that no-one voted for but felt inclined to play it anyway. Bernard Fanning’s vocals were as first-rate that night as they ever have been, and so was the legend of his hair that is now shorter but just as dreamy.

Lost and Running was of a different mix with the band making it a bit more funky and playful than the radio mix, which the crowd enjoyed just as much as the original. After a power-packed performance of Bless My Soul, Fanning walked over to the front of the stage and picked up a pair of lacy black panties that had been thrown on stage. “It doesn’t get more intimate than that!” he laughed. After close inspection, Fanning jokingly said “thanks mate” to a crowd member before he hung them on the cymbal stand of Jon Coghill (drummer) who didn’t seem to mind at all.

Fanning left the stage briefly for the spotlight to be focused on Darren Middleton (guitar) who sung JC from way back in the days of their 1996 album Double Allergic. Then it was back to the old faves like The Metre and These Days that the crowd followed word for word and was the perfect finish to the acoustic set.

A twenty minute intermission and a costume change later and they were all ready to rock out the electric set. Opening with Belter, it had the crowd blinded by strobe lights casting only a silhouette of the band members. It was a perfect way to start the rock set solidly, followed by Stumblin’, another favourite from 2003 album Vulture Street. Who Really Cares was a high-energy spectacle that one could only hope to have the pleasure to have experienced. It was more than just a highlight. Fanning was like a preacher spreading the good word, this band – the gospel choir and the performance – just shy of a religious experience.

After that, the crowd were theirs for the taking. Passenger and My Happiness had the entire crowd singing in unity and in time: a rare sight to see but a testament to just how good they are. All members of Powderfinger beamed with content as the main set drew to a close and they left the stage but the punters hadn’t had nearly enough of them. Failed chants of ‘encore’ and ‘finger’ came and went before a slow build-up of what sounded like a rumbling stampede began to shake the walls and the foundations of the club.

Out came the band for the encore and Wishing on the Same Moon was the perfect slow-paced mellow guise for what was coming next. As the first chords were struck, the crowd immediately went haywire recognising the hit song On My Mind. All the moshing and general craziness that had been withheld before that was all unleashed from both the band and the crowd in this one last perfect rock song. The embodiment of Australian rock, the perfect set, and the greatest show we’ve seen around these parts for some time.