RTR Radiothon Opening Party @The Bakery

Mon 1st Sep, 2008 in Gig Reviews

Unlike Channel 7’s Telethon, RTR’s 10-day-long Radiothon does not feature a selection of B-listers to man phones and rope in funds. What they do boast however, is the appreciation and co-operation of many talented independent Perth bands, many of which only really get airtime on RTR. An organization for the most part founded on good will and generosity, the station survives on a shoestring budget and enough volunteer workers to pioneer a small country.

It wasn’t much of a surprise then, to see The Bakery bursting at the seams for the opening party of one of RTR’s primary fundraising events. A stroll through the huge crowd on Saturday night was a tribute to how wide the station’s audience actually is. From suit wearing boffins to skinny jeaned new-wave nerds who looked like they shared optometrists with Buddy Holly. Everyone was there to pitch in, and pitch in they did, with one of the best shameless-radio-money-grab events this city has ever seen.

The first of many bands to grace the stage throughout the evening was trip-hop electronic sweet heart Mia Sonos. Two parts Radiohead, three parts Bjork and a fistful of PJ Harvey, Mia Sonos is intense electronic experimentalism at it’s most impressive. Call it disturbingly enchanting or intoxicatingly beautiful, Mia Sonos’ performance proved she is a stand out in a sea of bands who think citing Radiohead as an “influence” on their Myspace pages makes them more interesting than the monotonous drawl they actually are .

In between sets Massive Trav played some well placed tracks to keep the room alive. This, along with the non-stop services of Greg Packer, Trainwreck’s Declan and Gonzo, The Signal Drivers, The Brothers Elliott and a few more, in the adjacent Black Box kept everyone dancing till-a-morning-light.

By around 9 o’clock the floor was filling up and it was time for electro/new wave duo, The Voltaire Twins. While at times hitting a catchy hook and having fleeting moments of brilliance, on the whole there is something a little bit uninspiring about The Voltaire Twins. Maybe it comes down to timing and the sound of these two obviously talented musicians was beaten to the line by the now widely played, and frankly, exhausted, Preset / Cut Copy electro-pop phenomenon. Sure, they were tight as lycra tights but there was something about them that was lacking in soul.

Next, Girl band/Indie pop group Boys Boys Boys! began their set with signature choreographed dance moves and sugar high energy despite an early string breakage which left the band with only one guitarist. Their set was as if the fourth wall had been removed from a girly high school sleep over, hairbrush microphones and all. The fun and catchy melodies made for a busy dance floor, yet sometimes their quirkiness was played on too much. At times the whole “channelling the wind” thing and in-joke banter detracts from the obvious strength of their song writing. The high points of their performance included the hilarious It’s a prawn and a tribute to 80s rock sensation Billy Idol.

Ku-ling Bros came on to play the prime slot of the evening at around 12 o’clock. By this time, the crowd had filled the Bakery and had truly limbered up. The diversity of their sound was well received, appealing to many different tastes. From cockney rap, to soulful howlings and infectiously dirty guitars all backed with their trademark quasi-acid jazz vibe. Old salts of the scene, Ku-ling Bros know how to make a crowd sway. The stand out vocalist of their show was the crooning Shine Eye Gal who comes across like a dreamy Billy Holiday in some kind of pleasant trip-out. Smooth, dynamic and cool, Kuling Bros were a real crowd pleaser.

Some may have considered packing it in at that point, but as Digger Rokwell took the stage to close the party, it became apparent within a few songs that it would be worth staying. As is usually the case, Digger Rokwell had a host of guest artists join him on stage including The Typhoons guitarist, Justin Low*. His set was a show-case of Perth’s best hip-hop talent. From the devastatingly quick MC Mathus to the newly discovered EmCee Able who won the MTV kickstart word the night before, their performances all showed that the fast growing success of Australian hip hop would not slow down any time soon. The night concluded with a 20-minute freestyle session, which was unfortunately cut short by the late hour and the bass player from Bone who charged the stage. None the less, Diger Rokwell’s sample driven trip hop was easily one of the night’s best performances.

If only RTR could have been paid by the dance move, the evening would have turned over millions. Let’s hope for the future of Perth music, that the night was as successful financially as it was musically and the station keeps on serving the city up with the best community radio on FM radio.