Stagebound competition final

Sat 22nd Nov, 2008 in Gig Reviews

On a wet Thursday night the punters descended upon Amplifier Bar to watch the cream of Perth’s local crop battle out the Stagebound competition. The winner of the night was not only to receive a $5000 equipment prize, but also a coveted slot at 2009’s Southbound Festival. Punters were also in for a treat seeing so much heavyweight local talent going head to head on the one bill.

The Veescars kicked off proceedings at 7:30 with a solid set of indie rock. Lead singer Maynard Inkster’s voice soared over The Veescar’s engine room of guitar, drums and electric double bass. The Veescars have been around for a few years, but after their set tonight you get the impression they are set to really make a mark on the local scene. Watch this space.

Keeping with the theme of using a double bass cello instead of a bass guitar, The Lazy Railway took to the stage next. Lead onstage by a lead singer who looks not too dissimilar to Pete Doherty, The Lazy Railway played a set of fingerpickin country ballads. The Lazy Railway looked completely out of place on tonights bill. Plagued by tuning issues and guitarist sporting a bow tie (!), The Lazy Railway were never in the running for the prize.

As the heavens opened, New Mono called the now burgeoning crowd back in from Amplifier’s outside bar. New Mono’s sound sits somewhere between Interpol and Live, and the addition of a keyboard has added a new dimension to their songs. Swathed in walls of feedback and discordant rhythm lines, New Mono played a tight set of melodic rock and, for this reviewer’s money, should have taken the cake.

As the heavyweights weighed in, Will Stoker and The Embers took the stage and staked their claim for the prize. Love or hate Will Stoker, you can’t deny that the cocksure lead singer has star appeal and is exciting to watch. Backed by the thunderous drumming of Ashley Doodkorte and the Dux brothers on guitar and bass, Will Stoker jumped around the stage and swung from the ceiling like a mad cat. Belly was the set highlight, complete with Stoker running into the audience and crawling through the legs of those in the front row.

Local darlings Streetlight followed. Having recently dropped their violinist, Streetlight’s sound is getting heavier and rockier. While some fans appreciated their quirkier sound of old, the new direction is going to bring them into the radar of a much wider audience. Playing tracks off their Wolf Notes EP, Streetlight did nothing to damage their reputation tonight, and surely came agonisingly close to taking that Southbound slot.

Also coming off a recent EP launch, The Scotch of Saint James played the final set of the night. Unfortunately much of the crowd had melted away, but those that stayed till the end were rewarded with an enthusiastic rock set. Coming after two of Perth’s biggest local bands was no enviable task, and although the result was by now a foregone conclusion, tracks Killer Line and Thomas Thomas would have scored some points with the judges.

Congratulations to Will Stoker and the Embers who took out the night and will play the opening slot at the Southbound Festival next year.

To see a full gallery of the night, click here