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Despite the attractive line-up and free entry, Metro City was eerily quiet for the It All Starts with V event on Friday night. But not one to be easily fazed, Tomas Ford kicked off the night in typical style, with a lack of shame that bordered on psychotic. Complete with multiple costumes, sparkle make-up, and lights hanging from his privates, Ford sprinted about Metro City like a crazed animal. Most of his time was spent in the crowd, and when he finally made it on stage the face that peered over his laptop seemed to be peering from the grating of an asylum cell after prolonged shock treatment. However amongst the screaming, climbing, and humping, Ford still managed to keep his strange brand of electro-pop together. The music was definitely not the most artful of creations, but Ford’s set still managed to capture the eyes, if not the ears of the crowd.

Following in his wake were electro two-piece The Transients, joined temporarily by their part-time vocalist Jasmine Yee. While Yee added an extra dimension of vocal range, she lacked stage presence, and the show only kicked in once she left. The extra stage space allowed front man Robert Maszkowski to take control and lead the audience through a solid set of gritty bass driven electronica. Heads bopped and feet were tapped and The Transients made a solid argument for the purchase of their new EP Crossfades due out August 14.

Next on were local favourites Harlequin League. While they’ve built a large and well deserved following in Perth over the years, the dance floor remained relatively empty, and thus the resultant set was even faster than normal for the band. Each song fed quickly into the next, allowing little space for band members and audience alike to catch their breath. Apart from front man James Rogers’ occasional announcement of a song title and guitarist Seb Astone’s morose explorations to the side of the stage, crowd interaction was non-existent and punters obliged by seeking out the closest wall. After a solid but uninspired version of their hit Again and Again, the band left the stage as quickly as they had entered.

The arrival of the Voltaire Twins brought fresh faces to the dance floor, and the band wasted no time getting down to business. It was the busiest part of the night as they opened with their most popular song DIL. Old favourites were accompanied by a fresh track written only a week prior, and with the relatively new addition of their live drummer, the band ensured both new and old listeners alike were entertained. The twins didn’t seem too put off by the dismal crowd, taking several opportunities to joke about audience numbers, and one couldn’t help but detect a hint of irony in Jaymes Voltaire’s exclamation “Put your hands in the air! You’re at metros on a Friday night, what could be better?” Regardless, bodies jumped and arms flailed, and what little of a show there was to steal was stolen.

Then finally, after hours of ado and free energy drinks, The Bumblebeez flew onstage in a flurry of sex and noise. Drawing no greater numbers than their predecessors (and noticeably less than the Voltaire Twins), the ensuing performance was average at best. While the band looked at home on-stage, punters seemed more enthralled by Pia Colonna’s sexual contortions rather than the music. Indeed Colonna was so intent on visual display that at one point a whole line of lyrics missed the microphone. This favouring of visual rather than musical quality encapsulated the entire performance and ended the night on a low note.

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