The setting of Fremantle’s Fly By Night Musicians Club has a wonderful aesthetic, arranged with its large funky art pieces hanging from the warehouse’s ceiling and the bar lined with band posters, tables set up with candles and the distinct smell of incense hanging in the air. The decor adds to the anticipation of performances from skilled musicians dedicated to their noise.

British Motor Corporation, comprising of three members of Triffid, kicked off the night with some alternative folk. Choosing to leave drums out of the equation, the trio allowed the organ to resonate throughout the room accompanied by the twanging guitar chords. However the words they sang left a greater impression than the instruments, their wispy, intense lyrics remaining long after their echoes died away.

Conway Savage (Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds) and band made their first WA appearance, performing their new album. The smart yet eclectically charming trio performed beautiful sounds. Again there were no drums, Savage was on keys, alongside a guitar and piano with the occasional sweet accordion filling out their enchanting compositions. The set embraced a certain romanticism and ended with a dramatically Gothic instrumental.

Bush cowboy hats, guitars and violins silhouetted against the deep red lights, The Kill Devil Hills stepped on stage and performed The Drought pleasing their dedicated fans. Whilst they might seem to be a typical country folk rock band, they inject a moody soulful essence, which captures the raw emotions they express in their songs.

The band were performing and promoting their third album Man, You Should Explode with many long titles for their proportionately long tracks. Timothy Nelson joined the band playing keys for a few of their tracks, adding another element to the diverse mix, fitting in perfectly with the pace and relationship of The Kill Devil Hills.

The music style varied between slow and soulful or bouncy rock to country twang and electric violin solos. The boys switch lead vocals and move around stage pointing to one another’s talents. The live vibrations of the many songs dedicated to a woman and the lyrics full of love and heartbreak went straight to the bones of their audience.

The boys ended with a heavy instrumental, becoming absorbed by their music. There’s a lot more than meets the eye with these guys, they’re not just another country band trying to include rock into what they’re doing, they understand every genre that they cover; country, rock, folk, blues, and they draw real emotion from their songs connecting with those who are listening to them.