Capital City @ The Den (CivicHotel) Perth (29/10/10)

Mon 1st Nov, 2010 in Gig Reviews

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Many a Capital City fan eager to see the band’s first headliner in nearly a year made their way to The Den last Friday eve – at Inglewood’s Civic Hotel…. if they managed to find the correct entry that is… Consisting of a maze of glass doors and many pseudo entrances, it took a while for some people to find the gig they were aiming for. Even the regular bar fly’s eyes glazed over with confusion when asked in which direction one may find the toilet.

But persistence eventually won and a small, dimly lit room was discovered, along with its opening support Donny Rat. Donny, solo on guitar was attempting to involve the small crowd available to him. (Perhaps they were still lost in the house of mirrors) He provided a solid masculine voice and some good blues/rock guitar but came across as slightly depressing, monotone and repetitive. The solo act was saved by jests from the crowd, along with Johnny Ajax from Lucille throwing in some free-styled harmonica from his bar stool further back from the stage.

Ajax continued to bring entertainment and comedy to the night, appearing next on stage with Punk/Garage band Lucille. Anyone falling asleep was shaken awake with this band’s hyperactive onslaught of thrashing punk. It was loud and larger than life, as is Ajax himself. The energy was present not only within the music but from Ajax’s flailing limbs and body as he screamed his lungs out and thrashed about. Now the crowd was alert and engaged.

Lucille not only provided music to stomp your feet to – but also a visual performance not to be missed. The crowd becoming involved with shouts such as “play a harder one!” “Play it faster!” all in jest as they buzzed from Lucille’s on stage fun frenzy of energy.

By now the crowd had filtered in and the room was becoming full. Next were the Moonlight Wranglers. The five piece rock/punk band provided some unique music beats and rhythms. Switching from surf/rockabilly sounds to grumbling punk/rock. Unfortunately on this evening the vocals were somewhat forced, murky and distorted which overshadowed the intriguing bass, drums and guitar trying to make their way out.

One woman whizzed past dragging her friend behind her yelling “I need to get out of here now – before I cut my own ears off!” (Perhaps, not for the faint-hearted or auditory sensitive types)
But, the crowd knew whom they had come to hear and made sure they were ready for it – ‘it’ being Capital City.

The scuzz/punk/rock band got the crowd engaged with their rockin’ rhythms, finally bodies were bouncing and heads shaking. The music kept its rhythm and beat throughout; every member of the three piece was tight tonight. The catchy lyrics had the crowd joining in on almost every song.
In unison they sang out the chorus to Cazza Sizza Deathray Blues – “you’ll never know why, but we never have to try, We never, have to try, We never ever ever even have to try”

Trying or not, they provided the crowd with the energy and engagement they had been waiting for, with the enjoyment showing on faces and in the movement of their bodies. Whistles, hoots and cheers farewelled Capital City as they completed their set and left the stage.

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