Basement Birds @ Artbar, Perth(07/04/11)

Mon 11th Apr, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Thursday night in Perth was both an opening and a closing. The opening was of the Artbar season for this year. The venue is set up in the Perth Cultural Centre, the stage in the water feature alongside the art gallery, with the audience seated on the steps and standing in the walkway. It is another example of what is going right in the CBD and Northbridge, another charm to draw people into to an area that once was considered antisocial. The setup was quite stunning, with the water area lit up in pretty colours, and visuals screening on the side of the gallery building. Yummy things were being served in cocktail glasses and selections of drinks were available for cash purchase. For early arrivals it meant the opportunity to peruse the gallery with drink in hand.

Ben Witt, the founding member of Perth band The Chemist, was first on stage, treating the audience to a solo performance. His dreamy sound washed over the audience with many continuing to chat, but others were more aware of the beauty being presented to them. Lullaby #1 (Mercy) stood out, being the single played on RTRfm, From there the crowd were more enthralled, and song Heaven’s Got a Dress Code followed with just as much glorious prettiness. Basement Birds declared Witt as someone to watch and anyone in their right mind would have to agree.

And so for the main affair, Basement Birds brought their silly selves to the stage, with their larrikinism apparent from early in the piece. Three are Perth men: Kav Temperley from Eskimo Joe, Kevin Mitchell from Jebediah and singer-songwriter Steve Parkin, with Josh Pyke an adopted perthonality. Apparently their collaboration has a lot to do with Parkin’s partner, for whom instrumental track Hamilton Hill was dedicated to later in the night.

Temperley was surprisingly on double bass and his rockabilly look suited the outfit. He was the most serious of the quartet, barely joining in on the “witty repartee” going on between the other three. Parkin seemed to be the ringleader of the puns, taking the place of the jokester of the group.

The group sang tracks from their one album, sometimes with four part harmonies, other times taking turns to show off their vocal skills. The harmonies weren’t always hitting the mark but the nature of the band is such that no-one really gives a damn, they’re having such a laugh that the audience just joined in on the frivolity. But it was the songs with alternating solos that were most impressive, as each man has such a unique sounding voice it seems a shame to hide them in a chorus.

Holly was a sweet rendition with Temperley’s mournful vocal cutting through with delight. Mitchell shone on the harmonica adding yet another sonic element. All That I Feel was another highlight with Pyke taking on the banjo. Waiting For You was described as the prototype song of the band and it elicited a sing-along from the eager crowd. Hardest Part was the epitome of the silliness, with Mitchell’s ridiculous solo causing Pyke to crack up and the song needing to be restarted.

The Birds street team were pleased as punch to be brought on stage to sing Julia Stone’s part of Bus Stop and were relishing the attention and the proximity to the lads onstage. It was at this point the band left the stage, with Temperley stating that we won’t be seeing them again. Then Russell Wolf, ABC weatherman announced the same in his MC role before the lads re-appeared for an encore that they seemed slightly unprepared for. It was an awkward moment as they appeared to have run out of material, having only written one album and all. They popped out their cover of the Presets’ My People, then finally Labour Pains dedicated to Kav’s son Ziggy born almost exactly a year ago when it was written.

So it was a bitter-sweet evening, but it seemed like Basement Birds were always going to have to end, as the boys all have their own projects to go back to. It was fun while it lasted and the Perth crowd appreciated being there for their last performance. The closing of this chapter seemed an appropriate opening act for the lovely Artbar.