RTRfm Winter Music Festival @Fremantle, Perth (25/06/11)

Thu 30th Jun, 2011 in Gig Reviews

Fremantle is a city where music is not just an extra-curricular activity but a way of life. Whether it is the local buskers on the streets, countless great music venues or from an array of multi-cultural restaurants, music has become part of the soul of the city. The RTRfm Winter Music Festival took place in Fremantle between three local music venues; The Railway Hotel, The Swan Basement/Lounge and Mojos. The benefit of having the festival between three different locations was that music lovers had the chance to experience a diverse mix of Perth’s finest musical acts, from soul/funk at the Swan to grunge rock at the Railway and even a tad of dub step dance at Mojos. The structure of the festival managed to appeal to all walks of life.

The rainy weather added to the hype of the night, as punters made their way from venue to venue they truly discovered the joys of scampering in the rain. The Swan Basement was the ideal place to be in on a rainy winter night, with smooth soulful grooves that could warm anyone up in an instant, the small underground venue quickly attracted groups of quirky characters keen for a good dance. The night was kicked off with a grungy three piece band known as the Sneaky Weasel Gang. Equipped with vintage gear and a care free attitude to match, the group quickly got the attention of many. Grungy heartfelt blues rock immediately had the crowd nodding their heads and tapping their feet, and some free spirits opted for senseless dancing which looked like so much fun it became contagious.

The band seemed at ease on stage as if they were simply jamming in their garage, experimenting with long winded solos and Jimi Hendrix inspired pedal sounds, they took the crowd on a journey back in time. The Sneaky weasel gang is a breath of fresh air in the Perth music scene, appealing to people of all styles and ages.

In between sets the fun loving grooves continued with Funk DJ Charlie Bucket mixing it up with funk, soul and even Latin tunes that kept the hype up. Up next was the energetic ska band Special Brew, who quickly got a large crowd dancing with their humorous upbeat ska songs and naturally animated personas. The lead singer, who could only be described as a musical Jim Carrey, kept the crowd entertained by dancing around like a maniac high on life whilst making quirky facial expressions and singing all at the same time. By far the best thing about such an eccentric band is that their music seems to attract the oddest care free characters who shamelessly dance up the front as if they are in their own world, these characters add to the essence of the genre. By the time Special Brew finalized their set with a happy tune about Australian Vegemite, the venue had filled up with the smell of damp clothes and dance sweat, evidence of a good time.

Local Freo DJ General Justice kept the beats rolling with underground reggae, roots and funk mixes, making dancers smile with his Rasta dancing and Side-show Bob hair. Next up to end the night on a high note was Odette Mercy and her soul Atomics. Stepping out in smart matching attire, the band looked their best and sounded exceptional. Ms. Mercy instantly captivated the audience with her remarkable vocal range, hitting every note with such ease and heart, reminiscent of soulful legend Aretha Franklin. The band was equipped with a horn section, funky drummer, cool, smooth bass player and talented guitarist take the crowd back in time to the 1970’s with their soulful renditions that had hips moving. Mercy not only has the power to reach those high notes but maintains a fun-loving, out-there attitude that adds personality; the way she sings each song with such passion adds a genuine quality to her lyrics. By the end of their set the band had managed to put a smile on everyone’s face with their feel good fun grooves, it was a perfect way to end the night.