Local darlings I Heart Hiroshima open strongly and get the early arrivals into the mood. Raucous and jangling twin guitars blend engagingly with yowling, ever-so-slightly out of pitch vocals and Susie Patten’s rapid, bash-style drumming. The trio, Susie, plus Cameron Hawes and Matthew Somers on guitars, surge through a tight set that includes ‘Atom Bomb’, ‘Code Blue’ and as well as current EP standouts ‘Neutron Popsong’ and ‘London in Love’ without ever dropping intensity. They’re at their impressive best when Susie and Matthew trade their vocals off against each other, weaving in and out of each other’s lines.

The guitarists spend a little too much time staring at their pedals, but the intensity of Susie’s performance coupled with her manic antics brings I Heart Hiroshima to vivid, thrilling life. Resplendent in a pair of bracers and sexily aggressive, her extroverted drumwork and stage style commands attention. They say you should always leave ‘em wanting more, and I Heart Hiroshima do just that.

WA-based fivesome The Panda Band take a while to get going. The addition of a helium balloon tied to a single dreadlock of the keyboardist seems to be a statement of intent, as is the offbeat surgical gown getup of the drummer. And while the opening songs are infused with glam energy, it all feels overly layered, prog-rockish and lacklustre. Eventually they click into gear with a few jaunty tunes that see the lead vocalist getting up on a box at the front of the stage and rocking out on his guitar. By the time they’re done, the crowd seems delighted, even if yours truly is left a little bemused.

A heavy red curtain conceals the setup for The Grates. There’s a feeling in the air that we’re in for something special. When the curtain finally draws back, the scene screams fun in bright, bold, neon letters—the backdrop shimmers in bright metallic blue and Alana’s drumkit, the amps, Conan’s keyboard are all festooned with dozens of brightly coloured helium balloons. Alana’s drumkit, with balloons arching over it on wire frame, forms a stunning centrepiece that looks like it might well have been stolen from a 21st birthday party.

Looking for all the world as though she just received the biggest and best present ever, Patience gleefully informs us the wire frame was acquired from a car yard. Then, exhibiting boundless energy to match the brilliance of her bright blue frock and opaque red tights, she pulls the hyped audience like an over-excited kid through a super-intense 60-minute set of dazzling rock-pop.

Patience turns on the ingenue charm and thrills with her powerful and clear voice. Alana drums away with metronomic accuracy, looking tiny huddled away behind the kit. Conan, sporting a broad smile, a very hairy beard and a celebratory glass of wine, is tucked up away in a corner on keys while John anchors it all on guitar and occasionally pipes into the lyrics.

‘Seek Me’ is a punchy and aggressive opener. ‘Lies’ is infectiously fun, and Patience impossibly cute when she claps a hand over one ear while she singing: “I’m going to go like this to you—lalalalala!”. ‘Howl’ sees her taking a leaf from Iggy Pop’s notebook and encouraging everyone—even her parents on the upstairs balcony—to howl like a dog. ‘Science is Golden’ is another early standout, while the departing Conan swaps keys for banjo and gives the ever-popular ‘Sukkafish’ incredible charm.

‘I am Siam’ provides a poignant moment when Patience urges the crowd to hush for a few moments in memory of the recently deceased Grant McLennan. Pulling forth what appears to be a vibraphone, she proceeds to hypnotise the crowd like some sort of musical lion tamer.

‘Feels like Pain’ is inflected with eerily Cobain-like howling and then ‘Trampoline’ reignites the party atmosphere as hundreds of balloons drop from the ceiling rafters into the crowd. It’s instant mayhem and hundreds of hands fly, batting the balloons every which way as Patience sings “Higher! Higher!”. Most end up on the stage, and, exuding childlike delight, Patience proceeds to ‘balloon surf’ between songs.

‘Rock Boys’ sees the emergence of a long gymnast’s ribbon which Patience proceeds to twirl coquettishly, before wielding it at the audience like a whip. The climax is a breathless version of ‘19 20 20’ that culminates in a giant explosion of tickertape and sends the crowd completely nova. It all could easily come off as a gimmick, but the strength of the songs combined with Patience’s joie de vivre allows the Grates to serve it up with energy, verve and style.

After a short break, they return to cap the night with a superb rendition of ‘Inside Outside’ that proves that—under all the artifice—music is simply about having a damn good time.

Oh, and Patience looked so happy at the end I was surprised she didn’t burst into tears.