I don’t think I’d be going out on a limb to say that during the nineties You Am I were Australia’s best band. So it’s great to see them finally return to WA, a sellout crowd gathering at Metropolis Fremantle for their first west coast gig since 2003. Recently we’ve been teased by Tim Rogers shows with Tex Perkins and the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, but have anxiously been awaiting the return of the full band.

Drama is often more associated with You Am I than their brilliance. And following Rogers’ highly publicised meltdown at last year’s Falls Festival, things could have ended up much differently. Always known for a great live show, You Am I have dragged themselves back up and more than delivered for their loyal following.

Perth’s own The Silents open the night’s proceedings, grabbing the attention of those who have shown up early. Tracks from debut EP Flicker and Flames impress, though their new material leaves you keen to hear what they come up with next. They’ve gained increased exposure recently and are definitely a band to watch out for.

The Drones are on next, and are another band that have been lauded as a next big thing. They’ve been touring extensively since Wait Long by the River and The Bodies of Your Enemies Will Float by came out, and while they demonstrate that they are a tight unit, they often justify their name. They show promise with good hooks and melodies, but too often they are stretched out into unnecessary opuses that go nowhere.

As the venue fills up, it’s time for You Am I to take the stage. Inauspiciously walking up to his guitar, Rogers is decked out in his now trademark pirate hat. From the opening riff of Thuggery, the band prove themselves to be as cohesive as ever and show they can still belt out a tune. The opening bracket of songs focused particularly on newer songs but despite their strong melodies, get a mixed response from the crowd. But just as the crowd begins to tire, the band hits us with the triumvirate of Good Mornin’, Mr Milk and Cathy’s Clown, taking the set up a level and putting the crowd in a frenzy.

The rest of the set is a disjointed  mix of old and new songs. If there is a lowpoint at all, it’s at the midpoint when Rogers plays an acoustic medley of ballads Handwasher, Purple Sneakers and Ordinary. Baring all with a very strained and hoarse voice, his passion and conviction get him through, though the crowd’s energy is certainly waning.

With a back catalogue as strong as You Am I’s, some great songs inevitably miss out but there is no shortage of crowd pleasers and singalongs. Rogers struts throughout the show, showing off all his moves and bantering with the crowd while slowly losing most of his clothing. Davey Lane’s backing vocals give the songs great force, though for many songs Rogers has the whole crowd as a backing choir.

It wouldn’t be a You Am I show without anthem Berlin Chair — the band well and truly explode and it’s impossible not to respond. They finish off with the gritty hard rock of Thank God I’ve Hit Rock Bottom but of course no one moves. Barely a minute has passed and the crowd’s chants and stomping have brought the band back on stage as the four-piece move into a frenzied encore that includes How Much is Enough? and Jewels and Bullets before a low-key finish with the rare Open All Night.

The band join hands and bow before drummer Rusty Hopkinson showers the crowd with champagne. Before leaving, Rogers responds to a heckler for the second time — angrily repeating his call that if he is going to throw something, they’d better knock him out. Whether his frustration is directed at just the heckler or critics and the universe in general, Tim Rogers and You Am I have faced a lot and have successfully rebounded from it all.