The Cheeky Rascals Launch @ Paper Mountain
w/ various artists (listed below)
Friday, August 31, 2018
It was the last night of winter and I was walking through Northbridge with a six-pack under one arm at 7.30pm on a Friday night. I passed Chinese food store signs and busy bars, losing my way twice as I headed in the direction of Paper Mountain. It was The Cheeky Rascals Launch night. The creative collective named Cheeky Rascals would be showcasing 26 artists in an exhibition space whilst four musicians played acoustic sets between spoken word readings by local poets. Co-founded by the impressive Emma Bruns and Georgia Siciliano, the event was visioned to bring the whole artistic community together in a creative space to give artists the opportunity to meet and celebrate other artists.
After paying the $5 entry fee and walking up the fairy-lit stairs, the first level split into two rooms masked by curtains. Walking through the left curtain brought into sight large couches and chairs with fluffy carpets strewn across the cement ground. It created a homely feeling where visitors could mingle and drink (did I mention BYO) without interrupting the artists who would be playing. The second curtain was where the most fun was. Against the long wall, the collective art and photography from the 26 artists hung, tracing the length of the room. There were surrealism portraits with photograph series’ lined like a collage along the wall.
At the front, there was a deep red Turkish carpet with two mics in between two ceiling to floor wooden windows. Against the adjacent wall was a split-level fort, creating additional space in the room. Crammed into that space was roughly 60 people, sitting on the ground to face the windows or on chairs or standing in groups.
It is with deep regret that an attempt to review all eight artists that stood on that make-shift stage area during the progression of the launch would be unachievable. Instead, I’d like to outline three artists that captured the essence of the evening, though each act brought a new wave of emotions and certainly deserves a celebratory nod.
Noah Dillon stood with his electric guitar, one amp and his characteristic voice booming through the room as one of the first artists to perform. It was humbling to be in such close proximity with such a respectful audience. During songs, there wasn’t a peep from the crowd as the 60 guests gave Dillon the attention that his set deserved.
After Dillon, Perth legend in the poetry world Laundry Man (Jacob Boyd) stood up and made an acknowledgement to the traditional land owners before diving into gut-wrenching spoken word. His first piece felt like a drum roll, focusing on delivery as he slowly increased the speed in which the poem was delivered. His partner joined him on stage to speak about Queens and their kingdoms in a satirical piece that had the collective crowd laughing along before questioning their reasoning for laughing.
Jack Davies from Jack Davies and The Bush Chooks gave a spoken word piece before picking up a four-string guitar to tackle family dynamics and loneliness. He performed vulnerable pieces, placing his trust in the audience to not turn on him as he bared his heart to them. Overall, the music was stripped back with rich lyrical content, and as the night progressed it seemed to get more and more quirky.
The atmosphere and energy of the evening felt so holistic and grounded. The focus of the evening was on the artist which can sometimes be lost at a gig and the combining of the different worlds felt truly special to be involved in.
ANNIE MUNROE
ARTISTS
Ailsa Waddell
Alice Ford
Ben Ravenscroft
Clancy Martin
Ella Wylynko
Emma Williamson
Emily Ashton
Evi Ruz Artistry
Eeka Illustration
Lauren Rodriguez Art
Leia Duffy Art
Sarah Buttigieg
Shenade Teves
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Alec Thomas
Courtney
Daniel Hilderbrand
David Stewart
George Foster
Holly McCarthy
James Taylor
The Salty Dreamers
Lilly Filsell
Lucy White
Ryan Borrett
Tahlia Palmer
POETS
Maddie Godfrey
Jack Davies
Taonga Sendama
Laundry Man (Jakob Boyd)
MUSICIANS
Noah Dillon w/ Fraeya
Isla Imogen
Smol Fish
Jeremy Segue
