The Bennies @ Rosemount Hotel
w/ Abbe May, Axe Girl
Friday, July 27, 2018
After wrapping up a series of successful European shows, The Bennies brought their Natural Born Chillers tour to Rosemount Hotel Main Room last Friday.
Axe Girl, a female fronted, five-piece indie pop-punk band with an established sound and audience opened the night. Vocalist Addison Axe performs with confidence, energy and a punk attitude, and makes a great and entertaining frontwoman. Bassist Ness Thornton (from Jebediah) also has a great stage presence, a cool punk image and really captures attention. Their songs have a repetitive beat to them that make them catchy and appealing. 1981 stood out as a likeable and engaging song, and the band’s use of keys helped to create a more indie and unique sound.
Abbe May was up next, performing a variety of songs from albums Fruit, Design Desire, and Kiss My Apocalypse. What has not already been said about Abbe May? She has established herself as a charismatic performer with a great voice and honest lyrics and performs with femininity and passion on stage. The audience were clearly happy with her set, demanding an encore, chanting lyrics and dancing about to her music.
The Bennies were up just before 11pm, and performed four songs from their new album alongside a series of older material. The Bennies do an incredible job at capturing a live audience. The main room was almost full and there was a great atmosphere at the front of the stage. Frontman Anty possessed masses of stage energy as he ran and jumped around to entertain his audience, while a cartoon artist produced live sketches projected onto a screen as the band play. The audience had a clear admiration for The Bennies, demonstrated by chanting lyrics, jumping about, attempting to crowd surf and pushing against the stage barrier.
Although the energy in the room was notable, the use of synthesisers by the band downplayed what could have been a more raw, appealing rock sound. The band produced good guitar work but that faded into the background by the use of synthesisers. A lot of their songs sounded the same when performed live and had a similar structure to them.
The music the band produces is light, simple, easily relatable and honest. It lacks a certain seriousness, concept and meaning. However, this is is not necessarily a bad thing. As the band says themselves, it means the audience has a sound they can ‘party’ to; a sound that an audience can use to forget about their dissatisfying lives and enjoy the moment to. The Bennies produce exciting, dancey music that appeals to their target audience and the support by the crowd on the night clearly showed this.
The Melbourne four-piece were not originally scheduled to bring their Natural Born Chillers tour to Perth, but added the tour due to popular demand. The audience clearly appreciated this and the band has a developed fanbase here full of admiration.
Words and photos by ALEXIA LARCHER
