Samiam/Blueline Medic/Clowns
Capitol
Friday, August 18, 2014
Capitol was packed with seasoned music fans for the arrival of Australian pop-punk staples Bodyjar, who made their way to Perth on a national tour in celebration of 20 years in the game. Before going any further, the crowd themselves deserve a whole lot of love for rocking out hard while still being respectful of those around them; something that is often missing amongst more tender-footed crowds.
Joining Bodyjar on tour and first to put spit to microphone were the fast paced and wonderfully frantic Clowns. Coming out of Melbourne with an already more than solid fan base and backed by significant radio play, Clowns had an absolutely sweet energy with hectic vocals paired perfectly with big guitar tones and raging, yet sometimes almost bluesy solos.
Up next were the cool and slightly more relaxed Blueline Medic. The epitome of those laid-back ‘90s punk vibes, there was something almost mellow about the perfectly strummed chords and almost melancholic vocal quality. It was at this point when the crowd began to swell and gain vertical momentum.
Samiam stormed the stage next with their sick style out of LA. Things got a little more dirty and a little more heavily paced, but amongst that was still this unavoidable ‘feel goodness’ that seems to come with this style of music. The lead singer projected a real naturalness, saying the only reason he could never stay here is the price of booze. We all knew there was no need to rub it in.
While all bands gave more than respectable performances, no one was going to outshine Bodyjar on this night. From the get go, the deep nostalgia and excitement felt by the crowd, many of whom had clearly been fans since the beginning, was released in the form of crowd surfing and passionate singalongs. Once the set list was completed, the absolutely affable front man Cameron Baines put the call out for requests and from then on it was pure energy. Something special was saved until almost the end, and that was a tune now etched in the annals of pop-punk history: Not The Same. The crowd seemed tinged in a ridiculously merry glow as the night came to a close.
There is nothing quite like witnessing die-hard fans of a classic band get a chance to enjoy the glory all over again, especially when the happy-go-lucky mood of the ‘90s grows steadily more distant. Bodyjar delivered everything they promised and left the house thoroughly refreshed and completely stoked. A perfect success.
JAMES HANLON
