Dream Rimmy Heavy EP Launch @ Mojos Bar
w/ Verge Collection, Erasers, Stella Donnelly, Divorce Party
Saturday May 6, 2017
On the same weekend that Slowdive released their first album in 22 years, Perth’s own dream-pop merchants Dream Rimmy also put out their highly anticipated new EP Heavy. Before the headline act, early goers were greeted with a raw set of lo-fi from Divorce Party and the eclectic mix of tunes from Boat Show and Bells Rapids member Stella Donnelly. Punters chatted in the beer garden and payed polite respect to the first few acts, but there was a sense of anticipation about what was to follow.
Local experimental duo Erasers did what they do best. They wove their tunes around wooden beats while filling the room with ambient sounds. Rebecca Orchard offers her reverb heavy vocals to the ethereal sounds that the pair create. The duo face each other at centre stage for the duration as Rupert Thomas adds some minimalist guitar to the keyboard based backgrounds. Erasers are always more dynamic than their simple ingredients imply.
If you want to build up the feel good vibe in a venue, then Verge Collection are the perfect tonic. The four piece play indie-pop tunes with a sense of fun and frivolity, tongues firmly planted in cheeks as they gave an energetic run through Feel Bad Songs. Eye Opener was given a false start with some issues of a capo being placed on the wrong fret, but Verge Collection aren’t about precision. Drummer, Barry Elverd keeps the younger members in line with a solid backbone that allows then to do some loose freewheeling with their well worn tunes. The high moments were the singalong of Postcode and the hook laden Class Of ’09, but ending with a punked up drinking song didn’t play to the band’s strength.
As an aside, a bass player taking a ‘bump’ on the side of the stage from the back of a phone case is not rock and roll, an anti-establishment statement or a hip Spinal Tap moment. It is at best immature and attention seeking. Playing in front of a bunch of your mates at Mojos is a long way from selling out Wembley Stadium.
Having already had two stand alone singles last year that got them slots on festivals and radio airplay, Dream Rimmy kick off there next phase with a batch of brand new recordings but not before the first of the aforementioned tunes Waves was given a solid workout with its fuzzed guitars and strong harmonies. The stage looked like a showroom for Fender guitars as the six piece made their intentions clear.
Oxygen was the first of the songs from Heavy that would be played with crashing cymbals giving way to Ali Flintoff’s surprisingly clear vocal. The baby faced band recently welcomed a new member in the form of Jenny Aslett. Flintoff was clearly giddy to have her good friend beside her and guided her through tunes and poked and laughed during the set. There were older tunes mixed with the brand new (which took a more straightforward pop edge) and the band were content to sway and deliver.
Dream Rimmy have been all over the local radio with their tune Landslide which is sadly not included on the new release. Tonight it was given extra pace and adrenalin that saw the band unwind and start to look like they were having fun. Flintoff put her guitar down to bounce through a charming version of Kylie Minogue’s Come Into My World, before the band put their game face back on to end the night with I Know What’s Wrong With You. Dream Rimmy are a band that play to their shoegaze strengths and are building an impressive set of tunes along the way.
CHRIS HAVERCROFT
