Last Dinosaurs @ Jack Rabbit Slims
w/ RAT!Hammock, Leopard Lake
Friday, March 15, 2019
Last Dinosaurs made their long-awaited return to Perth last Friday night, with a sold out show at Jack Rabbit Slims to kick off their national Yumeno Garden tour alongside Melbournites RATHammock! and locals Leopard Lake.
Leopard Lake opened up with their electro-pop vibes, similar to those of London Grammar and The xx. They got the crowd feeling good and their latest track, Heart of Yours, went down a treat.
Melbourne band RAT!Hammock were next to take to the stage for their first ever Perth show. Despite a few small mishaps during the set, it was a great first live taste of the band, and no doubt left many hoping they will return soon. They even had a cool gimmick where they would play a riff then shout their band name! That’s one easy way to make sure no one forgets who you are. Sounding similar to fellow Melbourne act, Tiny Little Houses, they played favourites Love You Til I Die and Jude before smashing out their brand new single Ghost (it was literally released that day), giving me some Spotify saving to do on the train home. I’ve been telling everyone about this band, even my ex!
The crowd’s anticipation was quickly building and bubbled right over when Last Dinosaurs hit the stage. It had definitely been a while between shows here for Last Dinosaurs, and you could really feel that excitement in the crowd, and the packed venue could attest to that. They opened with fan favourite Evie from their sophomore album Wellness, which was followed by a throwback to their debut with Time and Place. Throwing fans back into their old favourites was the perfect way to kick off the gig.
The trio then launched into tracks from Yumeno Garden, the album of the night, with help on vocals from guitarist Lachlan Caskey. Non Lo So and Forget About sounded great with the added vocals, and really showcased Lachlan’s talent. Older tracks Weekend, Andy and Zoom bought a nostalgic feel to the night, and had punters shouting along every word.
The encore is what everyone was waiting for, and Last Dinosaurs delivered, coming back onto the stage for Honolulu and Apollo. Some punters decided to take it upon themselves to join the band on stage, with most being taken away by security – one slipped through the cracks and managed to stay on the stage for a full song, even getting to sing along. He provided an excellent dance display, one that was perhaps frontman worthy, and showed off his dedication by constantly pointing out the fact that he was wearing a Last Dinos shirt. That man was the highlight of my night.
Overall Last Dinosaurs played a dreamy show, that gave off plenty of nostalgic vibes, and had the sold out crowd smiling from ear to ear. RAT!Hammock also made an excellent Perth debut and we hope they return soon: this girl needs her hit of sad tunes.
KIERRA POLLOCK
Photos by Adrian Thomson
