Spacey Jane @ Badlands Bar
w/ Your Girl Pho, Butter, Playground
Friday, August 18, 2018
Ok, Wow. I guess we have to have a talk about Spacey Jane, and don’t worry I am pretty confused about the whole situation too.
I have been following the band for the good part of a year and a half now, and what’s not to love? They supply a waterfall of energy matched with storytelling through lyricism beyond their age. I find myself getting lost in the catchy riffs, groovy bass lines and frontman Caleb’s vocals.
I have been seeing Butter on local line-ups for a while now but have never had the chance to see them until last night. The five-piece band supplied elements of lo-fi, darkwave, neo-soul and a surprising twist of hip hop to send the audience into a synchronized groove. It’s hard not to feel good when all the members on stage are having even more fun than the audience, setting an absolute killer vibe to start off the night. I can see some great things happening to Butter in the future and am really excited to see where they go.
I have never been disappointed with a bit of Pho, and last night was definitely not going to be the first time. Your Girl Pho killed it. Never have I seen a crowd build up so quickly on an empty dance floor. It was clear to see Pho has been working on her performance for an upcoming set at Music Matters Festival in Singapore, and after seeing her last night I am seriously considering buying a plane ticket and joining her at the festival.
Pho’s neo-soul and pop vibes are something really refreshing to the Perth scene. Her songs are so distinctive and playful and really use up every inch of the audience’s imaginations. I had a member of the audience behind me ask “Who is this girl?” and continued to scream “I didn’t think love at first sight existed”.
Spacey Jane rolled into a sold-out event at Badlands and supplied maybe the most electrifying performance I have seen from them to date. But here is why I am confused: I am not sure where all the passionate listeners came from. Most of the audience members knew every word to every song and it left me in a state of indescribable happiness.
Having taken a little break from performing, the band were back to debut their new single, Cold Feet. Listening to the song you can hear a sense of maturity and progression in their sound, offering a new lo-fi vibe matched with their unmistakable sound to produce another absolute banger.
However, a big crowd can often lead to the wrong crowd. I love having fun at a gig as much as the next person, but some disgusting actions from a member of the audience were not welcome amongst the music lovers. A safe and friendly environment at gigs should always be promoted and enforced by the venue, and I was surprised to see the venue’s security guards did nothing about it. However, hats off to Spacey Jane for taking the time during their set to address this issue. Much love to the band for making it their first priority.
The music from the four-piece band is simple, fun and catchy and their progress over time as performers and musicians is mind-bending. The lyricism is honest and follows real problems and issues that their audience can relate to. It is hard not to love them when they supply their stage charisma integrated with a new wave sound. Looking forward to seeing where this band is going to take their sound in the future.
Words and photos by
DANIEL HILDEBRAND
