The Decline – Photo by Rachael Barrett
The Novocaines/Tired Lion/Sail On! Sail On!/Being Beta
The Rosemount Hotel
Friday, May 16, 2014
The Decline should need no introduction, having firmly cemented themselves a place in the Australian music scene. There was real sense of excitement for the launch of the new EP, Can I Borrow a Feeling, at the Rosemount Hotel on Friday night.
Fresh out of the studio after recording their second EP, Being Beta royally kicked the night underway with their pop-punk antics and enthusiasm, singing songs of what it was like to grow up in Bunbury and making fun about of how silly life’s problems can be. However, Reading In A Ribhouse explores something much more serious: the rise of industrial food and its negative impact. They closed set with three new songs off the to-be-released EP.
Sail On! Sail On! brought a heavier tone, embodying a unique post-hardcore sound. Their chaotic and passionate music draws influences for a variety of bands with the most obvious being La Dispute and Dance Gavin Dance, but they have created a really lovely sound of their own.
Tired Lion are arguably one of the most exciting bands in the Perth music scene right now with the band currently in Singapore to play a string of five shows as part of the Music Matters festival. Opening the set with a new song, I Don’t Think You Like Me, off the upcoming EP which saw bassist Nick Vasey provide raw backing vocals. Channelling ‘90s rock with the perfect amount of grunge, the band, fronted by Sophie Hope’s feisty yet delicate voice, smashed through an impressive set, only marred by a couple of technical issues where their pedal boards lost power on a few occasions. However, it was easily overlooked.
A short break later it was time for The Novocaines, another celebrated Perth act. Frontman Corey Marriott’s manic dancing and the band’s infectious energy radiated throughout their set as they powered through song after song. Their grungy riffs and Marriott’s screaming vocals they tore apart the stage. The ferocious punk rockers put on the quite the show.
Punters eagerly awaited the fast skate punk songs of The Decline, and finally it was time. They opened the set with A Crash Course In Emotional English, soon after the violent moshing began. FAIM frontman Noah Skape spontaneously provided them will backing vocals for the end of Excuse Me. Dedicating The Financial Equivalent Of A Complete Rectal Exam to Tired Lion and then playing The Evolution of Jesus Jackson off the new EP, they compared Jesus Christ to Michael Jackson, with the lyrics saying “Michael Jackson you died for my sins.” Their music goes beyond on the usual topics of relationships and life, demonstrating a social awareness and touching on issues like animal rights and child labour in their satirical style. Offering up a tight set of fast paced punk tunes riddled with humour and puns, The Decline played a solid 14 song set, proving just why they are so great.
RACHAEL BARRETT
