Violent Soho’s national tour hit Perth last weekend cementing them as one of Australia’s must see live acts. Supported by Perth’s own Tired Lion, Tassies Luca Brasi and American outfit The Bronx. Despite having wrapped up an album tour for their latest hit WACO only months earlier, the punters where still out in full force at Saturdays gig.
Firstly came the up and coming Perth outfit Tired Lion, their set came as the sun set and as the audience began to arrive, they successfully managed to spark excitement among the crowds. Following them came Luca Brasi with another strong set, which managed to grow the sense of euphoria within the crowd.
The Bronx took stage and their energy was undeniable from start to end. The constant referral to chaos by the lead singer seemed to strike a chord with the crowds, particularly the mosh. The band where epic and proved the perfect way to finish an impressive group of guest performances.
Then came Violent Soho, who in bizarre but classic fashion chose to announce their impending arrival by having John Farnham’s classic You’re the Voice followed by Waltzing Matilda play over the PA. To continue the hype already present in the audience Violent Soho opened with Dope Calypso, a choice that ensured jubilation throughout the audience.
Rather than monopolizing the set list with songs from their latest album, WACO, Violent Soho instead chose to focus on many of their classics, particularly those from their 2013 album, Hungry Ghost. The setlist was dynamic mixing both their upbeat rock hits with their slower more dramatic tracks. A standout was their third song Jesus stole my Girlfriend one of the only hits from their album We Don’t Belong Here.
The only flaw in a mostly flawless gig was a lull in energy towards the middle of the set that saw the audience begin to thin out. Despite this the minute Blanket from the latest album WACO was heard the audience where fully enthralled once again. The energy, which had dropped from the band, was back in full by the time Blanket’s chorus was in full swing.
In true Aussie form before beginning their final official song Viceroy, the band participated in a “shoey” (a beer drunk from a shoe), a sure way to get any crowd going.
The encore was inevitable with two big hits still left unsung. After a brief hiatus the band reemerged ready to excite the crowds once again. Tinderbox was the song of choice by the band, within seconds the fully reenergized crowd where in full swing. For the final encore the band pulled out all stops with their ARIA award-nominated hit, Covered In Chrome, which saw the crowd at an all time high eating up every moment of the final act.
With Violent Soho returning to Perth for Falls Festival in two months they are a must see live act their energy is undeniable a statement clearly echoed by the fans.
CLAUDIA MOORE
Photo by Andrew Hawthorne
