Rrocklobster of Perth

Breaking Punk IV

July 3

Four5Nine, Rosemount Hotel

It was subtitled ‘An acoustic folky punky thingy,’ and the line-up said it all. Performers from a broad range of Perth punk bands – some more folky than others – showcased the diverse range of punk-style bands we have here. Entering the room, regular revellers who may have been ready for a night of swaying and spilling lager froth had a sense that tonight was going to be low-key and loungey. In the half-renovated Four5Nine bar, Breaking Punk organiser Leigh F Sterne had brought in tables, stools and a couch. He arranged floating candles in whiskey glasses of water.

A substantial crowd had gathered to watch Noah Skape (Total Waste): a spectacle in his torn black jeans, polkadot suspenders, chain-and-padlock collar. His acoustic guitar had a bassy resonance that fittingly accompanied his theatrical voice, which both soothed and screeched as the crowd watched, aghast.

The dramatic tension was broken as larrikins Blonde Spit (Aaron and Ben from Blindspot) took over. The audience was settled and comfortable with Blonde Spit’s beer-jug-full of Aussie bloke charm. They both played guitar, with Ben leading vocals and Aaron harmonising, and playfully bantered with each other and the room.

Members of recently retired Grim Fandango joined the soiree and vocalist Tom Ware rose to the stage. The performance included a mix of Grim Fandango songs and Tom’s own new songs, with the same gravelly, growly voice, bounciness and jingly-jangly guitar that we’re used to from Grim. He seemed a little lost without the cocoon of the band, revealing self un-assuredness through comments like “I’ve never played any of these songs live. I feel so incredibly awkward,” and “I’m terrible at talking.”

Continuing the evening’s unbroken streak of excellent entertainment, Ben Elliott (The Decline, House Arrest) sung through a collection of fast-paced, jaunty folk punk songs. His open and clear voice carried well; his lyrics painted pictures and told stories like chapters in a book about his life. Delighted by the novelty of the setup, Ben remarked, “One of the best things about tonight is, if I fuck up, I fuck up by candlelight.” There was nothing to worry about – he had garnered the most enthusiastic applause thus far.

What a week for Dan Cribb (Dan Cribb & The Isolated). Street press mag The Music (of which he is the editor) printed its last edition before merging with Xpress. He probably appreciated this acoustic gig – a wind down of sorts. Accompanied by bandmate Scott Connor who added harmonies, Dan sung through a string of songs, mostly from The Memories Last EP. The pair had solid technical elements – pleasant voices and well-synchronised guitars – but lacked energy or emotion. Maybe the ambience of the room was a little too relaxing. Their finale, It Never Ends, had some spark with its catchy riff.

Self-proclaimed as ‘Australia’s Punk Rock Troubadour’ (see his business cards!), Benny Mayhem was lively and jovial with a well-projected voice. A Perth local who spends much of his time living in Europe, he has a core fan base who responded eagerly to his invitation for requests. He gave some background for Mornings Birds, which was “written on [his] mate’s back porch on the back of a pizza box.” It was a warm, friendly affair, and a sing-a-long, and requests were called out from the bar stools and longue chair until the last floating candle burned out.

Review by Rrocklobster of Perth.