ELECTRIC MARY

WITH DIAMOND EYE, SUREFIRE MIDNIGHTS, JOHN MEYER's UNFINISHED BUSINESS AND THE SICK AND TIRED
LIVE AT THE CHARLES HOTEL, PERTH
11 AUGUST 2012

By Shane Pinnegar
Photography by Mark Diggins

It’s been a couple of years since ELECTRIC MARY hit Perth, and they’ve been making a name for themselves overseas during that time, with European and Japanese tours in support of last year’s “III” album. With such a strong line-up, there was a massive buzz around town for this show, and The Charles Hotel was packed with musos and fans alike.

Arriving just after 8:30, we missed Mr Di Renzo, but heard nothing but praise for his rockin’ set.

John Meyer's Unfinished Business

Billy F Gibbons – the Reverend Willy G himself – says “it’s all about the tone”, and not many people in this world have tone like JOHN MEYER. Ex-Saracen, Rose Tattoo, Swanee, Sharon O’Neil, Chain, John Meyer’s Blues Express and more, Meyer is something of the elder statesman in the blues rock world. With an exciting young vocalist in Craig Pinkney, and the chops to sound like an entire band all by himself, Meyer never fails to astound and impress, and hearing the 1981 Saracen classic In The Morning performed so brilliantly was in itself worth the price of admission tonight.

The Sure Fire Midnights

THE SURE FIRE MIDNIGHTS have never sounded better – a heavy gig schedule in recent months has tightened their performance up, and they tear through tracks from their “Strike At Midnight” album with passion and flair.

Diamond Eye

DIAMOND EYE are jetting to Los Angeles soon to record their debut studio album with Bob Kulick (Meatloaf, Kiss) in the producers seat – and their excitement is obvious both on and off stage. Tonight with Danny Torre back behind the drum kit and frontman Will Kelly freed up to do what he does best, they don’t disappoint with a solid, hard rocking set drawn from their “Sound Of The Guns” EP and more.

Electric Mary

If there’s a better band to have come out of Australia in the past ten years, I’m not aware of them.  ELECTRIC MARY take no prisoners, defining four to the floor hard rock as they ripped through favourites from their “Down To The Bone” and “III” albums.

Electric Mary

In Venom and Alex Raunjak Electric Mary have what is probably the most relentless rhythm section on the planet, the very definition of an insurgent engine room, driving the music forward and through the throng of bodies in front of the stage. Guitarists Pete Robinson and new boy Brett Wood weave magic between their six strings, Wood showing he can rock with the best of them after a stint with softy Pete Murray.

Electric Mary

Frontman Rusty Brown talked before the show about the band being five guys who absolutely LOVE what they do, and the adrenaline they create on stage is obvious when Electric Mary play, spreading through the crowd like a contagion as soon as they fire off the first salvo of riffs.

Electric Mary

Gasoline and Guns was a highlight, as was Right Down To The Bone, and after 85 minutes of high octane rock, minds were blown and sweat was shed in a near perfect display of sheer rock. Let’s hope it isn’t another two years before we see them back in town.

Electric Mary