It was a night of 90’s nostalgia, a lineup filled with some of the most memorable bands from the hey day of the alternative rock era. The Living End, Spiderbait, Veruca Salt and The Lemonheads all made an impact on Aussie fans many years ago which to this day remains a staple in many’s musical listening diet and judging by the passionate crowd on Saturday night at the picturesque Red Hill Auditorium which overlooks the Perth Hills, still is.
The Lemonheads’ Evan Dando was ’90s rock royalty, writing much of his band’s breakthrough album – 1992’s It’s A Shame About Ray – in his second home of Australia. A concentrated blast of pure pop perfection, Come On Feel The Lemonheads, followed reaching number 19 on the ARIA chart, giving the band their first Top 20 album in the world. Since then, Evan has been a regular visitor to Australia, both as a solo act and reactivating The Lemonheads.
Their performance tonight opened the show during the still scorching sun shining bright on a warm but relaxing day. The early crowd poured in to see the scraggly legend that is Evan Dando and The Lemonheads pull off a fine start to the event.
Veruca Salt’s signature hit Seether remains one of the most-loved rock tunes of the ’90s. Not surprisingly, the band experienced a meteoric rise, doing everything a young band coming of age in the grunge era could hope for – selling more than a million records, touring with alt-rock royalty Hole and PJ Harvey, and winning critical acclaim for albums like American Thighs (named after an AC/DC lyric). After breaking up in 1998, the original line-up – Nina Gordon, Louise Post, Jim Shapiro and Steve Lack – re-formed in 2013 and were warmly welcomed back on stage. In 2015 they released their fifth studio album, Ghost Notes, the first to feature the band’s original line-up since 1997’s Eight Arms To Hold You.
Absolutely one of the many highlights tonight, Veruca Salt returned to fine form as if nothing had been lost during their extended time away. With a strong focus on the many hit songs they had along with a few new ones, it was a strong reminder why Veruca Salt have long been regarded as one of those bands that could never be forgotten no matter how long it had been.
With five Top 20 albums, two ARIA Awards, a massive number one anthem with the irrepressible Black Betty and a huge and loyal following, it’s true to say Spiderbait‘s Kram, Janet and Whitt’s special musical alchemy is a wondrous thing! Earlier last year they embraced their past by playing in full their most popular album, Ivy And The Big Apples, – home to the triple j Hottest 100 number one Buy Me A Pony. Tonight the band returned to Perth to mix it up and cater to an audience that always embraced the Aussie legends right from the get-go.
The Living End have earned their enviable standing as one of the most compelling and captivating bands in Australian rock history. Their 1998 self-titled debut album hit number one on the ARIA chart, spawning singalong anthems Prisoner Of Society, All Torn Down, Second Solution, West End Riot and Save The Day, beginning a chart domination that continued with Roll On, Pictures In The Mirror, What’s On Your Radio, Wake Up and White Noise to name but a few. Twenty years on they continue to be a force to be reckoned with, with last year’s Shift becoming their seventh ARIA Top 10 album. Having just completed a huge US tour, their live shows continue to excite fans worldwide.
The final spot belong to these rock veterans as they rounded off a huge night with their own brand of punk fused alternative rock, filled with copious amounts of energy and that famous big bass still looking mighty impressive on the massive stage. There simply was no better way to end this rock fueld night!
PHOTO GALLERY
Photos by Linda Dunjey Photography
