To celebrate 26 years of their seminal debut album, Aussie stoner rockers Tumbleweed hit the road to perform the album in it’s entirety, kicking off on the west coast this weekend before hitting the east coast rounds. We caught the band along with a strong supporting lineup that included Purple Urchin and The Floors on Friday night at Badlands Bar, Perth to witness some of the best rock in the country.
Coming all the way from Dunsborough are 3 piece rock outfit Purple Urchin who warmed up the early birds at the kooky cavelike Badlands Bar, bringing the classic rock stuff to the stage. It was a rockin’ set from start to finish, solid and groove oriented with a simplistic tempo and a bluesy overtone mixed with some cool guitar effects for show. This led to the locals in The Floors who have been on the radar of many music fans in Perth for some time.
It’s been far too long since I had seen The Floors but they are always on my mind when I think of local music in Perth. Their brand of dirty, grungey hard rock oozing a swampy blues style and a weird Clash meets The Who energy is a sheer delight to witness and their live show is always a highlight.
Tonight was business as usual as their casual demeanour shows, a brilliant mix of their back catalogue ranging from blues numbers to almost stoner rockish stuff and that laid back, swag grooves got all the punters moving and shaking and by the end, won the few over that still hadn’t caught onto this band prior to tonight. Do yourselves a favor if you are in that boat and look them up, they are a force to be reckoned with.
The main act of course was Aussie legends Tumbleweed who are iconic in many ways in the Australian music scene. It was 26 years ago that their self titled debut made an impact that would help put the band on the musical map which at the time was overloaded with the grunge scene exploding worldwide. Tumbleweed got caught up in that whole world but I always felt they were more in line with the stoner rock scene that bands like Kyuss and Orange Goblin were forging in the 90s.
Either way it was great to see them back in Perth as they celebrate the anniversary of that album with a live performance of every song from start to finish. The last time they came our way a few years ago the volume level was cranked way past 11 making the ears from everyone bleed incessantly but thankfully this time around it was pitch perfect with that fuzzy guitar tones flowing through nicely. Tumbleweed always had a certain vicious attack in their laid back drawl, going back to the earlier days from when I first caught onto them. They were one of the first bands I ever saw live so the nostalgia factor complete with images of that wild hair (some of which is still flowing on the veteran rockers) is taken up a few notches which vocalist Richie Lewis points out midway through the set only happens for certain songs for himself. But for some of us it’s everything.
Classics like “Sundial” and “Acidrain” drew big responses from the crowd as expected which by this time finally filled the venue out after hestitantly backing off from the stage area for most of the night up to this point. It wasn’t until the classic album starting pouring through the amps that punters spread out and took up room in all pockets of the venue and by the time the closing psychedelic number “Dandylion” rounded things up the fans were wanting more.
Of course Tumbleweed couldn’t end things there so a few classic offerings made it’s way in including the always popular “Galactaphonic” album which also celebrated two decades of existence a few years ago. That in particular was a highlight but the whole show really was a complete trip and made for one of the top shows this year so far.
TOUR DATES
Friday July 6 – Badlands Perth, WA
with The Floors + Purple Urchin
http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=87019
Saturday July 7 – Prince of Wales Hotel Bunbury, WA
The Floors + Purple Urchin
http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=87021
Friday July 13 – Miami Shark Bar Gold Coast, QLD
with guests Screamfeeder + Budd
http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=87022
Saturday July 14 – the Triffid Bar Brisbane, QLD
with guests Screamfeeder + Budd
http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=87028
Saturday July 21 – Marrickville Bowling Club Sydney, NSW
with guests The Pink Fits + The Electric Guitars + Enfant Terrible
http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=87029
Friday July 27 – The Gov Adelaide, SA
with guests Even + The Dunes
http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=86821
Saturday July 28 – Croxton Band Room Melbourne, VIC
with guests Even + The Electric Guitars
http://tickets.oztix.com.au/?Event=87353
Tickets for all shows on sale now thru Oztix. More info at www.facebook.com/TumbleweedGong
