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 photo: Aaron Sammut
For a sold out gig, it’s a very small crowd to greet local boy Tom Cooney. Those who do climb The Zoo’s stairs early are rewarded with melodic acoustic singing-songwriting that’s encouragingly pleasant, but might need more than one exposure before it sticks. In contrast to Cooney’s lone frame, Perth’s five-piece The Panda Band cram their instruments and their solid live reputation onto the stage, but tonight’s performance seems to only offer glimpses of their capable excellence, although that’s probably due at least partly to the Fiesta-fuelled puntership. Ticking all the relevant ‘genre-hopping’ boxes, comically narky frontman Damian Crosbie observes the growing throng seem more intent on catching up with friends than paying attention, which leaves the band, and these ears, unexpectedly dissatisfied. All conversation halts as reigning pop masterminds The Sleepy Jackson stroll onto stage, performing as an unprecedented six-piece, including their own backing singer. Luke Steele undisputedly leads his band through a career-spanning set, drawing as much from 2003’s Lovers, and even early EP track Glasshouses, as from the current Personality, although Devil Was In My Yard and the sublime I Understand What You Want are highlights. With a screen behind the band playing distorted versions of their clips, a crowd camera on the ceiling and eerie sound effects between songs, Steele’s famous oddballery is well represented, and expanding from the band’s two members works brilliantly, the guitarist who also contributes lush choral-sounding harmonies earning Rave’s MVP award. The virtually faultless acclaim earned by The Sleepy Jackson’s album translates to a special live show, proving that while Steele may prefer to do everything himself, he can also delegate impressively. SIMON TOPPER
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