It was announced recently that the 2021 AFL Grand Final will be played in Perth at the city’s Optus Stadium, making it second consecutive Grand Final to played outside its traditional home state of Victoria.
It headed to Brisbane last time out and the Queensland city made sure to promote its musical talent: local favourites Cub Sport, DMA’s, and Sheppard all performed during the event.
Perth might be isolated but it has a rich and eclectic music scene, from its burgeoning electronic community, to its strong rock history. And Tame Impala? Yeah, thought you might have heard of them before.
To begin our countdown to the AFL Grand Final heading out West, here’s a look at some of the finest music, both old and new, to emerge from Perth to soundtrack the occasion this Saturday.
Last Quokka
Real and raw punk. Last Quokka combine searing social commentary with a keen Australian piss-taking sensibility. Calling themselves “anti-fascist punks from the most isolated city on the planet”, their latest album, 2020’s Unconscious Drivers, was a riotous collection of anger and humour; the type of punk that demands to be listened to live, thrashing around in a mosh pit.
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The Triffids
These Perth post-punks were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in 2008 in recognition of their sterling career that saw them find success both in Australia and the U.K. in the 80’s. Led by the late David McComb, their 1986 album Born Sandy Devotional was ranked 5th in the 2010 compendium The 100 Best Australian Albums.
Birds Of Tokyo
They just had to be included. The alternative rock outfit were huge from day one, their debut album, um, Day One, reaching number three on the AIR Independent Album Chart and spending a ridiculous 36 consecutive weeks in the top 10. They’ve since gone on to achieve two number one albums albums, both 2013’s March Fires and last year’s Human Design topping the ARIA Album Chart.
Bluetile Lounge
When Sonic Youth and Low are massive fans of your band, you’re definitely doing something right. Slowcore band Bluetile Lounge formed in Perth in 1991, they only released two albums, but the first one, 1995’s Lowercase, is the masterpiece: the haunting speed and melancholic air really capture the isolation of living on the Western edge of the country. Sonic Youth insisted that Bluetile Lounge supported them on the Perth leg of their tour in 1996. Simply one of the greatest slowcore bands of all time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir70GjpyEW8&t=4s
The Scientists
Another great post-punk group, The Scientists first thrived in Perth in the late 70’s before they broke up and were reformed under a different stylistic guise in Sydney in the 80’s. They also had an album included in The 100 Best Australian Albums compendium, their 1983 record Blood Red River making the list.
Methyl Ethel
The indie rockers have been earning critical plaudits both at home and abroad since forming in Perth in 2013. The project of Western Australian producer and multi-instrumentalist Jake Webb, they’ve become Triple J favourites for their intelligent and stylish songs.
Make Them Suffer
The metalcore group have been on a steady rise since forming in Perth in 2009, with their last album, 2020’s How to Survive a Funeral, making it to number 17 in the ARIA Album Chart, their highest position to date. They’ve successfully toured in the U.S. several times, winning an audience of fans over there. Their keyboardist Booka Nile even found time last year to appear on Married at First Sight Australia, which is just a wonderful example of worlds colliding.
Peter Bibby
A cult Western Australian icon, an underground Australiana folk hero. Bibby has never got the mainstream respect his carefully-crafted alcohol-fuelled tales have richly deserved but he’s certainly not too fussed about it. A musician’s musician, he makes the music he wants to make, regardless of who might be listening. It’s rock pockmarked with rawness, unvarnished and unconstrained.
