Amplifier Bar is a venue in the wrong era, and the wrong nation. It is the perfect chalice to receive ‘90s Brit-pop. Romanticism aside, it is Perth’s premier indie-rock destination, with walls bearing Triple J posters and punters decked in items like hand-knitted amaranth coloured leggings.
Channelling Jack White’s penchant for all-male and all-female bands, Melbournians Stonefield, in town for the Put Your Curse On Me tour, were preceded by Stillwater Giants.
Composed of four young dudes they gave a solid set of easy listening rock. They thrashed through their Fly Under The Radar EP and injected their studio work with an impetus that was lacking on the album. Their talented drummer delivered a rocking beat and racing high hats, and the front line of guitars were powerful enough to repel an armed incursion.
To complement their arrival on stage, the smoke machines went into overdrive, to the extent that the band were barely visible, encouraging a few nervous minutes spent expecting either the fire alarm or a respirator.
Set highlights included the title track from the EP, which has been receiving plenty of Triple J airtime, and ‘More Ways Than One,’ easily capable of theming a Clint Eastwood cowboy flick. New tune ‘Insane’ remains comfortably within the tradition of their oeuvre, and they padded out the set with an energetic cover of punk rock kings The Clash’s ‘Rock The Casbah’.
Towards the conclusion, bassist Kyle Lockyer ran amok, playing behind his head and clambering atop the bass drum, while lead singer Henry Clarke flung his mop of hair about. They brought the tempo down to nothing, before racing off again to a throbbing climax.
With their killer harmonies, generous reverb, natural falsetto, fun performance and a tentative 2014 release date for their debut, they are well on their way to good things.
Every ‘Straya’ Day, the release of Triple J’s Hottest 100 is closely followed by the criticism that it didn’t feature enough female artists. Expect the Findlay sisters of Stonefield to change that in 2014.
The sister-act was loud, aggressive, unyielding, and all the better for it. They make one long to tune up a Mustang, salt pork, and tan leather. The sassy four-piece, who occasionally drew upon a fifth member to relieve lead vocalist Amy Findlay from drumming duties, were comfortable on stage, providing one floor shaking hit after another.
The lead singer was a dominant force on the drums, commanding respect and attention. And boy could she sing. Possessing a uniquely powerful voice, she was not afraid to let loose, but never at the expense of quality. She also demonstrated her softer side on an extended vocal solo on ‘Through The Clover’.
2010 winners of Triple J Unearthed High, then named Iotah, Stonefield drew upon two EPs worth of ‘70s-inspired bluesy rock. Unfortunately there is no avoiding the tired but true comparison to Deep Purple.
Their lyrical content is not as complex or poignant as say Rodriguez, but shows significant maturity. Thankfully devoid of teen angst, they tend towards sinister and threatening choruses.
‘Black Water Rising’ warns against mistakenly holding onto a destructive force that can only ‘take you down,’ and ‘Ruby Skies’ questions the existence of a higher power when all that is familiar falls away. There is a sense that lyrically they are probing the world, exploring, and questioning, so that nothing is taken for granted.
Their new single ‘Put A Curse On Me’ surpasses previous smash hit ‘Black Water Rising.’ The single was not even the best of their new material, which bodes well for the release of their album on October 11 (keep an eye out for its beautiful and arresting cover).
Jack Kerouac wrote ‘it’s not the words that count, but the rush of what is said’ Due to the roar of the guitars, and questionable enunciation, discerning lyrics was nigh impossible, but the night’s energy and intensity, the rush, the sensory overload was magnificent. In this instance, the words themselves did not matter. The essence of their performance was the real gem.
