Published on spaceshipnews.com.au | 26.03.14
Saturday March 22, 2014 – Review by Charmaine de Souza.
Fans were buzzing last Saturday night as WA’s Stillwater Giants returned to Amplifier Bar for the Perth leg of their Mi Casa Su Casa Tour. With an impressive list of recent shows under the belt including Future Music, Southbound and Groovin’ the Moo, the Margaret River four-piece already knew how to work the crowd and didn’t hesitate to show it.
Mandurah locals Indigo kicked things off, playing an infectious blend of indie-rock to a near-empty venue. Lead vocalist Chris Kinna embodied the ultimate Aussie bloke with a ladsy stage banter that he interrupted only to take a swig of beer. Kinna’s versatility as a performer was made clear as he ripped through tranquil numbers like ‘Ain’t It Funny’ one moment before soaring into an emotionally charged track like ‘Franz’ the next. The band was nothing if not passionate as they utilized every inch of the stage. By the end of their set, Kinna was writhing on the floor with his guitar, playing his guts out, and the few people lucky enough to see this were left cheering, undoubtedly pitying the latecomers who’d missed out.
Pierce Brothers were next up and ready to raise the energy levels for the steadily growing crowd. Their set opened with Patrick Pierce alone on stage, while twin brother Jack sashayed around the room, drumming on the floor, tables, speakers – pretty much everything that wasn’t meant to be drummed on. From there, the duo busted out a set featuring acoustic and electric guitars, a harmonica, didgeridoo and drums. The brothers had their twin chemistry working in their favour as Jack played the kick drum and didgeridoo simultaneously, all while holding a harmonica at his brother’s lips. Their sheer enthusiasm and folksy tunes like ‘Blind Boys Run’ spurred the crowd on, with several audience members breaking into an impromptu hoedown as their set came to a close.
With the crowd now sufficiently amped up, Stillwater Giants hit the stage and launched straight into the trance-inducing ‘Not Like the Others’. Onstage, the quartet was considerably more subdued than the support acts, but that didn’t stop them from getting the crowd moving. Their smooth sounds, coupled with Henry Clarke’s seemingly effortless vocals, transported the audience to a beat-up van, cruising along the beach on a hot summer’s day. The band’s signature three-part harmonies were on full display during ‘Insane’ and ‘Give Into Me’, and fans were encouraged to sing along (albeit terribly). Inspired by Channel 7’s recent INXS telemovie, they tried their hand at their own rendition of ‘Original Sin’, and boy did they hold their own. That ambitious feat showed punters that the Giants aren’t just your average, run-of-the-mill band of good mates; instead, they’re destined for a music scene far, far bigger than Margs.
http://www.spaceshipnews.com.au/live-review-stillwater-giants-amplifier/
Charmaine de Souza 