DIAMOND EYE

With Homebrewe & The Sure Fire Midnights

The Civic Hotel, Perth, Western Australia

 

Followed by KICKSTART at THE ROCKET ROOM

We arrived at the Civic Hotel, having sadly missed ARTILLERY ROAD, to find a very healthy crowd enjoying the warm early Autumn night in the beer garden, with some of the more faithful inside taking in HOMEBREWE’s performance.

 

Well, I say “performance”, but truth is the guys were so affable and chatty onstage that we felt more like we were mates sitting in their living room than punters at a gig.

 

 

Their sound is a strange but workable mix of Wolfmother and Pearl Jam, a Black Sabbath meets Reef vibe, if you will. Singer Kohen Grogan has a good voice and stage presence, but it’s the presentation lacking here.

 

‘Beautiful View’ and ‘Best Thing’ highlight the post grunge edge to their sound, and with their album “My Own Nemesis” now available, these “three brothers and a best mate” are clearly having a great time playing hard rock n’ roll.

 

 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Homebrewe/111677211709?ref=ts

DIAMOND EYE couldn’t be more different to their support act, and blow them away after only twenty seconds with their sheer presence.

 

These guys deliver what the Perth scene has long been lacking – a SHOW. They have big production lighting, pyro, some really good hard rock/metal songs and the mindset to deliver a performance reminiscent of early Kiss or the hair metal glory days of the late eighties.

 

Will Kelly

 

Their bio describes them as Kiss meets Metallica, and we noticed elements of Dokken and even Manowar in there too. Diamond Eye prove that you don’t need a huge budget to put on a decent show, that you can be tight and pack a punch onstage without being dull and over-rehearsed, and that rock n’ roll in all it’s glory will never die.

 

Greg Fawcett

 

Singer and guitarist Will Kelly is on form, while lead guitarist Greg Fawcett and bassist Chase Cameron never stand still for a moment. The show is all and for 45 or so minutes tonight, Diamond Eye were completely in charge.

 

Chase Cameron

 

Sadly, although this is Diamond Eye’s RETURN gig with their new drummer Jeff Keating in tow, somehow they have previously slipped under my radar and this is my first time seeing the band – but on the strength of tonight’s show it won’t be my last, or anyone else’s who is in attendance (which includes members of Thrust and other local bands).

 

‘Been Away Too Long’, ‘(Crushed Under the Wheels Of My) Machine’, ‘Atlantis’, ‘Last One Standing’, ‘Fuck!’ and more get a great response from the near-to-full room, and the band perform brilliantly throughout, achieving the best result possible: we leave feeling that we’ve experienced not just a good set, but also a fine show and some great entertainment - and that’s what rock is all about!

 

You’d be well advised to pick up a copy of their Demo EP, and check out more at

 

www.myspace.com/diamondeyeperth

 

or http://www.facebook.com/pages/DIAMOND-EYE/54775351364?ref=ts

 

 

THE SURE FIRE MIDNIGHTS had the unenviable task of following the headliners for a shortish half hour set of AC/DC meets the Runaways rock, peppered with a touch of psych rock here and there, especially on opener ‘Shoot You Down’.

 

Laura McCormack

 

They rock hard and it’s a shame a large portion of the crowd left for the beer garden after Diamond Eye rather than staying around to support another fine local band, but perhaps that’s testament to how Diamond Eye killed it tonight.

 

Clair Sargeant

 

Those who did stay were treated to a punchy set which left us wanting a lot more of their self-described “Sexy, Sweaty, Booze Drinkin Rock & Roll with Heels”.

 

Abby Soanes on bass & Sharni Pearson-Misich on guitar. Drummer kylie Soanes is obscured.

 

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Sure-Fire-Midnights/326886261907?ref=ts&v=wall

 

We had an awesome night and despite a long rocking day looming tomorrow we bit the bullet and kicked on at the Rocket Room where KICKSTART played blinding covers through til the wee hours. A veritable who's who of the Perth rock scene was on hand - many having come down from the DIAMOND EYE gig, and the party did get a little rowdy!

 

 

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?id=1838353905&ref=ts

 

 

Thanks to all the bands involved for putting on a great night of rock!

 

 

Shane Rockpit