LIVE: L7, Perth – 6 Oct, 2016

LIVE: L7, Perth – 6 Oct, 2016
supported by The Nerve Quakes.
Capitol Nightclub, Perth, Western Australia
Thursday, 6 October, 2016
Reviewed by: Daryl Emmet
Photography by Paul Dowd

It has been a while since I have been to the Capitol to see a band, and it seemed fitting to be there again on such a nostalgic event as L7 coming to play Perth – and not since the late ‘90s have I seen so many leather jackets and flannelette shirts in one place.

The night was launched by The Nerve Quakes. A five-piece from Perth with a style reminiscent of the Post Punk era, and the likes of Blondie, Morrissey and the B52’s. The band had a solid backbone with the drummer playing a scaled back drum kit, and these guys have practiced plenty, you can tell, because they are TIGHT. These guys could do with injecting a bit of theatrics into their act – nothing major, just a bit more interaction with the crowd would have been pleasant, rather than just, ‘hi, we’re The Nerve Quakes’, and, ‘thanks to L7’. These guys are good musicians and the vocals were brilliant, and with a bit more life in the act they could create a great following.

And then came L7.

L7 are heavy: heavier than expected. For some reason I thought they were 4 Non Blondes or Alanis Morissette combined with Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth – I was wrong. So very, very wrong. I never felt so wrong about a band, and I missed them in what some might call their heyday. This show went to prove that the heyday never really ends when you are a genuinely top rate band. I mean, these ladies nailed it.

This is a band that knows how to work a crowd. In an intimate sized venue such as Capitol, Donita Sparks [frontwoman/guitar]’s promise, ‘we are here to rock your hemisphere’ was truly felt throughout the whole set.

They played the classics like Andre, Fuel My Fire, and Shitlist, and in the encore, the crowd favourite Pretend We’re Dead. All the memories of sitting up late watching Rage and the cheesy films like Tank Girl came flooding back.

There was some great banter between the members and the crowd. Suzi [Gardner – guitar]’s admission to her infatuation with our F1 Budgie Smugglers, and Jennifer [Finch – bass]’s foray into the crowd with her tech guy in tow to make sure she didn’t lose her lead for her bass, and Suzi, Donita, and Jennifer’s continual communication with the crowd made for a fantastic show.

When this gig was finished I had to have a good chat with my 16-year-old self, and give him a right good bollocking. I remember L7 well from the 90’s. I caught their songs on Rage, I heard them on Triple J, but I never gave them the chance they deserved. Despite never seeing them in the ‘90s I am glad I got to see them now, and I hope this isn’t the last time we get to see L7.

With Perth being the first show of their Australian Tour, I have a message for the rest of the country: do yourself a solid – go and see this band, especially if, like me, you undervalued the all-girl rock movement in the 90’s.

Thank you L7. Mind blown.

Category: Live Reviews, Photo Galleries