Perth hard rockers Electric State take the stage alongside their heavy metal counterparts for WAMFest’s Metal Event this year.
“It's a bit of a strange one. We're probably the lightest band on that heavy night,” Electric State frontman Rob Viney chuckles. “There's the likes of Tempest Rising and Psychonaut on there and they've been kicking on for numerous years and killing it and doing awesome tunes. I love those bands.
"For Electric State, we're the hard rock band on that bill. We might be the Stone Sour to the Slipknot of the bill – not saying we're as good as Stone Sour at all – but we're probably the lightest group on the night. We're definitely the hard rock side of it.”
Along with Tempest Rising and Psychonaut, the Metal Event also features Illyria and All This Filth in a showcase of pure strength for Perth's heavy music scene, which is among the healthiest in the country. “There's been a huge metal scene in Perth for ages,” Rob states.
“There's bands like Voyager at the moment who are absolutely killing it all around the world right now, and other bands as well. . . the hard rock scene sometimes mixes in with that crew and sometimes even some metal bands jump on some hard rock gigs as well, so it's quite a cool thing for the community over here.”
Ahead of the WAMFest show, Rob issues a public service announcement for anyone considering getting a taste of Electric State live. “Our shows have become a little bit synonymous with crowd participation, trying to get the guys and girls who come down to be part of it, sing-along with us and scream-along with us,” he says.
“As the vocalist in the band I like my little toys, my little tricks, so I've got a megaphone for a couple of the tracks that we'll be playing at WAMFest, and I normally go out into the crowd to try and get the guys screaming down the megaphone with me as we play the tracks. Anyone who comes down gets to be part of Electric State and gets to rock out.”
Though on the softer end of the evening's line-up, Rob says he and Electric State are well-prepared to mix it up with the heavier bands and their fans. “We've got some really heavy tracks – well, heavy for Electric State – to try and match in with the heavy line-up that is cranking after us,” he says.
“We're going to try and heavy it up for this bill and leave the softer tracks to another night, so people who come down will definitely be getting a wireless mic and a megaphone travelling through the crowd for a couple of tracks for them to scream along with us.”
A big believer in bringing the spectacle back to rock, Rob assures punters Electric State will provide a night to remember. “Russ [lead guitarist] has this massive solo in one of our songs, so I try to run to the bar and have a shot with one of the punters. You want that moment. It's about moments, isn't it?”
