As the week wound down and the weekend rolled over the horizon, there was no better way to welcome the shift than with some surfy, indie rock music from Bunbury locals, Great Gable.
Supported by other local bands, Free Aviary and Butter, we were buckled in for a night of funky, fantastic fun at Perth's Rosemount Hotel (21 March). With these bands' strong connection to their Western Australian spirit, the crowd was feeling right at home.There was an atmosphere of 'let's leave the work week at the door', as the crowd bustled into the venue. We were all in need of something to shake up our energy and spur us into the weekend ahead. Surely the feeling of freedom and embracing life's simple pleasures (like live music) would do the trick? Absolutely.
Free Aviary opened the show with their song 'Heart Between My Home', which really got the crowd moving. Their fun, free-spirited energy was exactly what we needed to start off the evening.
Being new to the scene, the band really rose to the Rosie as more attendees filled the music hall while they played their new release 'Caveat'. With the fun-loving energy pumping through the crowd; the weekend had officially arrived.
Next to the stage was Butter; with their blend of soul, jazz and '90s hip hop they had us all moving and grooving. The sounds of the trumpet and sax blended with smooth, soulful voices, guitars, drums and keyboard that took us to funky town as the disco ball spun around the room. Their 2025 song 'Baby I'm In Love' had us melting into their infectious rhythms and dynamic energy.
Feeling gooey and truly settled into the bliss of the weekend vibe, the gang from Great Gable drifted onto the stage and gave the atmosphere an ignition of momentum into their hypnotisingly dreamy performance.
As the guys got into their set, it was 'So Cool' to be rocking out with the guys from Bunbury. As Alex Whiteman (lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist) soothed us with his warm heartfelt lyrics, you could almost feel the coastal breeze in the riffs from Matt Preen (lead guitarist). While Chris Bye (bassist) carried us in the current and Madi Hanley (drummer) kept the rhythm pounding like waves against the shore.
Touring their 2024 album 'Small Fry', the show focused mostly on their latest record, with a good dose of crowd favourites in the mix. We were feeling right at home as they played 'Hometown', a song dedicated to their roots here in WA.
As the music hall echoed back their lyrics "when all is said and done, a little bit of love is all you need," from their song 'All Day Long', the air filled with an energy of warmth from the band's melodic feel-good sound.
As my friend Mim and I swayed and sang along to 'Drift' we felt truly grateful for this connection to our home town. Surrounded by a crowd of people with smiles on their faces, the warm, fuzzy feeling of being around 'All My Friends' filled the room as we danced; the band had this essence of making everyone soak up their sound, feeling like we were among old and new friends alike.
Before the Bunbury band left the stage they joked about the tradition of encores, as they jousted with each other to do our part in getting them back onstage for *clap* 'two more songs' *clap*. We played our part, clapping and cheering as they departed, chanting for them to come back to the stage; knowing full well they weren't done yet.
As promised, the encore began with their cover of 'Fireflies' by Owl City; it had every hand in the air as we swayed to the well-known song and sang back the lyrics: "You would not believe your eyes if ten million fireflies lit up the world as I fell asleep." They rounded out the show with crowd favourite 'Hazy', the room soaking up the last of the good vibes the band was dishing out.
As the show came to an end and the crowd filtered out we were left feeling grateful for our connection to our home and that West Australian spirit. Seeing local bands put on such a mesmerisingly free-flowing performance at one of Perth's most iconic live music venues is truly the best way to start any weekend.
The Rosemount is one of Perth's most historic live music venues. With the beer garden out back and the music hall built for showcasing some of the amazing acts that roll through, it's a cornerstone of the music scene in Perth. With a strong focus on featuring local bands, this venue continues to dedicate itself to fostering a vibrant community of music enthusiasts.
- written by Maddie Sullivan
