As the weather cools down and we step into the cosy vibes of colder months to come, a Saturday night at Scarborough's iconic music hub, The Indi Bar was the perfect setting to slow down and enjoy some laid-back beats with a bite by east-coast band Bootleg Rascal.
Supported by WA local bands Lazy Haze, HAZEL and Daisy Park, the dynamic mix of indie, reggae and alternative sound infused music really reflected the soulful swagger that was oozing in the atmosphere.As the crowd filtered in and settled into the space (26 April), there was a sense of gritty good vibes bouncing around the crowd. Starting the night with the indie sounds from Lazy Haze, the band warmed up the chilled-out crowd with their hit 'Old Town' and got everyone bopping along to their coastal funky sound.
Mixing up the genres with some soulful pop sounds, next to the stage was another local band HAZEL. Their smooth, psychedelic melodies washed over the crowd bringing everyone in the crowd to a state of head-banging bliss. The salt-sprayed riffs from their song 'Dreamstate' felt like listening to the seabreeze of the beachside strumming.
With the bar's atmosphere feeling dazed and delighted by what was warming up to be a delicious night of live local music, Daisy Park came on to give us a gear shift into some high-energy for the rest of our Saturday night.
Their breakout debut single 'Unfair Game' was anything but unfair, instantly getting the room moving and grooving. Their rustic vocals paired with hypnotic melodies is a fantastic blend that creates a sense of bittersweet brilliance.
Feeling pumped and craving more guitar-heavy grooves, we were graced by the gang from Bootleg Rascal. With Carlos Lara (lead vocals and rhythm) bringing the bombastic beat and Jimmy Young (lead guitar) serving those distortedly dreamy waves, their supporting bandmates Jack Gray (bass) and Scott Grill (drums) added their magic to the smooth and soulful soundscape.
Touring their 'Booty Block Party' show, the blissfully electric band played a mix of all of the crowd favourites. We floated through dreamland as we swayed to 'Heads In The Clouds' and expanded our minds (and limbs) during 'Psychotica'.
This sense of us all 'chasing the unknown' felt potent, as we were transported through this cosmic combination of sound with each new song the Rascals played. As I looked around the crowd, I could see each fan overflowing with appreciation for their stellar sounds as the band ended their show with their most well-known track 'Overflow'.
We left the venue and embraced the cold sea air that circled Scarborough, filled to the brim with a sense of soft, dreamy bliss that Australian coastal indie bands invoke in us each time we listen to their sounds.
The Indi Bar (Indian Ocean Hotel) is a true staple of the beachside psychedelic rock the Australian music scene holds so close to our hearts. The dedication and hype this coastal bar gives to not just local bands, but also an amazingly diverse collection of sounds of every kind, is always worth embracing that chilly breeze to soak up some heart.
- written by Maddie Sullivan
