Friday 30 January; young fans from across Western Australia congregated within HBF Stadium in anticipation to see the talented, British pop group The Vamps.
Accompanying the band on the night was Victorian artists Masketta Fall, filling in after the unfortunate. last-minute cancellation of alternative rock/ punk band Short Stack. Aside from the heat wave that seized the day, the weather wasn’t the only thing making the young, female fans feel a bit steamy… As patrons made their way into the venue, they were primed for the upcoming performances with background music including Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco.
The mosh pit had a range of contrasting characters from young girls with their friends in tow, to small packs of ‘scene’ kids wearing Doc Martins and plaid skirts. Masketta Fall ignited the ecstatic vibes of the night during their set, a smooth but edgy repertoire of cover songs such as ‘Teenage Dirt Bag’ (Wheatus) and ‘Mr. Brightside’ (The Killers) to songs such as their new single 'Summertime Girls'.
Masketta Fall - Image © Siobhan BlakeThe energy on stage for this performance was just a taste of what was to come, the band members running from one end to the other trying their best to interact with as many fans as they could.
After only a short interval between performances, The Vamps teased their fans with the bellowing tagline: “Perth, are you ready for The Vamps?” - evoking screams of joy from emotional youths. Shortly after, the four, young members bounded on stage bringing the audience to life once again.
The Vamps - Image © Siobhan BlakeThe set began with hit song ‘Wild Heart’ followed by the group reminiscing how they came to fame via YouTube – playing a short rendition of all the cover songs they had uploaded before becoming famous. Lead singer Bradley Simpson then made all the young women at the event swoon while addressing the Perth crowd with his British accent stating: “Australia is the best country in the world”.
It became evident after the song entitled ‘On the Floor’, that this boy band aren’t as clean cut as other pop contenders stating: “This song is about sex… we hope you enjoy”. The refreshing, cheeky humor of the members throughout the show continued to make all ages laugh and connect with the band on a higher level.
Halfway through the show, Bradley turned in his microphone for a few songs in exchange for a drum kit, while bass guitarist Connor Ball took to vocals to sing 'All Time Lows' and ‘Dear Maria, Count Me In’, followed by an extraordinarily executed cover of Fall Out Boy’s ‘Sugar, We’re Going Down'.
The Vamps - Image © Siobhan BlakeDuring the entire show, the band seemed to be playing pass the parcel with guitars – swapping electrics for acoustics and vice-versa between every, second song. Concluding the concert, the group preformed a two song encore of ‘Risk It All’ and the highly-anticipated hit ‘Can We Dance', where Bradley jumped-off stage, interacting with fans just as the band had successfully done all night.
The Vamps - Image © Siobhan BlakeWhen considering attending a concert, two factors come to mind: the quality of the artist’s live performance and the atmosphere they produce. The Vamps lived up to both of theses expectations. One of few bands that sound good, if not better live compared to their studio recordings while also putting audience interaction within their main priorities, this group is definitely one to mark on your musical bucket list in the coming years.
