The oppressive heat of a Perth summer in full swing was no match for the enlightening and funky atmosphere created by The Stepkids at the Northbridge venue The Bakery.
Ranging from airy and thoughtful melodies to visceral grooves, the New York trio seemed truly thrilled to provide beautiful music for diverse crowd of steadily bobbing individuals.
Despite having just arrived from Sydney via New York and LA, the energy was high and The Stepkids knew how to get it cooking.
The night began with Perth’s own unique trip-hop duo, Felicity Groom and Diger Rokwell, combining crystalline vocals and the wares of a master beat-smith to build a fantastic ambience for the evening to come. This was followed by a taste of the off-kilter antics and unusual stage presence of local psychedelic rockers TUSK.
However, the main course was yet to come.
Wielding tunes from their new self-titled album, released on the eclectic New York label Stones Throw, The Stepkids stepped onto the stage with the air of a group who are truly in their element when performing live. The music was perfectly complimented by the visual sensations provided by their touring projectionist, who sprayed a kaleidoscope of rhythmically throbbing colours over the band and their backdrop.
The Stepkids captured the meaning of the expression ‘turning it loose’ with a masterfully composed cavalcade of sometimes chaotic rhythms and chords paired with deep and danceable bass lines.
Without missing a step, they took the crowd on a journey from energetic up-tempo funk to the sassy and soothing tones of the blues. At times, there was even a distinct flavour of the Bee Gees, complete with trademark falsetto and disco a sensibility.
Throughout the performance, they expressed how thankful they were for such a great reception for their first performance in Australia. The crowd’s cries of “we love you!” were swiftly returned with amazing grace: “we love you too!”.
Once again, The Bakery has proven to be a hub for fresh music and artists from across the globe as well as our own backyard. The faces of the revellers said it all and the cries of encore echoed the sentiments of the entire room.
This was an entirely auspicious beginning to this year’s Fringe World Festival.
