Walking down Summers Street, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. But as I approached the East Perth Power Station, I couldn’t help but appreciate the comfortable and creative space set up by Perth Festival. Festoons and food trucks were sprinkled along the swan river, with small crowds able to enjoy a drink and a chat.
The main stage of the venue is situated under steel beams and remnants of the building’s past life. Looking up, you can see the stars, which really adds to the magic of the venue.
From the moment they stepped on stage, Alter Boy had the audience moving, smiling and completely enthralled by their performance. I had heard of their captivating energy, but I found myself surprised (and excited) by how detailed the show was – with lights and graphics adding just as much to the performance as the people on stage.
Alter Boy: The Complete Collection was a celebration of what the band does so well – combining their unique creativity with transformative dance music, moving audiences through moments of joy, sadness and self expression. Each band member brings their own presence to the stage, with Luke NRG performing in Auslan a definite highlight. Standing in the audience, lights reminiscent of disco balls filled the space, making you feel as though you were a part of the performance as well.
Particularly memorable moments from the show included Love Machine, featuring lyrics like, “I want an android to fuck me” whilst rainbow lights swirled the stage. We also heard their cover of Flume’s Say Nothing, which got a lot of the crowd dancing.
I have to give special mention to all the band members for keeping their energy up during the show which was well over 90 minutes long. As someone with a pretty short attention span, I was a little concerned about how they would keep the audience engaged (especially as the night wore on), but Alter Boy’s catalogue is a journey – exploring so many feelings, moments and even genres of music.
It can be a hard sell to give up your Sunday night and ignore the incoming emails, deadlines and responsibilities, but Alter Boy can make you forget all that. And instead, enter a world of music, glitter and just a little bit of existential dread.