As part of Fremantle Festival festival this October, one of Perth’s most iconic songwriters Abbe May will be teaming up with the crew from Cool Perth Nights to present ‘The Tonight Show Starring Abbe May’.
Throughout the night of the 26th Abbe May will interview and perform select songs with her pick of the best and most intriguing artists from WA. Discover the stories behind the successes, failures and great works of eight of WA’s best musicians over one night only.
As we’ve said again and again, WA is potentially Australia’s most underrated musical state, and to help prove that point (and get you pumped for her Tonight Show) Abbe has kindly selected her picks of the ‘best from the west’ – check them out below and visit www.fremantlestory.com.au for tickets and info on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Abbe May’.
Mathas
Key Track: ‘Free Shit’ (ft: Ylem & Mei Saraswati)
“Why? 3 birds with one song! The brilliant Mei Saraswati and Ylem join Mathas on this beautifully disturbing track. There is no doubt in my mind that Mathas is one of the most important contemporary Australian lyricists today.
‘
Endorsed by the silicon people,
flawless, none born equal,
gods on billboards winking down,
witches fitted with collagen crowns,
keep you in front of our mediums,
eating your Weeties in time with the jingle and single you out,
for a limited time only, call now.’
Beat THAT.”
Tame Impala
Key Track: ”Cause I’m A Man’
“Kevin Parker delivers the song of the year with the most slinky, sexy single from his most slinky, sexy and mind bogglingly excellent new album “Currents”. The man has a genius for taking psychedelia into the modern pop world, converting all who hear it into fans/worshippers.”
Joni In The Moon
Key Track: ‘War And Porn’
“Think Vespertine era Bjork meets Annie Lennox. Never have I heard a more perfect singer than Joni. She never misses a note and does so without appearing robotic or sanitised. This is a real top shelf singer and “War and Porn” serves as the perfect vehicle for both her magnificent voice and that great heart of hers. Joni collaborates with her brother and Ableton genius Josh Hogan and the most excellent Tara John on keys.”
Methyl Ethel
Key Track: ‘Rogues’
Nothing transports you away from the mundane more than Methyl Ethel. Rogues is the kind of rare song that you can hear a zillion times and still never grow tired of the floating, androgynous vocals and reverb laden guitar lines. Methyl Ethel births a dream like atmosphere, anchored by the grooviest bass

and most excellent, smooth and simple drum production. Their album “Oh Inhumane Spectacle” is an essential trip for this life. I fucking love this band. It is impossible not to. The dreamiest dream that ever was dreamt. Pure, unadulterated beauty with more than a dash of young existentialist anguish. Without any doubt – Methyl Ethel is my favourite band. Soon they will be everyone’s.”
Katy Steele/ Little Birdy
Key Track: ‘Baby Blue’
“There was a time when Perth had a very limited ‘Perth pop’ sound. At about the same time, Katy Steele’s Little Birdy burst through the gates delivering a more international class of sound and song writing to the Australian soundscape. We saw a world-class front woman and band absolutely soar on stage and on record. A decade later, Katy Steele is still an amazing artist, performer and singer. “Baby Blue” was one of those songs that confirmed her legendary talent. Katy is currently putting the finishing touches on her debut solo album. I have heard it. It is stunningly crafted, formidably raw, melodic and confessional – it’s also catchy as fuck.”
Kill Devil Hills
Key Track: ‘Drinkin Too Much’
“The desperate and soulful delivery of the lyric “Everything I touch turns to shit but you were the exception to it.”, penned and sung by the band’s original drummer, Steve ‘Gibbo’ Gibson, is forever etched into the hearts of Perth musicians and punters alike. The band has many, many brilliant songs but this one is my favourite. Their live shows are intensely passionate and frankly, any band involving Alex Archer (The drinking woman’s sex symbol) is always going to be sexy.”
Felicity Groom
Key Track: ‘Better Days’
“Felicity Groom makes simply beautiful music. She has a knack for creating melody and mood that is unrivalled. Her lyrics are both poetic and uncomplicated which allows for ready insight into the great depth of her musings. It would be criminal to ignore her.”
Peter Bibby
Key Track: ‘Hates My Boozin’
“Peter Bibby is a no bullshit bard. ‘Hates My Boozin’, taken from his marvellous debut album Butcher / Hairstylist / Beautician is a tragic/romantic confession of a song in which the protagonist drunkenly protests his right to get drunk while rambling about the woman who loves him but ‘pesters’ him about his drinking.
Why is Peter Bibby important? Because he is Paul Kelly on a goon bender backed by The Velvet Underground on mushrooms. He an artist that is easy to relate to because who hasn’t looked for confidence in a bottle? He’s refreshingly real and has a brilliant knack for romancing the shit out of alcoholism.”
“She knows not where I’m at nor where I’m from
I don’t know where she gets off tryna be my mum
And I don’t appreciate her concern
Its my choice if I want to crash and burn”
Ruby Boots
Key Track: ‘Oh Lover’
“Ruby Boots is part Mazzy Star, part Lucinda Williams and ALL cool. She has forged a smart, deliberate and patient path into the national spotlight. She’s melancholy without being morose, humorous without being dorky.
She makes cool as fuck country music. I have a feeling she will soon be taking the US scene by storm, based not only on the very high calibre of her song writing and voice but also on her sheer tenacity and drive. Ruby Boots kicks ass.”
Morgan Bain
Key Track: ‘Why Don’t You Stay’
“This young, handsome soul singer is a really interesting artist, especially considering he is based in the Perth mecca of lo fi and psychedelia. He is exciting and unique with his polished yet soulful music. Morgan Bain is a commanding vocalist. He delivers intense lyric, melody and mood and has a pretty transfixing mane of hair to go with all of that. Morgan Bain has ‘it’. I am a fan.”
“So, there you have it. I have enjoyed compiling this list but I have a terrible feeling I have certainly missed some artists. I could spend my life writing about all of the great artists in Perth but there is so many of them that it would take years and I have an album to write now so please, accept my abridged and incomplete list below.
You know the best part? There is likely so many more to add to the list – I just haven’t heard them yet – so add them in the comments if you like! Perth music is awesome. Enjoy!
Honourable mentions: KučKa, Sid Pattni, Pond, Tired Lion, Elli Schoen, The Panics, Meg Mac, Anyone, Rachael Dease, Odette Mercy And The Soul Atomics, Hideous Sun Demon, Kt Rumble, Jeff’s Dead, Mei Saraswati, Catlips, The Painkillers, Eleventeen Eston, Bobby Burgess Junior, The Naked News, Preisendorfer, Dream Rimmy, Hamjam, Leah Miche, Digger Rockwell, Flooded Palace, David Craft, Davey Craddock, The Floors, Like Junk Dianas, Mama Kin, Slums Abacaxuva, Kevin Smith, Timothy Nelson, Lucy Peach, Fall Electric Benny Mayhem, The Silents, The Wilds, Aborted Tortoise Gunns, Fait, Grace Barbe, Flower Drums, Mosquito Coast, St South, Hugo Gerani, Tomas Ford, Boom Bap Pow, Moana, Lilt, Hayley Beth and Silver Hills.”
The Tonight Show Starring Abbe May
Fremantle Town Hall, Monday October 26
Line up:
Kav Temperley
Mama Kin
Mathas
Kučka
Peter Bibby
Elle Walsh (The Love Junkies)
Felicity Groom & Andrew Ryan
Dom Mariani
Nick Sheppard
The Tonight Show Gospel Choir – Joni Hogan, Odette Mercy, Davey Craddock, Morgan Bain
The Rockin Pneumonia Reformed!
Whacking The Beehive with Ashley Brockman
Bob Gordon’s Top 5
Plus more special guests TBA on the night
Tickets: oztix.com.au
