Two bands from Perth ventured from across the continent to present their esoteric pop stylings this Saturday evening. It’s interesting, really, as one is on the high of having just released a critically acclaimed debut album, with overseas interest in the group starting to filter through. The latter has been there, done that, and has moved to the next stage in their musical evolution.

The former is, of course, the Panda Band. Having been plying their trade for a few years, slowly building an awareness of themselves, the band’s debut This Vital Chapter has solidified a fanbase for the group through the likes of ‘Eyelashes’, ‘Sleepy Little Deathtoll Town’, and ‘Ghosts Have the Best Time’. There’s a David Bowie-like bent to the group, and exciting time are ahead for the band. It’s patent in their performance that they can feel it too, with energy and verve aplenty in tonight’s performance.

By comparison, the Sleepy Jackson have been met with a torrid reception for sophomore set Personality: One Was a Spider, One Was a Bird. The symphonic masterpiece has been praised and pilloried for the same reason – it’s got a consistency in its sound that’s a heady concoction of sumptuous beauty, all strings and massed choirs.

But in the live guise, the Sleepy Jackson are far more Pink Floyd than the Beach Boys – Luke Steele attacks his guitar like a man possessed, as he hammers out solos, duels with his (new, latest) guitarist, and generally assumes the role of being a frontman first and foremost and leaves behind the sonic craftsman for the studio.

When the Sleepy Jackson are very good, they’re very, very good. And when they’re self-indulgent, they’re practically unbearable – as such, the set goes into a real slump midway through, as Steele spends more time wanking on guitar than he does delivering the ripping pop choons that make his the brilliant songwriter that he is. It’s from the acoustic ‘Miles Away’ onwards that tonight’s show really fires – the likes of ‘Glasshouses’, ‘Good Dancers’, ‘Vampire Racecourse’, and ‘I Understand What You Want But I Just Don’t Agree’ are absolutely fantastic, brilliant pop songs.

That the gig is not sold out is a concern – the Sleepy Jackson have lost the word-of-mouth support that spruiked debut Lovers in much the same way that the Panda Band’s This Vital Chapter is currently sustaining. The self-indulgent moments of the Sleepy set do nothing to help rectify this, but as the last third shows when the band are ‘on’ they’re outstanding. Fingers crossed they’re ‘on’ more than not in the future.

Check out the photos from the gig here