THE PRESETS // Photo – Karen Lowe

.

It did, however, mean that the venue was very slow to fill up (seriously, glacial pace!). All eight of the early arrivers were welcomed with the sound of Melbourne electronic duo, Kult Kyss, sound checking. After roughly 10mins, charismatic vocalist rromain laughed “That’s it! That’s the set” as the duo left the stage. They returned 15mins later to a slightly larger (although still disappointingly small) audience. Still relatively new to live performances, having only played their first shows in April of this year, the duo put on an entertaining set, drawing you in visually with LED face masks and sonically entrancing you with ethereal vocals and percussive beats that encouraged dancers to the dancefloor.

.

KULT KYSS // Photo – Karen Lowe

.

Melbournian producer, Rohan Newman, aka Roland Tings, has expanded his live set to a three piece, with a live drummer and multi-instrumentalist (Guitar, synth, percussion), adding an extra aural dimension to the performance. The intricate layering of soundscapes kept the listeners intrigued and the percussive undertones kept the crowd moving.

.

ROLAND TINGS // Photo – Karen Lowe

.

The Presets came out, full throttle, with Talk Like That effectively setting the tone for the show. High energy, almost hallucinogenic inducing visuals and ear bleedingly loud! The vibrations exited the speakers and promptly entered the bloodstream resulting in involuntary convulsions. It is a shame that some of the finer, more delicate melodies were, at times, lost within the heavy, thumping bass mix. But this, in no way, put a damper on the electrifying vibe radiating throughout the venue.

“You’ve got a good vibe Perth, on a Wednesday night too, holy shit!” exclaimed Julian Hamiltion. Aside from the quick acknowledgment of the high energy vibe radiating throughout the venue, there is little to no stage banter throughout the night. This is not needed when the music does all the talking. The duo have a commanding live presence. Hamilton with his compelling aura as he works the synths and sings. When Kim Moyes, who tonight is dressed like a clown who escaped from a mental asylum, is not producing beats either behind the live kit or electronic pads he is bounding around the stage like a madman, challenging all to outdance him and certainly giving all the partygoers a hard run for their money!

.

THE PRESETS // Photo – Karen Lowe

.

The fans reacted just as enthusiastically to the tunes as they did to the well-loved, older tunes.  Some of the well-established tunes, notably Are You The One, were given a complete re-work to the point that it would have been totally unrecognisable if not for the repetitive lyrical refrain. Those wanting to hear the original tune may have been slightly disappointed, but the adjustments made it a better fit for the vibe of the night. The stunning transition between Feel Alone and The Girl and The Sea was seamless and really hit the emotional buttons. This ended up being a surprise highlight of the night. Unsurprisingly rock influenced tracks My People and Do What You Want were also highlights, pumping the crowd up further.

.

THE PRESETS // Photo – Karen Lowe

.

There was no real lull throughout tonight’s performance, however, after leaving the stage, The Presets chose to return once more to close the night with the mellow Anywhere, which had a calming effect on all the built-up energy.

Tonight proved that the The Presets really are the masters of their craft and know how to create one hell of a live experience! Please don’t leave such a large gap between the next gig boys.

.

Set List

1. Talk Like That
2. Eucalyptus
3. Martini
4. Ghosts
5. Do What You Want
6. Downtown Shutdown
7. Tools Down
8. Feel Alone / Girl and the Sea
9. This Boy’s In Love
10. I Go Hard, I Go Home
11. Youth in Trouble
12. My People
13. Are You The One?
14. Together
15. Are You Here?
16. 14U+14ME
17. Until the Dark

Encore:

18. Anywhere

.

Check out Karen Lowe’s gallery of this show HERE

.

Connect with THE PRESETS!

.

.

.

AMNPLIFY – DB