Lime Cordiale with WASO

Riverside Theatre

There are some concerts where you walk in expecting a fun night out, and others where you walk out feeling like you’ve seen something that rewired the way a band can sound. Lime Cordiale’s performance with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra at the Perth Convention Centre fell firmly into the second category. The whole night had this electric, slightly surreal energy — like everyone knew this collaboration could be incredible, but no one realised just how well the worlds of indie pop and full symphony could sync until we heard it.

The Sydney brothers Louis and Oli Leimbach stepped onstage to huge cheers, and the night kicked off with Money, instantly setting the tone. The orchestra didn’t just sit behind them as decoration — WASO shaped the sound from the very first note. Strings rose behind the beat, brass filled out the rhythm, and suddenly Lime Cordiale’s familiar tracks felt bigger, warmer, and more cinematic. You could almost see the audience adjusting, leaning in, realising this was more than a novelty collaboration.

One of the most charming parts of the show was how openly Louis and Oli acknowledged their respect for the orchestra. They talked about growing up with orchestral music in the house, their mum constantly playing classical pieces, and how both of them spent years learning different instruments. That connection alone made the pairing with WASO feel less like a one-off experiment and more like the band returning to something foundational.

A standout moment came during Love Is Off the Table. Midway through, Louis casually pulled out a trumpet and hit a surprisingly clean, impressive solo — the kind of moment that made half the room turn to their friends in disbelief. Then Oli joined in with his own clarinet and later his saxophone, weaving his parts over the orchestra. It was one of those small but powerful reminders that Lime Cordiale are far more musically trained than their laid-back surf-pop image suggests.

The tone of the night shifted in the middle of the set, and this is where the show became something more intimate. The brothers opened up about their father, who passed away in August after battling cancer. They spoke honestly about grief — how strange and unpredictable it is — and then performed an unreleased track dedicated to him. The orchestra wrapped around the song with this soft, glowing arrangement, and the whole room stilled. You could hear people quietly crying, some holding onto the person next to them. When the final note faded, the applause that followed wasn’t loud at first — it was emotional, grateful, almost protective — and then it grew into a warm, respectful clap.

After a short intermission, Lime Cordiale returned to lift the mood, diving back into fan favourites with newfound energy. WASO kept matching them bar for bar — at one point, a violinist broke into a soaring solo that drew a cheer mid-song, the kind of unexpected highlight no one saw coming. By then, the earlier heaviness had transformed into something communal; everyone seemed more connected than before.

When the band returned for the encore, the excitement in the room spiked — not because the night had been slow before, but simply because people were thrilled to get two final songs. The lights dimmed, Waking Up Easy began, and instantly the entire room raised phone flashlights like it was instinct. The whole venue glowed as hundreds of tiny lights swayed in unison, turning the Perth Convention Centre into something almost dreamlike. When they transitioned into Robbery, the crowd erupted. People finally got out of their seats, dancing, shouting the lyrics, fully letting go. It felt celebratory — not just of the band, but of the journey the concert had taken us through.

By the end of the night, the bond between Lime Cordiale, WASO, and the audience felt unusually strong. You left with this sense of respect not just for the brothers’ songwriting, but for their musicianship, vulnerability, and the way they trusted the orchestra to elevate every track.

It wasn’t just an impressive collaboration — it was a reminder of how powerful live music can be when artists are unafraid to rethink their own sound.

Photography by Linda Dunjey