Silversun Pickups
Silversun Pickups and Coast Arcade live at Astor Theatre, Perth | 21 July 2026
The Astor was filled with punters keen to catch the Silversun Pickups Perth leg of their Tenterhooks Australian and New Zealand Tour. With many in the mid-30s to 40s crowd probably having listened to them for the entirety of their two-decade run. The setlist was a mixture of old and new. Making way for a fun night filled with lots of emotional, angsty shoegaze. With the band appearing endearing, and happy to placate and play for their Perth fans once more.
From across the ditch (or ‘dutch’), there was Coast Arcade fronted by Bella Bavin and made-up Thom Boynton on drums, Leo Spykerman (bass) and Arlo Bliss (guitar). It was revealed later on in the night by Silversun Pickups that Bavin had had her wisdom teeth pulled out before the show. Impressively, it was hardly noticeable to see whether she was in pain or not. As her she coolly addressed the crowd how keen they were to rock out.
Possessing loud and proud shoegazey guitars backed by a punkish drumbeat. It was a set will with a heady beat and hypnotic pacing. Caressed by roughed-up guitar feedback being held-up by the band’s amplifiers. Providing punters with a lot of fuzzed-out guitar music. Which was nothing to complain about.
The band thanked Silversun for choosing Coast Arcade for playing as supports across their Australian and New Zealand shows. It was a great first impression, and definitely a live invitation for any new punters to go and check them out. They finished their set with a cascade fast-paced and frenetically emotional tracks. Leaving the crowd cheering and emphatic for more.
Silversun Pickups were met with a considerably large crowd as punters began to fill out the concert hall. With members Brian Aubert, Christopher Guanlao, Joe Lester and Nikki Monninger strolling onto the stage. Aubert really gave off the ‘chill frontman’ stage persona. Soothing punters with incredibly relaxed mannerisms. With his high-pitched vocals pairing with the fuzz-box guitar chords and heady drumbeats perfectly.
Aubert quipped to punters that the state of the world was pretty messed up outside. But said it was ‘pretty good’ inside the Astor. There was an amusing moment where Aubert decided to do a time travel skit that involved making funny TARDIS noises with his guitar strings.
And directing punters to travel back to the year 2005. Making a funny remark about the band featuring on a burnt CD-ROM (yes, those existed), and sounding like a woman, despite being a man. Perhaps an act of subversion for those who wanted to see a female lead singer.
The music was smooth and easy to get lost into. It was easy to just get taken upon by their addictive guitar riffs and Auberts own incisive lyrics and vocals. The riffs were melodically jangly, and felt sharp to the touch. With chords being punched out in 5 layers of lo-fi.
There was an amusing moment shared by Aubert who remarked on how the band had visited and toured Australia several times already. Phrasing their trips as ‘climbing all the bridges’ and ‘hugging all the koalas’ each time they came over. But signifying that the band now had established friends whom they see every time they visit. With Aubert and the band thanking punters in attendance for making that possible in a statement of personal gratitude.
The band finished their set with ‘Lazy Eye’, with several punters drunkenly dancing the night away to each memorable chorus the band hammed out. Making way for a cosy winter night made up of fast-paced riffs and good ol’ guitar music.
Review by Joe Wilson
Photography by Shotweiler Photography
Comments