Live Review: Cherie Currie

Warming up a cold Perth night with a red hot version of The Runaways' hit American Nights was a hell of a way to kickstart the Rosemount crowd. Cherie Currie hit the ground running. She was here to rock and rock she did!

Every touring band says they love Australia and Currie was no exception. A Velvet Underground cover gave way to some early audience participation with screams of "It's all right!", then the covers continued with Dear Mum, penned by bass player Alexx Michael for his other band Shameless, an interesting inclusion early in the set. The small crowd responded positively. Another cover followed with the foot-stompingly good Roxy Roller. A frontperson is nothing without a good band to back them up, and Currie's band is better than good: they're great. The seriously talented and tight three-piece belted out live versions of classic Runaways songs, thankfully resisting the urge to update or modernise them.

The well crafted and thought out set included slower numbers like Heart Beat, giving the lunatics down the front a chance to breathe.

Currie showed her class by inviting a young fan up on the stage to help with the classic Midnight Music. It was a heartwarming moment and not one that young woman will easily forget.

With Perth the last stop on the Australian tour, Currie ensured no one was going to forget it in a hurry. Microphone in hand, Currie got amongst it in the crowd, garnering plenty of support with the Bowie hit Rebel Rebel. That gave way to a cover of the KISS monster hit Do You Love Me?

The indomitable Currie and her band saved the best 'til last, firing up a cold Perth Wednesday night with a kick-arse rock'n'roll show.