Live Review: The Money War, Clay Western, Daniel James

Kicking things off was a relative newcomer, Daniel James. His set comprised smooth acoustic guitar and easy-listening vocals that warmed up the crowd. His one-man show got the audience changing gear from the hustle and bustle of the upstairs bar and ready to take in some great WA music.

Next was the self-described “super chill” stylings of Clay Western - and he did not disappoint, bringing melodic electric guitar and foot-tapping sounds. Despite some issues with the mix, Western’s surf sound and aesthetic meant there was nothing but good vibes from the crowd, who were ready for the main act.

Shortly after Western and his band retired, The Money War took to the stage, receiving a big reception. On stage, singer Dylan Ollivierre gave a short shoutout to the previous acts and the passionate crowd before beginning their set with 2017 bop, Hold On.

Between songs came short spiels about the inspiration for their groovy brand of music. Here, Ollivierre and bandmate Carmen Pepper offered up nuggets of insight into their lives - everything from travelling to friends to what they were listening to serving as inspo for the Perth natives' new album.

The band played obvious fan favourites such as Recall and Right Kind Of Love as well as the tour namesake Life Is Better In Dreams and new single We’re Alright, before finishing with Hey Now. The crowd called for an encore and got exactly that, The Money War finally finishing up with Stars.

And like that, the duo and band thanked everyone and stepped down off the stage. The rumblings of The Aardvark audience made it clear that on this Saturday night, everybody got their money's worth with The Money War.