Live Review: TIMOTHY NELSON & THE INFIDELS, AUTOPILOT, THESE WINTER NIGHTS, VILLAIN

It was a night of firsts, lasts and comebacks, as Mojos played host to WAMI conqueror Timothy Nelson & The Infidels for a post-Valentine's Day serenade.
Opening the night was Perth foursome Villain, with their first show for the year. The band was a well-tuned music-making machine, pumping out head-bopping tracks that never lacked a beat – not what you'd expect for a group that only formed last year. Their high-energy fusion of rock and indie-pop, electrified by Christiaan Mckenzie's riffs on guitar, drew the crowd from the bar to the dancefloor for some up close and personal time with the band.
There was a cool turn in the air when alternative folk collective These Winter Nights took to the stage, bringing the chatty audience to a deathly silence thanks to the soft, subtle sounds of lead singer and guitarist Lucas Jones. His vocals were heart-warming and chilling, reminiscent of singer-songwriter Matt Corby, and yet so much more diverse. The same can be said for the band's songs, which ranged from intense and dark instrumentals to funkier, folk-inspired melodies. Although impeded briefly by a broken guitar string early in the set, the band went on to play a standout performance, hypnotising onlookers into a trance-like sway. Seasoned veterans Autopilot, who hadn't played at Mojos since 1999, bolstered the line-up. Not afraid to show their age, frontman and general funny guy Steve Parkin declared the band members were probably the oldest kids in the venue, before diving into a fun-filled set of cheeky pop-flavoured tunes, boozy cajoling and a toast to the old days.
Mojos was well and truly swooning by the time Timothy Nelson and his five-man strong group, The Infidels, picked up their instruments. Kicking off with crowd-pleaser, Overcast Day, Nelson's brand of folk ballads had his fans raging like they were at an '80s rock concert. Nelson performed each song with studio room accuracy, but with all the charm that a live and intimate performance can give. Everyone joined in to help sing Just Let Her Go, and the set was capped off with Born In The '90s. Screams from the dancefloor beckoned Nelson back to the stage for an encore, letting the crowd dance on well into the night.