Live Review: Mi-Sex in Fremantle
Freo.Social, Fremantle Western Australia on the 26th of July 2024
By Angela Frodsham
Photography by Erica Lorimer Photographer
Editor’s Note: SAM typically includes the review on the opening act(s) into the main write-up on the headliner. However, our senior writer Angela Frodsham was so impressed by Mi-Sex’ performance that she has written a standalone article on the Kiwi new age band. The review on the main act, The Angels, can be found here.
To celebrate an amazing 50 years since their formation the Angels are hitting the road on a national tour 50 Not Out June to August 2024, taking along their friends Mi-Sex as very special guests. The tour, which also introduces young Brisbane band DIAL, gave two shows in Western Australia; Friday 26 July at Freo.Social and Saturday 27 July at the Astor Theatre, Mt Lawley.
Formed as a New Zealand new wave band 45 years ago, Mi-Sex achieved eight Top 40 hits across the late 1970s and 1980s, including synthesiser driven iconic number 1 hit “Computer Games” from their 1979 album “Graffiti Crimes”, and Top 10 hit“People”from the“Space Race” album.
Fronting Mi-Sex on vocals since 2011, Steve Balbi was founding bass guitarist of high-profile pub rock band Noiseworks formed in 1986. A striking and charismatic presence in his black hat, tie and waistcoat, from the moment he appeared on stage his performance was an irresistible force, limbering up on stage in promise of great feats ahead.
The band belted out “Graffiti Crimes” to get things going, with founding keyboardist and only remaining original member Murray Burns enthusiastically presiding over his synthesiser with vim and vigour. James Van Cooper on guitars and Jordan McDonald on drums give new generational blood and help maintain the band’s history as an engaging and dynamic live act, McDonald’s drumming strikingly energetic and Van Cooper an impressive performer.
Balbi introduced local Perth musician Eddie Parise on bass playing for the first time with the band, an experienced musician and founding bassist with Suze De Marchi’s Baby Animals which toured with huge acts including Van Halen. Parise was all smiles and appeared to be having a ball, contributing to the great party atmosphere the band was generating.
The wonderful track “But You Don’t Care” fully revealed Balbi’s showmanship and theatrical bent which continued throughout the night, with effective dramatic pauses during the line “your love…will not…be missed…”. With a fine voice able to sustain upper reaches Balbi’s constant and sincere audience interaction was a hallmark of the show, with many call backs and chats to maintain a connection. Balbi even nimbly jumped from stage to front barrier to show the crowd some affection, much to their delight.
Synth heavy “Space Race”, “Bad Boy”, “Falling In and Out”shone while the band clearly had as much fun as the audience. Balbi told us “…you guys are f*ing great…” and “…it’s really cool being up here…”, and we knew he meant it. The enthusiastic Freo.Social crowd (which included many young concert goers who were born years after Mi-Sex hit the airwaves) warmly embraced the band and its impressive song list.
“Stills” was another track allowing Balbi to exhibit his impressive vocal skills and intense and dramatic persona. Crowd favourite “Blue Day” was a standout, before which Balbi told the crowd the “rightful owner” of the space up front a Mi-Sex stage is original frontman and co-founder Stephen Gilpin, who tragically passed away in 1992 aged 42. Balbi went on to say “…we are kind of doing a relay race…taking the baton… and you are here to welcome us and we really appreciate it …”. Such was Stephen Gilpin’s star power at the band’s peak he hosted a 1980 episode of long running Australian music television show “Countdown”, which for a certain generation was a Sunday evening must-watch.
There was never a dull moment as the great tracks rolled on including the catchy “Castaway” before the band’s biggest hit “Computer Games” which sent the audience into a bouncy frenzy of “com-pu pu pu…computer games!”. After delivering another of their major hits with “People”, Mi-Sex said their goodbyes to an audience reluctant to see them leave. The impression that night was that the band added greatly to their fan base, and left no doubt just how brilliant the songs and musicians of Mi-Sex were, and still are.
Mi-Sex Set List:
Graffiti Crimes, But You Don’t Care, Space Race, Bad Boy, Falling In and Out, Stills, Blue Day, My Sex Your Sex, It Only Hurts, Castaway, Computer Games, People
Sheldon Ang Media would like to thank Revolutions Per Minute and The Angels for the accreditation and reviewer tickets.
James Van Cooper and Steve Balbi of Mi-Sex by Erica Lorimer Photographer
Writer – Angela Frodsham
Angela is a music lover who has enjoyed live concerts with sister Erica and friends since the early 1980’s, including raving in the pit during The Angels performances at Perth Entertainment Centre in 1981. A career in Government economic development and transport policy followed a Bachelor of Economics majoring in the Japanese language. More recently, Angela’s love of writing and history has led her back to UWA to study Classics and Ancient History, including the Latin language and ancient Greek.
Photographer – Erica Lorimer
Erica is a freelance photographer who loves capturing images of live music and travel photography. She enjoys shooting film with vintage cameras and making prints in a home darkroom. She has lived in Japan, the UK and Nigeria. Erica holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Western Australia (UWA), majoring in English Literature and Economics, and a Certificate IV in Design.
About Sheldon Ang Media
Perth-based Sheldon Ang Media (est. May 2022) have been accredited to almost 100 of the hottest acts including Taylor Swift (ERAS Tour in Sydney), KNOTFEST (Melbourne), Coldplay (Perth), KISS, P!NK, Tom Jones, Robbie Williams and Rod Stewart with reviews shared by the likes of UB40, Delta Goodrem, The Wiggles and Toni Childs on social media. Sheldon Ang Media is also a music contributer on Triple M Radio.
