Ghost Care is Western Australian indie pop/soft rock. They are energetic and deceptively addictive. They exude charm, congruent with their thought-provoking name. They are composed of guitarist/vocalist Beau Torrance, bassist/vocalist Tanaya Harper and drummer Luke Del Fante.

Supported by Ullah and Mia June, the evening was my first introduction to Ghost Care. Although I regrettably missed Ullah, I arrived in time for Mia June. Her music is honest and raw. Her performance is an insight into her coming-of-age journey, and an invitation to reflect on your own. Mia said she had been in Albany for a month, but her five-piece band did not betray any signs of rustiness as they took the audience through her catalogue of hits, such as Melbourne, Cooking Oil and The Wheel.

After Mia June, Ghost Care came onstage to a cover of a Phantom Planet classic: Beau's stirring rendition of "California, California, here we come" reverberating off the low ceiling of the Indi Bar stage. Ghost Care then segued into Partying, Bussell Hwy (a personal favourite) and Only Friend before playing their new single, Canadian Dream. The beginning of Canadian Dream is perhaps a little slower than their other recent singles - the guitar riffs sometimes border on psychedelic, in the same way that Ocean Alley's do. Leading up to the show, Ghost Care had released a couple of Instagram reels outlining the lyrics, and soon enough the crowd were singing and swaying to "I want you, I want you by my side, know it’s the right time, I want you". The introduction to the set was then followed by a well-curated selection of hits, including Who's Gonna Love You and West Coast, finishing with Part-Time Living, the hard guitar riffs of Kevin Garnett and the playful, optimistic song that is Arcade.

Photography (including header image) by Dana Draper

Then, Beau and Tanaya facilitated a raffle, with three lucky attendees getting to take home a Ghost Care mug. Beau reckoned they would never do a raffle again, but I would respectfully disagree. The mug is practical, provides a fun point of differentiation for the band and the raffle process keeps the fans Partying.

After the crowd broke out into the obligatory chant of "one more song", Ghost Care reappeared and played Don’t I Know You (not to be confused with IDKY ), 2.0 and a rousing rendition of a Ghost Care classic, Home Run. There's something about a moment when everyone in the venue sings along with the band; you look around and everyone's faces paint a picture of unadulterated fun.

Watching Ghost Care live is nothing short of joyful: Beau and Tanaya's high-energy dances and their ability to command the stage; their infectious, wholesome smiles; and the happiness in their eyes as they sing and make eye contact with Luke throughout the set embodies their passion for the craft. The members of the band mean it when they say being in the band and playing live is a dream come true. Ghost Care is now firmly in the list of bands I'll be following and keeping an eye out for, and I hope, sooner than later, you might say the same too. You never know, you could even take home a raffle prize!