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The Hi-Fi - Sat Jul 3
Having only recently returned from the windy, Antarctic Melbourne into the somewhat more tolerable Brisbane winter, yours truly is in full compliance with Jimi Hendrix’s immortal request “let me stand next to your fire” tonight. Accordingly, our prolonged standing-around-the-fire-in-the-backyard at a moving-to-Melbs party (All My Friends Are Leaving Brisbane, anyone?) results in me missing local riddim builders The Upsteppers – apologies guys.
Upon making it to West End, I find The Hi-Fi barely half-full, however the vibe is – pleasingly – a lot warmer than on what I’ve long termed “bogan nights” and the dance-floor instantly comes alive once the next act comes on. Claiming to be “shit at life, good at music”, Laneous & The Family Yah dispense their party-friendly mix of funk, rock, R&B and hip hop with glee. The catsuit-sporting, barefoot Laneous is ever the showman, running on the spot, jumping around and generally living it up as the combo fire up one rhythm after another. Georgia Potter’s familiar strong vocals lead the backing singers’ section, the horns merrily parp, the guest MCs keep taking mic turns and the guitarist finds time to peel off an epic, Funkadelic-sized solo. West Enders to the core, the crew’s brief take on Hendrix’s Manic Depression (which Ben Harper used to butcher live) becomes the highlight of a fun, soulful set.
After the ominous Drum Song intro fades out, Melbourne’s Mista Savona raise the curtains with a righteous reggae instrumental. In town for the launch of praised latest album Warn The Nation, Jake Savona’s finest deliver the Jamaican warmth they had engulfed last year’s Island Vibe with, vocalist Vida Sunshine sizzling on Chasm collaboration Where Did We Go Wrong. Barely three songs in, one of Laneous’s MC associates hops onstage and injects a strong dose of hip hop into the proceedings. More sun-soaked reggae and dancehall grooves follow afterwards and this Saturday night suddenly doesn’t seem so chilly after all.
DENIS SEMCHENKO
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