Live Review: Nahko & Medicine For The People, More

AWME brings a funked-up blast to a city palpably seething with music tonight.

DJ Nui Moon pumps out Afro-Dub beats before BULLHORN literally blow the crowd off their feet with sax/trumpet/trombone dance beats so funky they hurt. A huge snail-like sousaphone coils around Stevie B and sprouts outwards from his head like a big brass fascinator. Lead rapper Roman MC joyfully dances about grinning, freestyling and clutching his heart while letting his insanely fast rap lyrics flow. New single So You Can Think is slow-jam beauty while Roll Of The Top floods The Hi-Fi with crackling energy juicing up the crowd.

Batucada Sound Machine brings the Brazilian-Polynesian beats with a wild jam of funk, reggae and hip-hop. Singer and guitarist Richie Setford adds a little extra rock with his quiffed-up hair and sizzling guitar riffs. Percussionist Riduan Zalani does crazy shit to a tambourine on Do You Know What I Know, getting punters screeching in delight.

The Burundian Drummer Group of Victoria melts hearts with an outrageously joyful display of traditional percussion and dance. The crowd whoops and eggs on the drummers who bounce and jump high in the air. Smiles of pride cover each Burundian face as they share their traditional beats to the fully receptive crowd.

Declan Kelly presents Diesel n’ Dub is welcomed in with a didgeridoo. With a revolving line-up of singers including Emma Donovan, Pat Powell and Tony Hughes; this act pays dub-reggae homage to the venerable Midnight Oil. Pat Powell’s vocals on Short Memory are grave and powerful, while Tony Hughes and the band add a reggae-pop bounciness to King Of The Mountain. Amazing harmonies begin Beds Are Burning, with Declan Kelly taking the lead vocal from behind the drum-kit.

Nahko & Medicine For The People enter to insane applause from the packed crowd. Are punters cheering for the band or lead singer Nahko Bear’s proudly worn ‘Fuck Tony Abbott’ t-shirt? A reggae intro to Aloha Ke Akua gets the crow bouncing until Bear and band switch into full-on acoustic rock-out mode for the majority of the set. Bear jumps and kicks while punters raise and wave their hands creating a semi-religious aura. The crowd goes spiritually wild on Black As Night, with one punter summing it right up with the lyric "I believe in the good things coming" written on a handmade sign.

Good things certainly came to The Hi Fi tonight.