Live Review: Boo Seeka, Glades, Dean Lewis

Perched shyly at the edge of the stage behind a keyboard and microphone, Dean Lewis entertained us with a selection of sweet, heartfelt ballads. His UK twang shines through his vocals, but it just makes him more endearing. Waves was the song the audience knew, and its simplistic delivery gave it new life.

Sydney electronic trio Glades have quickly risen to fame with atmospheric single Drive, which got a spin tonight; but it's their sleek backbeats, solemn melodies and Katrina Wykes’ yearning vocals that elevate them above the rest. Admittedly, the sound in Manning Bar wasn’t really on their side, with the bass and vocals sounding blown out at times, but it didn’t stop us dancing. They saw us off with Speechless.

The main event, Boo Seeka, didn’t disappoint. Having not performed on our shores for a while, the appetite for their return was felt, both by the audience and the band. Their set was high-energy and the duo did a great job of entertaining, as well as performing.

Being back in their hometown, the duo chose to try out some new tracks on us, which were markedly different to mellow older tracks like Fool and Oh My (which also got a spin). The beats were more hard-hitting, emitting a bit of a trance vibe, rather than an electro hip-hop beat.

They covered MØ’s Pilgrim, but it had a weird kind of country twang to it that this reviewer just couldn’t get past. But that aside, much to the duo’s surprise, Kingdom Leader was overtaken by a crowd singalong, becoming the highlight of the set.

An encore was called for and received in the form of one of their earlier tunes, Deception Bay. Mass singalongs and dancing ensued, capping off their set with just the right vibe.