Live Review: Kylie Auldist, Karate Boogaloo

At 9.30pm on a warm Friday evening, the regular punter seems hesitant to come inside and off the bustling Brunswick Street footpath. For those who do make their way into the Evelyn's bandroom, the vibe is chilled out and relaxing, which proves the perfect background for a catch-up with friends and family. For those who haven't been in here for a while (your humble scribe included), getting one's bearings takes no time. Leather couches at the back, red curtains at the front, bar with a very respectable selection of wines to the left.

Comprising most of the rhythm section from local band The Cactus Channel, Karate Boogaloo provide a great soundtrack while sipping on a cool drink and chatting with mates. Their jazzy instrumental stylings – including covers of tracks such as Aloe Blacc's I Need A Dollar and Clint Eastwood by Gorillaz – though familiar, don't take the audience's breath away. Although they sport matching white karate outfits (hell, they're called Karate Boogaloo after all), the four-piece's stage presence could do with some work, if only to accentuate the fact that they are a bloody talented bunch of guys.

After a quick DJ detour, complete with some serious booty-shaking, soul songstress Kylie Auldist takes to the stage with her seven-piece band. Within seconds there is a smile on everyone's face, none bigger than her own. The band kick into a full set of stomping soul music, spanning Auldist's impressive back catalogue and also showcasing tracks from her new album Still Life. Auldist's son Reggie is on and off the stage singing back-up vocals and, with Melbourne's soul music maestro Lance Ferguson leading the band (and shredding his guitar solos), this set has no chance of coming down.

A cover of The Black Keys' Howlin' For You and even a vox'n'keys ballad are thrown into the mix. When the set ends (well after midnight), the crowd pours back out into peak hour, Fitzroy style.