Live Review: Sex On Toast, The Do Ya Things, Kumar Shome, The Punkawallahs

Kicking off with more fluid noodling than Chinatown is guitarist Kumar Shome and his Punkawallahs. With sources of inspiration including his cat (El Gato) and familial incontinence (Desperation Dance) Shome can basically write about anything he chooses, and you can be guaranteed he'll express it via about 40,000 notes played in around five minutes. Bouncing off the rhythmic prowess of The Bamboos' bassist Yuri Pavlinov and drummer Graeme Pogson, Shome's tone is warm and drips with sustain, while his solos take flight with John Scofield-like levity and move with ease between any definable genres.

Between-band entertainment consists of DJ Lovely Clear Water, who is actually none of these things but is incredibly entertaining and wears a backwards wig and plastic sunnies. Hi-NRG techno and death-metal vocals meet in karaoke takes on the Power Rangers theme, Toto and Lionel Richie. The crowd stare agape at this spectacle. 

Boasting a sweet line in elegant funk plus formidable vocal powerhouse Audrey Boyle, The Do Yo Thangs are a revelation. Songwriter/drummer Hugh Rabinovici leaves the fun to Boyle and co-vocalists Nkechi Koo and Georgie Darvidis, whose harmonies drive the sunshine-y funk. The Do Yo Thangs are like a summer festival in a band, Rabinovici's songs have a fresh Lauren Hill/early Lenny Kravitz feel to them and the band's glorious balance of songwriting skills, musicianship and passion really comes to life in their finest tracks: Indecisive, Make It Real and I Would Follow You. Boyle's trumpet playing is another weapon in their funky arsenal. Highly recommended.

One of the city's most hyped 'new' Sex On Toast launch their new Takin' Over single tonight and start by screening the accompanying film clip. The room is packed solid and, while the nine-strong '80s funk rocket take off onstage, people chat happily throughout the set. Who knew there were this many ways to be simultaneously dapper and sexual? Singer Angus Leslie's falsetto, Louis King's slinky guitar, Gareth Thomson and Marty Holoubek's seductive rhythms, and James Bower's strangely sensual AutoTuned backing vocals are just the first wave of this charm offensive. With the collective confidence of a frat house, and a similar agenda, Sex On Toast take The Cat Empire's conservatorium proficiency and party vibe but wind up somewhere between Prince and DiG. So insane and unpredictable are Leslie and co's antics that by the time the cross-dressers on rollerskates arrive it just seems like the continuation of a theme. The band's tight and funky songs – or, rather, party jams – such as Potential Sexy, a storming cover of Michael Jackson's Remember The Time and blinding new single leave no doubt that Sex On Toast's time has arrived.