Live Review: Arrested Development, Alison Wonderland

A balmy spring night and the glimmering Sydney harbour made the perfect backdrop for an outdoor gig on Cockatoo Island to celebrate Arrested Development's 20th anniversary. Warming up the growing crowd were DJs Devola and Backhanderz, before Sydneysider Alison Wonderland took to the stage. Things really picked up the pace as her old school hits filled the lawn while she jumped and jiggled around onstage, really moving the rapidly growing crowd into the action.

Tribal drumming and a dirty bass beat brought singer and dancer Montsho Eshe onto the stage, twirling around to the African-inspired music before fellow members of Arrested Development arrived to huge roars from the now packed-out crowd. Singer Speech got straight into Give A Man A Fish, followed by a quick rap from One Love, which melded smoothly into Revolution. The band's presence onstage was truly captivating, with Speech getting the crowd to sing along to most of the tracks while singers Tasha LaRae and Eshe flanked either side of him, dancing and harmonising in perfect sync.

A melee of tracks from their more recent albums followed, before Speech's wife and kids came onstage for a surprise rendition of Happy Birthday to celebrate his 44th birthday. Then it was time for the tracks everyone had been waiting for! Tennessee got everyone's hands waving in the air as LaRae's voice soared to amazing heights with some seriously impressive vocal solos. A sneaky play of Kris Kross' Jump moved swiftly into another '90s classic, Mr Wendal, which sent everyone into a dancing frenzy.

After briefly leaving the stage the band came back on for what seemed like a surprise encore (as much a surprise to them as the crowd!) with upbeat number Mama's Always On Stage and some incredible vocals from LaRae to finish off a great set.