Live Review: Caravana Sun, Echo Drama, Hollow Coves

Hollow Coves opens the evening, playing to a small and attentive crowd. This fresh-faced acoustic duo from Brisbane navigate their half-hour set well, with vocal harmonies and light melodies sounding a lot like Angus & Julia Stone. The band's timid stage presence, and at one point a fumble on the guitar, is an indicator that they are a young band still finding their way.

Echo Drama's eight players (down from their usual nine since they're without their saxophonist) take the stage. We immediately embrace the up-tempo beats and party vibes courtesy of trombones, drums, trumpet, electric guitar and synths. The crowd sways to the band's bouncy rhythm and the room slowly fills with a throng of dancing punters as their set continues. African soul singer May Parley invites us into the sounds of her heritage ("Let me take you to Africa") bringing the R&B flavour, while MC Alex "Sinks" Sinclair brings the hip hop. The overall sound is heavily weighted towards dub and reggae, and the punters can't help but dance along to this high energy performance.

The room is now comfortably full as Caravana Sun welcome their crowd. The ska quartet waste no time in getting everyone dancing from the moment they begin. Bassist, Ant Beard, confesses, "We haven't played on stage much this year because we've been in the studio," and they play like they have passionately missed it. Ken Allars wildly blows his trumpet to the cheering crowd, which lends an edgy energy to the performance and the crowd sing along to lyrics. Lead singer and guitarist Luke Carra introduces a song about opening up to indigenous culture, declaring the band have been inspired by the Kimberley, Western Australia, which delights the crowd. Carra is an excellent guitar player and Beard rocks the bass, thrashing around the stage. The crowd jumps, stomps and claps along to Caravan Sun's exuberant performance. The evening comes to a close with loud applause and the crowd chants, "One more song!" The band return to cheering and finish their set in style. Allars jumps off the stage and onto the dancefloor, playing the trumpet with punters dancing around him.  

If you're looking for a fun night of dancing then check out Caravana Sun.