Live Review: Cookin’ On 3 Burners, Rum & Dry - Corner Hotel

DJ Manchild spins signature soulful tracks. Josh Owen and Jason Heerah of Rum & Dry warm things up by playing mellow, beachy, reggae tunes. Heerah sits behind the drumkit, all bouncy dreads and perfect reggae voice, while Owen looks chilled-out and comfy sitting down while making sweet love to his guitar.

Owen works the guitar all over like a pro, going heavy on the bass strings first then using a loop pedal for continual rhythm while busting out ripping solos. Hearing The White Stripes' Seven Nation Army in this unusual combination of rock-reggae is a highlight. Ending on a Barrington Levy cover, Black Roses, Rum & Dry leave a solid impression as two talented dudes just kicking back making great music together.

Hard-hitting Hammond organ trio Cookin' On 3 Burners start off their Blind Bet album launch with a ridiculously funky instrumental. Mz Rizk Demilition B-Girl & Her B-Boy Crew do some crowd-warming, tag-team breakdancing to Gorillaz' Feel Good Inc: one b-boy does a pretty great MJ-esque robot while another gets clever bouncing upside down on one hand. It's all filmed and fed live to the big screen so peeps down the back can see what the hell's going on up front.

Enter the venerable Kylie Auldist dressed in an elegant, strapless diva dress and shiny hi-top Converse for Settle The Score. She's sporting scabby elbows to prove, she says, “I'm not a wicked good skater after all.” Jason Herrah joins her onstage for Last Man Standing where they get all playful-sexy with each other as they duet. Next up, Mantra and 1/6 pop in for some quick rapping before Daniel Merriweather turns up for the pumping Losin' Streak. During this track, the percussionist just keeps hitting the cowbell over and over, which sets the pace for relentless boogying.

Horn players join the gang for the next few tunes, taking the Gibson-Hammond/organ-drums combo up to the next level of funkiness. Drunk chicks raise eyebrows as they surge to the front of the crowd, knocking people over with flailing arms, booties and ponytails. They burn out quickly as even Auldist suggests post-encore, “If you want a nap, now's the time.” No napping possible tonight, Cookin' On 3 Burners and friends play hardcore, electric boogaloo to keep everyone popping.