Live Review: Django Django, The Griswolds, Palms

It just might be the hottest night in the world ever at The Zoo tonight and, as the evening unfolds with Sydney duo Palms providing opening duties, it looks like the inevitable crowd is hovering somewhere cooler until Django Django are scheduled to hit the stage. Palms, nonetheless, take flight with wide-eyed gusto and energetic aplomb, easily winning the approval of all in the room.

Similarly, Sydney five-piece The Griswolds are forced into a line in front of the Django's gear and set to work competently providing a distinct lift in the vibe as they whip tirelessly through a typical trop-pop set of originals with a couple of covers tagged in to boot. Michael Jackson's Don't Stop Til You Get Enough is mashed with Regurgitator's The Song Formerly Known As and Ben E. King's Stand By Me is slipped in too for good measure. You can forgive this as the band's only four-track EP is strung out over the half hour and ends on the up with Heart Of A Lion, a definite festival anthem in the making when the chance is offered.

Finally the room fills to what feels like capacity as Scotland's finest Django Django hit the stage, jumping right into the opener from their debut album, Hail Bop. It's a somewhat restrained opening for what's about to come, but the bums begin jiggling instantly and eventually leads to Bikram-temperatured dancing. Django Django's sound picks up where the likes of The Rapture and Klaxons left off, without really sounding like either. Their electro undertones, while echoing somewhat of a rave aesthetic, is complemented greatly by a constant dual vocal assault, quirky percussion (coconut shells a la Monty Python style) at the forefront and a life of the party attitude throughout.

The acoustic “comedown” of Life's A Beach provides somewhat of a break for the band as they declare quite sincerely that this is indeed the hottest gig they've ever played. Nothing deters the audience though and the band is feeding, almost relying on this energy to get through the set. The instrumental Skies Over Cairo calls for slinky dancing, hands above the head all Walk Like An Egyptian-style and the crowd obliges and almost doesn't notice when Default, the definite highlight, hits the roof with a guitar riff simply made for bigger stages. Love's Dart and Storm don't disappoint either and as the main set closes with WOR, something Dick Dale would be proud of, the room is literally dripping with energy and sweat.