Live Review: Groove Armada @ Live At The Gardens, Melbourne

The UK house music legends Groove Armada fulfilled a farewell Australian live tour in 2022 – sadly missing Naarm/Melbourne. But, ironically, Andy Cato and Tom Findlay have since been even more visible as DJs. In 2024 they returned to Oz, closing the AO Finals Festival as co-headliners Rudimental mingled with punters, followed by an afterparty ("afters") at The Espy.

For the remainder of the year, Groove Armada DJed around Europe. Last summer, they played The Glade at Glastonbury. The pair ended 2024 taking over London's feted fabric nightclub. They have been in the studio, too, issuing the Free Jam EP through Defected Records – their desire to focus on club music over 'artist' albums.

This activity is particularly impressive as both members have made mid-life career pivots. In 2009, Cato became a regenerative farmer – his motto apparently 'goodbye nightclub, hello country'. He currently holds the tenancy of Colleymore Farm – part of the National Trust's Buscot & Coleshill Estates in South East England. Meanwhile, Findlay trained to be a cognitive behavioural therapist.

Groove Armada's latest Antipodean run is culminating in a sold-out gig for Live At The Gardens – the outdoor concert series at the Royal Botanic Gardens that launched in November with The Presets.

Naarm/Melbourne is struggling with accessible venues for dance parties (try using public transport to travel to The Timber Yard or PICA). Yet, the Observatory Precinct – which notably hosted 2013's Listen Out – is in verdant surrounds close to the city. Besides, any event that can be enjoyed under the stars and from a picnic rug is a welcome addition to the summer calendar. But, while Groove Armada's audience may be genteel millennials, the atmosphere on Labour Day Eve is charged.

Often promoters book supports that are comparable to the headliner, but Groove Armada's are eclectic – and unpredictable. 

The local turntablist Traxsuit (wearing red trackies) opens the program and plays during intermissions. A name tangentially associated with bush doofs (he was billed for the ill-fated Esoteric Festival, Traxsuit isn't an obvious choice. However, he proves an adept selector, intuiting the demographics by dropping Fatboy Slim's Praise You.

At least initially, miramar feel even more incongruous. Fronted by powerful vocalist Roisin Yau, the Eora/Sydney band have positioned themselves as "indie-dance", cultivating a grassroots following with their Club Miramar events. But, live, they might be mistaken for pub-rock with some transgressively heavy guitar. 

Miramar begin with a clamorous version of their otherwise triple j-friendly Berlin from 2023's debut EP Sleepwalking. They then cover Sneaky Sound System's eccentric bop UFO with flair, inviting the crowd to sing along. Miramar wrap with a dancey new single, Highlight Of My Week.

Tiff Cornish assumes control of the decks as the sky darkens. The upfront Naarm/Melbourne DJ has been on a roll lately, touring Europe and airing Repeat At The Dancehall via Solomun's Diynamic Music. She plays peaktime house bangers such as CASSIMM's hot Valerie – which, similarly to Eric Prydz' Call On Me, flips Steve Winwood's synth-pop escapade.

Groove Armada hit the stage just after 9 pm, their custom lasers especially striking given the proximity of The Shrine Of Remembrance plus the Moomba fireworks display near the Yarra River. 

The duo deliver a crowdpleasing set that symbolically celebrates their 30th anniversary as DJs – freely showcasing their own tunes like I See You Baby. 

Throughout, Groove Armada tease Superstylin', 2001's single, elevated by the dancehall MC MAD, earning them a first Grammy nomination and now their signature song – most recently remixed by UK bass DJ Declan Knapp. The second time, they drop Superstylin' as a beloved mash-up (or "reglue") with BICEP's Glue. Indeed, the Brits have consistently championed successive waves of dance producers, including Fred again..

Groove Armada have an expansive discography with many an inspired collab. Among their biggest tracks on Spotify is the mellow Hands Of Time, featuring folk singer Richie Havens, off 2002's Lovebox (it was licensed for Tom Cruise's movie Collateral). Groove Armada also recorded a disco-house jam with Angie Stone, Feel The Same, for 2007's Soundboy Rock. But, this evening, they spin the driving Easy with Sunshine Anderson – although (regrettably) not all five minutes of it.

Later Groove Armada slip in the release that started everything for them, 1997's Balearic At The River (with Cato supplying the original trombone) – soundtracking the idyllic setting. Alas, they are yet to revisit the deep cut Shameless with Bryan Ferry from 2010's Black Light (for which PNAU's Nick Littlemore served as "third member"). 

Today even rising DJs curate house standards or rave grooves – the scene not so much as embracing nostalgia as heeding heritage. Groove Armada likewise dip into the canon. Still, they don't go for the unimaginative.

Instead, Groove Armada play Prince's disco-funk I Wanna Be Your Lover – the Purple One's earliest hit from 1979. More popular again is the late '80s hip-house Pump Up The Jam by Belgian outfit Technotronic. But most unexpected is Miami Sound Machine's Dr Beat (famously edited with Mylo's Drop The Pressure in the noughties).

In December, Groove Armada revealed on Facebook that they have fresh music with Soundboy Rock guest Candi Staton – only tonight, the two mix in her house classic with The Source, You Got The Love. 

Another epic moment arrives when Groove Armada unearth Eddie Johns' '70s More Spell On You, segueing into the anthem that (contentiously) samples it: Daft Punk's One More Time. And they resurrect Inner Life's disco remake of the Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell duet Ain't No Mountain High Enough alongside Jocelyn Brown.

Eventually Groove Armada drift away with what evokes a midsummer night's dream – Fleetwood Mac's Everywhere, a Christine McVie composition off 1987's Tango In The Night. But, soon, they'll continue their nocturnal tango at Revolver. 

In the interim, Live At The Gardens promises a memorable finale next weekend with homegrown indie-folk band Boy & Bear and US modern yacht rockers Lake Street Dive. Hopefully, after a triumphant first season, it returns – as do Groove Armada.