Live Review: Hayden James Astor Theatre Calogero Algeri

Australian electronic music has reached new heights in recent years, becoming a hub for globally recognised dance acts. Among these breaking artists, the creamy house sounds of Hayden James have seen him rise to the top of the Aussie scene and go on to receive worldwide praise. Saturday night saw the Sydney-sider hit Astor Theatre for the Perth leg of his Just Friends Tour.

Opening act, Happiness Is Wealth, kicked off the night with their wonderfully melodic EDM grooves. Live vocals and a minimalist light show set the tone for the evening, as the half-seated half-standing area venue began to swell.

Aussie hip-hop up-and-comer Carmouflage Rose emerged next and raised the energy of the room with his slick wordplay and highly engaging stage presence. The wordsmith floated on a variety of instrumentals from trap-heavy drums to bouncy electronic numbers. LA-based singer George Maple even made a cameo appearance, helping Rose perform their recently-released collab, Let Me Down, which doubles as the lead single to drop off Rose’s upcoming debut EP TASTE.

With a quick dimming of the lights to turn the now-filled standing area into darkness, it was finally time for Hayden James himself to hit the stage – and he did so to raving applause. The choice of Astor Theatre for an electronic act was always under question, and as James launched into his set-opener Just A Lover, it immediately became apparent that the venue’s acoustics and sound system were not ideally suited for his bass-driven music, lacking the punch and crispness of his club shows. 

Despite this, the bounce-laden, melodic sounds of James didn’t fail to leave the crowd in an appeasing spell, with a set which included his own hits (Something About You, Embrace) as well as his cherished remixes of Duke Dumont’s Ocean Drive and RUFUS’ Innerbloom. All the while, James clattered on his equipment with drumsticks, flaunting his live production skills for all to witness. The night culminated with a bang, as James concluded the night with standout track Something About You and an essential encore performance of Numb. 

Despite the slightly lacking sonics on the night, the smoke machines and jarring neon stage design assisted in creating a hazy ambience within the venue, and the mood on the night couldn’t be dampened.