Live Review: Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro, Declan Kelly & The Rising Sun

Sydney sticks wizard Declan Kelly led his reggae-funk ensemble The Rising Sun with an easy confidence during their invigorating warm-up set. As a band, their musicianship was superior to the headliner, with each individual member boasting serious chops, and when they really took off during some of their Afro-beat material their energy peaks rivalled the headliner in terms of visceral impact. While Kelly's natural talent was easy to spot (his technical excellence is matched by his natural sense of musical timing), their secret weapon was Cyndi Tan, a total knock-out on the bongos. Her lightning-fast hands belted out some furious jungle rhythms that blew everyone away and virtually stole the night from all the other performers. It was perfect summer music to get the New Year started.
Japanese bands playing traditionally Western styles are always a treat to listen to. Their strong sense of discipline and work ethic ensures quality and fidelity to any style they choose to play, and their strong ethnic sensibilities add an element totally unique. In short, Japanese versions of Western styles not only stand up proudly within their given genres, but stand out as well. Mountain Mocha Kilimanjaro are a case in point.
Decked out in fine threads that wouldn't be out of place in Prohibition-era speak-easies (complete with excellent caps for each member) they flooded the small stage and laid out some super heavyweight airtight funk, determined to blow us out of our shoes. Each member had a chance to shine and their individual personalities added to the performance. They worked the room really well and built the energy with well timed horn crescendos and rhythm breakdowns. They worked best as a unit rather than individually, and the sheer pleasure they felt from playing together was obvious.
It was a great show, for themselves as well as their crowd. It's not hard to get a room going with funk, but this show had a life and personality that few bands in recent memory have matched.