Live Review: Odesza, The Kite String Tangle, Running Touch

18 September 2017 | 3:59 pm | Cassie Warriner

"Are you fucking ready, Sydney?"

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Sold out for the second night in a row, Seattle duo Odesza took to Enmore Theatre supported by Running Touch and The Kite String Tangle to celebrate the release of their first album in three years, Moment Apart.

Melbourne producer Running Touch showed no intention easing into the night. Within the first three minutes, the one-man band showed off his ability to mix and sing, play guitar, keyboard and drums, as well as some thrashing dance moves that grasped the attention of the crowd trickling into Enmore Theatre.

Next up, Danny Harley of The Kite String Tangle gifted the audience with his sonic versatility, beginning his set with a drum solo and synths before slowly introducing intermittent beats, keys and, of course, his highly distinguished soulful vocals. He took everyone back to 2014 with classic tracks Arcadia and Given The Chance, as well as showcasing his debut self-titled album before ending on a crowd favourite, Selfish.

The set-up for Odesza was in complete symmetry; two sets of drums, mixing tables and microphones, with a trombone being played on the left, trumpet on the right and an electric guitarist perched further back at centre stage. Clayton Knight and Harrison Mills bounded on stage and double-handedly smashed their drums before raising their hands in the air and asking the beaming audience, "Are you fucking ready, Sydney?" With visuals resembling a marble sponge cake, the duo wasted no time in playing their 2014 favourite Say My Name. Their energy was contagious as melodic undertones allowed a smooth transition between heavy bass lines, electric guitar and soft orchestral tones, moving the crowd from bounce to sway in complete ease. The audience was ordered to find some shoulders to get on for their remix of Hayden James' Something About You, which seamlessly moved into a deep bass remix of their own track Sun Models before the pair exited the stage.

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An encore was ordered by hundreds of passionate (or drunk) fans stomping their feet and shaking the whole venue, provoking Mills to bolt on stage and scream, "Sydney, holy fuck. You are insane." Visuals of a woman's teary eyes filled the screen and the opening of It's Only echoed through the theatre as trumpets and guitars were traded for drums. All five stage members ended the show by slamming on individual drum sets and creating a sharp, infectious, yet harmonic beat. Drumsticks in the air, they took a bow; "Thank you Sydney," called Mills. "Still one of my favourite cities in the world."