Live Review: RUFUS

Currently on their Bloom world tour, RUFUS is happy to be back in Australia to play their second show at Festival Hall after a quick pit stop in Hobart.

Their high spirits radiate and for the first few minutes they bring sunshine into the room to lift us up with the feel good opener Brighter. Strobe lights positioned in a grand arch over the stage start sending out illuminating rays that make us glow in amongst the pulsating energy.

The keys trickle in for the mesmerising Sundream to bring us even more warmth with sweeping synths and soft vocals to lead us into a euphoric reverie. Their performance is polished to perfection and knowing all the right moments to build momentum and audience response.

Lead singer Tyrone Lindqvist reminds us they are here because of their new record Bloom, but before they get stuck in they play an older song (Desert Night) to really rev everyone up. A heavy beat kicks in and by the final chorus the place is absolutely pumping to the club banger pounding through our bodies. They have us right in the palm of their hands as the pace continues with their recent track Say A Prayer For Me.

Dena Amy joins in on vocals for a duet of the spellbinding track Hypnotised to serve as a short dance break as the lasers lure our eyes to the impressive stage display. We soak up the ambience of fluorescent pink and blue lights that flood our senses and flicker in sync with the heavy bass. Celebrating that there's only one more day until the weekend, Lindqvist joins us for a dance during the infectious Be With You. The intensity continues to drive even further and build to the highest peak for Tonight.

Jon George takes a moment to paint us a picture of their journey to create the pivotal track from their latest album — Innerbloom. Coming off the back of endless touring it is evident that some time locked in a room together sparked some brilliant creativity to produce nine minutes of absolute electronic bliss. As they play the track in its entirety we are put into a trance whilst the captivating synth washes over us. It's a special moment and the crowd takes a long moment to applaud them for the magic they have shared with us.

Lindqvist announces that it's George's 30th birthday and after a few "hip hip hoorah"s we all have a dance to Like An Animal. They try out a different intro on Take Me with some added marimba but then drop right back to the original version for the charging chorus. The party continues with You Were Right as lightning bolts of electric lasers surge at a rapid pace to the sound of shrieking synths.