RufusThe air was crisp and the drinks were flowing as RUFUS brought their chart-topping tunes to Red Hill Auditorium on a chilly Autumn night.
The Byron Bay boys from Tora started the groove, easing early punters into the scene with the kind of music you'd hear in a trendy, waitlist-the-size-of-a-phonebook kind of club. Tracks like Jaigantic had the standing area nearing capacity, with fans right at the front clearly feeling right in their element. A dash of Australian rap right at the end served as a choice finisher for the band, applause and whistles sending them off noticeably chuffed. This reviewer is willing to bet that these guys will be seeing a lot of familiar faces when they return to our side of the country in August.
Canada's Bob Moses kept the party going with 40 minutes of fist pump-worthy tracks. Their non-stop onslaught of strobe lights and heart-palpitating beats welcomed the night's first — but certainly not last — bout of shoulder-riding.
There was barely any wiggle room by the time RUFUS came on stage, and what followed can only be described as a beautiful chaos. Make no mistake, the trio was solid from start to finish, and their performance of hits like You Were Right and Say A Prayer For Me made everybody lose their collective shit. In almost no time the auditorium was transformed into an outdoor club, with women stumbling over the amphitheatre's limestone steps in ridiculously high heels, and guys awkwardly dancing with a beer comfortably nestled in each hand. Things eventually got so rowdy that a few folks had to saunter off behind the trees for some cheeky puke breaks in between songs, with absolutely no enthusiasm lost in the process. This was definitely a night to remember — though judging by the level of alcohol consumption, it's safe to assume that most who were in attendance won't.
