Live Review: Total Giovanni

With two sold-out shows in Melbourne and their debut album recently released, Total Giovanni greet the audience with a joyful and colourful performance.

It’s packed at The Croxton when the Melbourne quintet take the stage. The crowd is excited and welcomes them warmly. Since the release of their catchy singles Human Animal and Can’t Control My Love four years ago, the band have built a solid reputation for playing incendiary live shows and wearing matching outfits. Total Giovanni know the balance, blending old favourites with the new tracks off their debut album Euphoria, released last month on Dot Dash Recordings. Their music is infectious and urges the crowd to dance.

They open the show by playing the house/funk track, When We Break. The audience is on fire and roars the chorus - "I will break your heart" - with lead singer Vachel Spirason (aka Vincent D). The band have an irresistible energy that pushes the crowd to move all night long and the venue becomes one massive dancefloor. “It’s good to be back in Melbourne," whispers Spirason. With their disco rhythms, their groovy bass and their house beats, the old friends create melodious dance tracks without sounding like a cheap copy of a '70s band.

The crazy synth in Into It captivates the audience while weird psych projections are beamed behind the band. “It took a long time to finish the album. We appreciate your patience and thank you for coming tonight,” declares Spirason, before playing post-minimalist slow-burn, Euphoria.

Propulsive, solar track Comes In Waves confirms Total Giovanni's taste for pop and house music, with airy synths that sound like producer Petit Biscuit. The band go from innocent pop to a sensual atmosphere with Akila and Spike Punch (percussion and vocals) seduces the public with his moves and his style (sunglasses and big hoop earrings). Hysterical fans cheer him. "Melbourne, you’re so lovely. It’s so warm in here, there’s a sexual tension," he answers back, mischievously.

When the beats of Can’t Control My Love start, the audience, who know the lyrics by heart, become one. The crowd can’t stop dancing and call for another song while Total Giovanni thank the public and leave the stage. It is not long until they come back and perform a two-song encore, including the classic Human Animal. It feels like the venue is a giant jungle. It’s a blithe, exotic moment that the crowd keeps in mind for the rest of the night.