With beats of sunshine and psychedelic tracks of dreams with catchy hooks, soaring vocals and entrancing dance vibes, Sydney trio RÜFÜS were in full bloom for Geelong’s stunning performance earlier this month.
Comprised of James Hunt, Jon George and Tyrone Lindqvist, the guys hit the stage to the roar of an adoring Geelong crowd as blue silhouettes, marking this their return to Geelong in three years, and proceeding to fill the arena with smoke, lights and deep house beats from their 2013 album Atlas, and their most recent album Bloom.
Opening with ‘Be With You’, the fourth single from their effortlessly joyous sophomore album, the serene house vibes of this brilliant dance-floor filler, along with the mesmerising light show, was a damn fine opening to what was to be a night of serious good vibes.
Transitioning from the bouncy up-tempo house record, the guys smoothly followed with ‘Brighter’, the opener of Bloom, which set the scene with lyrics of heartache and rejection. This bought about a simple sing-along amongst the young crowd, filling the dancefloor with swaying bodies to the blinding (but amazing) light show.
The guys then faded into ‘Sundream’, the opener of their 2013 debut album, where my eyes were glued to drummer James Hunt. It’s not often you see a live drummer at an electronic music performance, and especially one with as much enthusiasm and zest. I was absolutely mesmerised by his sassy drumming and absolute commitment to delivering the backbone of the live rendition for this emotive, dancy and dreamy summer track.
Other tracks that filled the night included ‘Tell Me’, ‘Say A Prayer For Me’,’Until The Sun Needs To Rise’, ‘Modest Life’, ‘Lose My Head’ and the epic track from Bloom, ‘Daylight’, which showcased a real emphasis on the strings combined with the taps of the tambourine, electronic sounds and what seemed like an abundance of other instruments. ‘Like An Animal’ was the track catalyst for having the whole arena up for a dance with its upbeat tempo and electronic ripples.
More than halfway through their set, the guys changed the tempo with the guys telling the crowd to “put on your moon boots and come on a journey”, before beginning the hazy extended intro of ‘Innerbloom’, a track that seemed to send the audience to another world (they were right about the journey!) with this bitter-sweet melody, dynamic rhythms and silky vocals.
Teasing the end of the set, RÜFÜS finished the evening with their two most acclaimed singles, and in general, absolute bangers. ‘Take Me’, their lead single from Atlas, fuelled the audience with strong beach-party vibes, with the guys delivering its delicate and infectious grooves to the waves of the audience. Of course, no RÜFÜS set would be complete without their most successful single to date, ‘You Were Right’, which sent the crowd into a flourish of pulsating synths, cascading percussion, and chilled out vocals laid over the sunny house beats. The guys ended their set with an extended version of the chorus and a flurry of strobes, smoke and heavy beats.
RÜFÜS did not disappoint, and with the help of an incredible lighting display, paired with the continuous flow of movement in the crowd, it was an unforgettable performance that had me floating for the rest of the night. It was impossible to stand still – and frankly with music this good, why would you want to?
Where: Geelong Arena
When: Sunday February 5
Supported by Polographia & Winston Surfshirt
Reviewed by Talia Rinaldo
Photos by Luke Outerbridge
