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GROOVE ARMADA
+ Clypso
+ Midnight Juggernauts DJs
@ Kings Park and Botanic Garden
Sunday 20th November, 2022
(Live Review)

(12th August 2021)

Review by Melanie Griffiths

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Goodbye Nightclub: Groove Armada wish a sold out crowd farewell but not before XXXXX

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Go to most 90s playlists and you’ll a lot of Max Martin pop anthems, a hefty dose of alternative rock and grunge. What is often overlooked is the chokehold that house music had over the vernacular of music production. And firmly entrenched in the middle was Groove Armada.

University mates Andy Cato and Tom Findlay stomped onto the big beat scene in 1997 and what followed was several album releases, three UK Top 10 albums, Grammy nominations, a BRIT nomination as well as collaborating with big hitters in the industry from Fatboy Slim, Madonna, Bryan Ferry and Paul Simon. After 25 years they’ve decided to pull up stumps on their live performances, and you couldn’t have asked for a more perfect send-off at their concert in Kings Park and Botanic Gardens.

Opener Clypso kicked off the night with a hefty crowd already taking possie on the lawn, a crowd familiar with King Parks and picnics on a Sunday, the free-flowing wine and electronic beats that pulsed from the stage, not so much. Following on was Melbourne duo Midnight Jauggernauats who delivered a DJ set of party house tracks. With a crowd of mostly Gen X’ers, they weren’t going to miss with tracks like Moloko’s “Bring It Back”, Layo & Bushwacka’s “Love Story” and Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love”. However, they could have left out the Oculus headset one of them wore to mix in the virtual world – which didn’t make a lot of sense.

Groove Armada’s talent comes from melding several genres into cohesive dance tracks that convey addictive rhythms with shades of romanticism delivered with precise aspirational build-ups. Opening with “The Girls Says” from Soundboy Rock (2007) got the crowd prepped and attentive and from there it was 90 minutes of sublime dance tunes. Accompanied by standout lights and lasers that mesmerised the crowd.

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Joining them on stage were three vocalists, Saint Saviour, Veba (the iconic vocalist from Rae & Christian’s “Spellbound”) and MC M.A.D elevating their songs from beat-driven, discotheque tunes to something a little more transcendental. The big question was how do you showcase such an extensive career in less than a few hours? For Groove Armada they put together a setlist that was comprehensive and highlighted how good they are at dialling the energy up on a crowd that was already keening from the first act. MC M.A.D had the crowd, from the front to the very back on their feet bouncing through “Fogma” (a sight rarely seen in Kings Park), “Paper Romance” from 2010’s Black Light was a modern-day song of heartache with its industrial-electro edge and a super boosted version of “I See You Baby” turned the old classic into a fresh jam before transitioning into the bright tribal “Get Down”.

“Chicago” was interestingly left until the end of the set. Perhaps bringing the crowd back to where it all started with track 1 of 1997’s Vertigo album. Yet once the swaggering intro of “Superstylin’” blared out, with MC M.A.D at the helm and the crowd now peaking, it almost felt like a crime this gig was on a Sunday.

“At The River” had Cato on the trombone drifting the crowd back to a carefree time providing that much-needed breather before putting the pedal to the metal for the last songs. The group could have closed out with the sentimentality of “My Friend” but instead made sure never to be forgotten with a bone-shaking reprise of “Superstylin’”.

With fans roaring their approval, Groove Armada brought the energy with as much vigour as they ever had. The difference is that with this show, they cemented their legacy as one of the biggest and best electronic acts to have ever thrown it down.

4.5 stars

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Follow GROOVE ARMADA
Website – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram

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AMNPLIFY – DB