With vibrant on-stage energy and soulful, sunshine beats, Melbourne’s Hiatus Kaiyote is a band with huge appeal. 

Their sound contains both futuristic time sequences and deep nods to their influences, creating a unique blend of jazz, funk and soul that can sound fresh and familiar during the same song. 

Opening the show with a weary tongue-in-cheek greeting to Manchester and comments on how long the tour’s been, the band flew through the familiar tracks from last year’s second album, ‘Choose Your Weapon.’ 

It’s this release that’s catapulted the band into worldwide adoration, and a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Performance for acclaimed track ‘Breathing Underwater.’ 

Performed live, it’s exactly as a fan would hope: full of passion, with complex rhythms; raw; breathily natural. 

Older tracks from their 2013 debut, including ‘Nakamarra,’ got the biggest cheers from a crowd that were beautifully in sync with the performers, with swaying hips and waving arms complementing the slinky soundscapes.

Hiatus Kaiyote are a band that could brighten up any festival with their flamboyant, good-natured performances, but on a rainy April evening, they managed to create their own sunshine in The Old Market.  Captivating, enlivening and expressive, this was a show to remember.