Getting the party started early!

The Melbourne six-piece, Sunnyside, brought all types of groove to the Café de Paris on Saturday afternoon. They were equal parts funk with a thumping bass line, but rounding it out with tight keyboard and saxophone. The result was a sweaty stew of dance rhythms that had everyone at this intimate venue bopping and rocking.

Though it was early afternoon, the band brought a late-night feel and immediately got the dance vibe going with some a few rows of people outside the venue were grinding away in ankle depth mud. An acquaintance of mine described the band as a jazzier version of Trombone Shorty and that that description felt apt. No matter what type of musical knowledge you had, the band’s rhythms and beat were infectious leading everyone to groove to easy hits such as “Liquid Love’.

The band had loose limbed mojo appearing in matching baby blue Pocari Sweat t-shirts that they no doubt picked up recently at the festival. No stranger to to sweaty nightclubs and jazz parlors, extra electrolytes are needed when dancing to this band as the bounce their way through rollicking sets. A hallmark of the band are hypnotic time signatures and crisp percussion. The band also travel with a retinue of fans as a shout out went to the ladies of Sunnyside who populated the front row, and the “best manager” in the world standing by the sound board.

The band then introduced their next jam “Stretch” noting that it was going to be a long one and the audience might as well get ready for something epic. It then kicked off, 8-wonderul minutes characterized by a time change, a number of chances to loosen tight neck muscles and elbows. Every town has a bonafide grade A party band, and this group composed of Archibald Jacobs (Sax,Clarinet), Sam O’Neil (Guitar), Callum Humphrys (Drums,Percussion, Samples) and Noah Sycopoulis (Bass). In a town full of outstanding musicians, they are definitely the go to act for jazzy funk in Melbourne.

The band has made the most of their time in Fuji Rock playing two separate shows and also a week of dates before the festival in Shimokitizawa and other live venues. Look out for the band, with a groove so infectious they are bound to come back to Japan very soon.