The Go! Team

Sidestepping the Groovin The Moo circuit for one brief moment, England’s euphoric indie-pop sextet The Go! Team were ready to put on one hell of a show for the Corner Hotel. Following many years absence from our shores, the band’s belated return saw patrons shift with growing anticipation.

First to the stage were North East Party House. Born from diverse jazz and funk outfits, the local lads have certainly shed their skins for a completely different output marked by a brooding, grooving approach to rock. Appearing both methodical and disciplined, the ‘House also displayed a welcome enthusiasm in their varied set. Offering everything from pulsating indie-alternative reminiscent of Two Door Cinema Club to swampy, too-cool-for-school rock - instrumental tangents propelled ever onward - it was an entertaining set courtesy of a specimen unique to Melbourne’s crowded scene.

A bewildering moment came in vocalist Zach Hamilton-Reeves’ decision to don a Pokemon garb, but it at least suggested that they’re more than comfortable with their image and as performers. Their finale illustrated this very notion, showcasing their two best songs. Dusk, their penultimate track, professed a lumbering, rock bounce, a synthesiser buzzing underneath a white hot guitar line. Staking its claim as an irresistible head-nodding, toe-tapping aside, it had no trouble in earning the venue’s appreciation. The band’s final offering, Embezzler, told a similar story, the slick disco-tinged cut appearing sinister amidst members’ gasping and hissing. It was all too obvious that North East Party House had saved the best until last. Nevertheless, no one could deny that the locals had made a fantastic impression, emerging as a band to watch with great interest over the course of the year.

Renowned for their effervescent approach to their live shows, The Go! Team would instantly build upon their reputation. T.O.R.N.A.D.O ensured an explosive introduction to the band, the silver-tongued Ninja fronting two-minutes of furious brass flurries and roaring guitar strikes. The song’s follow-up, Grip Like A Vice, would see bodies moving and grooving across the venue, the party in full-swing. Favourite Ladyflash also ensured the set found another gear and new electricity. The sheer enormity of The Go! Team’s output is something to behold, their volume enduring throughout their set. Similarly, the band were tireless in their stage shenanigans, a distinct intensity colouring every rendition. Ninja in particular demonstrated a strict fitness regime, her on-stage aerobics a constant and admirable focal point for the band. Meanwhile, Kaori Tsuchida and Chi Fukami Taylor would front the band for the euphoric Secretary Song and the sweet Ready To Go Steady respectively, in two memorable additions to the set.

The band’s tendency to swap duties with one another is an important feature of their live show. It seemed as if each member had a role not limited to one or even two instruments, their stage formation in perpetual metamorphosis. Even in changing things up so frequently, the band never missed a beat, the wide diversity of their respective talents setting in. Their cohesion is impressive, coming to the fore with each new, imaginative venture. Their self-assurance plays a huge part in what makes their performance to awesome to the ears.

The evening would be comprised of numerous tracks from the band’s latest record, Rolling Blackouts, each cut proving a real treat for patrons. Many of the new songs emerged as strong assets in the band’s show, Buy Nothing Day and The Running Range among the highlights. The electricity was at an all-time high as the audience were summoned for call-and-response duties, the Corner only too happy to oblige.

With both the band and their fans exhausted and sweat-stained following a huge show and a frenetic encore, it was clear that The Go! Team had gone above and beyond the call of duty. As a punter, you knew you couldn’t ask for much more of the evening. Showcasing a shape-shifting set of everything from rock, to soul, to funk, hip-hop, you couldn’t help but feel impressed with The Go! Team’s diversity. Their charm, however, also lies in the kineticism of whatever outlook they profess. Overall, it seems more than ever that you can count on the The Go! Team provide a dynamite performance executed to precision, as they did this particular evening.

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