The Sydney Opera House Concert Hall is packed long before Hiatus Kaiyote take the stage. Three years after their unforgettable orchestral performance for Vivid LIVE, and two years after Backseat Mafia caught them at the Enmore Theatre, the Melbourne quartet return to celebrate fifteen years as one of Australia’s most adventurous bands, and the anticipation inside the room is unmistakable. By the second song, a woman in the front row is on her feet and others follow, transforming one of the country’s most prestigious concert venues into something far closer to a late-night club than a seated theatre.
Fronted by the magnetic Nai Palm, Hiatus Kaiyote perform with the effortless chemistry that has made them one of Australia’s most revered live acts. Paul Bender, Simon Mavin and Perrin Moss constantly reshape the music in real time, moving between jazz, funk, progressive R&B, hip hop and soul with astonishing fluidity. Every musician is given room to stretch, yet the performance never loses its sense of momentum.
What continues to separate Hiatus Kaiyote from almost every other band is their refusal to settle into predictable patterns. Songs twist unexpectedly, grooves dissolve and reform, and moments of dazzling musicianship are matched by genuine warmth between band and audience. It feels less like watching a concert than witnessing four musicians engaged in an ongoing conversation.
Fifteen years after emerging from Melbourne’s vibrant music scene, Hiatus Kaiyote remain fearless in their approach, and tonight’s performance is further proof of why they continue to command admiration from artists as diverse as Erykah Badu, Questlove, Kendrick Lamar, Beyoncé and Drake. The packed Opera House rises with them from the opening moments and never looks back.
Check out our full photo gallery from Hiatus Kaiyote at the Sydney Opera House below.
Images Deb Pelser
