Weeknights are usually reserved for some quiet study, a laid back drink or two and a sneaky Netflix and chill. However, after selling out their Friday show, RÜFÜS managed to tempt the young and frail to brace the chilly air and head to the Enmore on a Wednesday for what was an explosive set, drenched in oozing synths hooks and lush vocals.
It’s quite a contradictory experience to stand in the sparse Enmore Theatre. The ghoulish grates that imprison the lights are a good fit for Halloween, casting creepy shadows over the beautifully ornate walls. Yet once RÜFÜS had hit the stage, and the light show flickered into life, the beauty of the theatre disappeared as a relic of the past, and the crowd was unleashed to an intensely delectable set.
In their first show back in their beloved home town of Sydney, the boys cheekily taunted the crowd, toying with emotions and expectations throughout the night. After blasting a devilish opening mix featuring You Were Right, the song after which the tour is named, they settled into an old favourite in Sundream.
The night lured a curious mix of people to the show, with a large portion of older people lining the back half of the standing section. Yet once the velvety synth crescendos began vibrating around the hall, age went out the window. One of the most compelling aspects of the show was the lighting. The trio of boys was almost always hidden behind a veil of purple or blue smoke, illuminating them just enough to reveal the furious drumming or the focused vocals. Thin beams of light shone from the top of the stage, desperately searching for a soul having an average time – but of course the search was futile.
One of the many hits from their recent album, Rendezvous ignited screams from the audience as soon as they descended into the track. Unlike so many of their contemporaries, their production and arrangements are compelling enough without the need for an overt drop. Rather, they manufacture subtle crescendos in their tracks, caressing the audience slowly into a rather undignified mess of flailing limbs and nodding heads – something few bands can do without a drawn out drop that lasts for far too long.
The boys expressed their enthusiasm for the Aussie summer. Fair enough, considering they have been lucky enough (or unfortunate enough) to be stuck in Berlin writing their new album. Flavours of the album were revealed beyond the already released You Were Right and Like An Animal, demonstrating a similar direction to their last album – one that they say they are immensely proud of.
By the time Tonight was played, the theatre as starting to reflect its origins with a positively cinematic experience. Dressed in all white and sporting glaringly blond hair, lead vocalist Tyrone Lindqvist resembled an almost Jesus-like figure, surrounding by James and Jon clad in black on drums and keyboard respectably.
As usual, Take Me was the clear highlight of the night. Beginning in a subtle manner, with a stripped back guitar solo, it wasn’t long before the notoriously bouncy floors of the Enmore were in full use as the crowd chanted the chorus is blissful unison.
An inevitable encore was produced, and thankfully their new single Like An Animal was featured, though it didn’t quite rouse the crowd as intensely as their first single You Were Right did. But as any good live band knows, the secret to finishing on a high note is to keep it familiar. And that they did, with a spectacular, extended version of Desert Night, the track that catapulted them from the depths Triple J Unearthed and set them on the lucrative path they are travelling on currently.
With a sold out performance scheduled for Friday at the Enmore and a closing gig at the inaugural ThisThat Festival in Newcastle, the boys are certainly difficult to get yours hands onto. But fear not, with a new album on its way, the history stained carpet of the Enmore will undoubtedly be blessed with the presence of the Aussie legends once again soon enough.