Like a cross-bred funky cat mashing OK Go and Scissor Sisters lineage with a liberal sampling of Bee Gees, Melbourne eclectic seven-piece ensemble Ogopogo (no, not the mythical Canadian lake monster) drip sexy disco beats with jazzy-funk off-cuts.
Formed in 2016, their recent release, the double A-side 'Ninja Disco / Paranoia', is the perfect excuse to let go of whatever daily grind you've been slaving away at to, as band member Jamie Mcelhinney (bassist) says: "Sometimes you want to hide away under a rock. Sometimes you just gotta get out there and shake it on the dancefloor." Amen brother.
With lyrics inspired by everything from crustaceans and clowns to cats, morphine and rats taking over your house, the band tell relatable and comical stories across a musical bed of horns (alto saxophone, baritone saxophone, trumpet) four-part vocals, drums, bass, guitar and keys. Superb stuff.
After festival appearances at Rainbow Serpent, White Night, Sydney Road Street Festival and Sofalarama, this Melbourne musical beast is ready to party with an east-coast tour that starts tonight at Beltane Festival in Colac (regional Victoria).
"We're all strapped in and ready to launch," Jamie says. "We've got our toothbrushes packed. We've got our favourite clothes ironed and folded.
"Charlie [Woods, trumpet/ vocals] did crack it at us all quite publicly about not having our sh.t together and being slack and unreliable and just not very helpful.
"I'm sure a few weeks of being all up in each other's business will do us all wonders."
Click here for tickets to the Melbourne show tomorrow (3 November).
Ogopogo 2018 Tour Dates
Fri 2 Nov - Beltane Festival (Colac, VIC)Sat 3 Nov - The Spotted Mallard (Melbourne)
Fri 9 Nov - The Homestead (Hobart)
Sat 10 Nov - The Great Houn Valley Festival (TAS)
Fri 16 Nov - Queen St Mall (Brisbane, 3pm & 8pm)
Sun 18 Nov - Queen St Mall (Brisbane, 1pm)
Mon 31 Dec - Tanglewood Festival (Thornton, VIC)
