We’re burning up the dance floor and Parov Stelar Band is completely to blame.
There’s a strong legion of fans bracing the barriers at Enmore Theatre (23 February) and I don’t blame them. This is the first time the electro swingers have performed a headliner show in Australia, having run the festival circuit only, and the anticipation is palpable.After all, how often do you get to lend your ears to the uniquely infectious sounds of Parov Stelar aka the founder of electro swing music live? Very rarely at this point if you live down under.
The stage lights run red as the band emerges, a sense of drama and mystery encasing them as the electronica builds to ‘Don’t You Forget’ from their latest album release ‘Voodoo Sonic’.
It’s a duet that marks the perfect introduction to the seven-strong band of singers Elena Karafizi and Lee Anduze, guitarist Michael Wittner, saxophonist Sebastian Grimus, trumpeter Marc Osterer, trombonist Jacky Mayr and drummer Willie Larsson Jr.
Male vocalist Lee Anduze is charisma from A to Z, however it’s Elena Karafizi – the band’s newest member – that steals his voice out from under him. It’s rich, it’s raspy and, combined with her fluid movements and shoulder wiggles, oozes sex appeal.
As ‘Clap Your Hands’, ‘Cubre Libre’, ‘Josephine’ swing past each brass instrumentalist is given his chance in the spotlight. They’re dressed in suits and swing their instruments up and down in unison as they play. It’s all practised for the stage and reminiscent of blues clubs in the deep south.
Personalities abound as the band throws silhouettes on stage to the brilliant blocks of lighting and the brass trio pretends to throw mikes our way in ‘Grandpa’s Groove’ calling for us to sing.
The audience laps it up, some swing dancing in pairs, most grooving to the beat, hands wiping the air and hips wiggling in time with Karafizi’s shoulders.
But you don’t quite understand the power the Parov Stelar Band holds on this crowd until you’re halfway through ‘The Burning Spider’ and are called to crouch on the dance floor.
It’s that surreal moment when you’re down there, searching the skies for naysayers who refuse audience participation only to realise that the entire floor has complied.
And then we’re up again, creaking the floorboards of the Enmore, which is obviously struggling to deal with our enthusiasm. Sweat pours down my back, but as more tunes spill out I’m compelled to keep dancing.
‘All Night’ rounds out the set but the band quickly returns to deliver a medley complete with samples of ‘Sexy Back’ and ‘Sweet Dreams’ before closing out on ‘Booty Swing’.
The fans chant for more and as the venue empties, Parov Stelar Band take to that stage one last time. A final song is played. A final dance is made. And a final hope is laid that they'll return to headline Australia once again. My dancing legs can hardly wait.
