Our evening with Unknown Mortal Orchestra, at their Sydney Opera House debut (30 January), begins in near-pitch darkness.
Amidst the haze, the sound of a Fender Rhodes piano pierces through the ambience as keyboardist Christian Li begins a spiralling procession into the band's kaleidoscopic odyssey through an extensive, delicately-detailed solo.The remaining band members – figurehead Ruban Nielson, his brother Kody behind the kit and long-time collaborator Jacob Portrait on the bass – soon lead Li's journey into 'The Garden', both the opener of UMO's most recent album 'V' and one of its central highlights.
The band has not been on an Australian stage for nearly six years, but these opening moments alone allow for that period of time to disappear entirely into thin air.
It's through this rendition, and the ensuing one-two of 'From The Sun' (featuring a tease of 'Secret Xtians') and 'Swim & Sleep (Like A Shark)', that one is taken by the transformative nature of Unknown Mortal Orchestra as a live act.
On record, these songs slink by with a warm, smoky groove that's shrouded in lo-fi ambience and lush soundscapes. When they're performed live, however, the veneer is whisked away to reveal that puppy you've been playing with is actually an off-leash pit bull.
Ruban's effects-heavy guitar is knife-edge, playing with the same frenetic intensity that he did in his punk days as a member of The Mint Chicks. Portrait, for his part, keeps up with steely precision to Ruban's whims and fancies – making him a perfect sparring partner in the quartet's extensive jams.
Kody, meanwhile (who fronted The Mint Chicks), promptly wallops the drum kit like it owes him money. The normally boppy rhythm of 'Swim & Sleep', in particular, feels like the snare drum is being played with a hammer. Yes, UMO are a psychedelic rock band, but here's the difference: If you stream them on Spotify, they're psychedelic; if you see them live, they rock.
Perhaps the most distinct example of the different beast of UMO live comes during their rendition of one of their most popular songs, 'So Good At Being In Trouble'. It's a swaying, cruisy number with some tasty falsetto and jazzy chords atop of it – and that's how it initially plays out.
What ensues in its outro jam, however, is entirely antithetical to what has preceded it – which is done entirely by design. Imagine your romantic gondola ride in Venice has suddenly transmogrified into the boat scene from 'Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory' and you're partway there.
It's genuinely terrifying how blackened, noisy and dissonant things become in the fray between each of the four musicians – and the fact they can effectively destroy their song and still create a deranged kind of beauty from it is honestly an astounding feat.
The audience respectfully grooves away from their seats for most of the evening – not even the 2015 breakthrough 'Multi-Love' can lift the masses – which leads Ruban to assure us we're not in the town from 'Footloose', and that dancing is allowed.
By this stage, he's already established himself as one of the people – going so far as to perform a guitar solo from a seat in the front few stalls during 'The Opposite of Afternoon' – so we've collectively got no choice but to trust him.
Not that we could sit still for much longer anyway – the bright sunshine of 'Weekend Run' and the apocalyptic dance of 'That Life' follow, both of which were 2021 lockdown saviours.
To finally hear both live nearly three years after the fact feels like a full-circle miracle, as does the ensuing disco voyage of 'Hunnybee' and perennial closer 'Can't Keep Checking My Phone'.
It's perhaps the only time in the 50-plus years of the Opera House Concert Hall that you wish a mirrorball was hanging in the rafters. Still, given the bodies in motion and the seemingly-endless groove that's keeping the beat, it may as well be spinning high above.
Long may it, and Unknown Mortal Orchestra, be in rotation.
