Melbourne was blessed with not only an inevitable 4-day weekend courtesy of the Cup, but also graced with the presence of electronic/pysch-soul two-piece Boo Seeka for a sold-out show as part of their “Never Too Soon Tour” at 170 Russell.
From the beginning, it was clear that Boo Seeka did not want to waste time and wanted to get straight into business with their trademark high energy live set, which was evident through an early surprise in ‘Fool’. The fast pace nature of the track was instantly transferred into the crowd with many reciting the hit track word for word, and feeding off the emotion of Boo’s passionate yells and commanding stage presence. This emotion continued to flow through the set as the band took a moment to appreciate the feat of selling out 170 Russell, and explain how Melbourne had a soft spot in their hearts which tugged at the heartstrings of all the people within the room.
Although the band has been around for a few years now since their Triple J Unearthed initiation, Boo Seeka took us on a journey back to their early days with ‘Deception Bay’. The track is the perfect podium for Boo’s unique vocal tone to be explored in great depth, showing a clear mastery within the manipulation of entrancing melodies with effortless displays of passion throughout the 3-minute offering.
From here the mood shifted into a relaxing pace through ‘Calm Symphony’, a head bopper of a track translating into a grooving nature through all the punters. However, this was short-lived in the immediate future as Boo Seeka charged up the momentum with the intensified ‘Oh My’. The track has many significant moments within the mix, whether it be through the sampled vocals in the background or the intricate percussion at the core of the composition that seemed to act as an integral trigger for the impressive lighting that was on offer. Around the halfway point of ‘Oh My’ the euphoria of the ‘mob mentality’ clapping and reciting of the chorus ‘Over and over and over I’m yet to find it’ took over the venue and gave the track the resounding ending it well and truly deserved.
A major moment in the set that stood out from the rest lied within ‘Calling Out’. The track carries the banger vibe from the album ‘Never Too Soon’ which is immediately taken upon by the crowd with many choosing to take advantage of the vibe within the chorus to let loose, but also gives us the first opportunity of the night to see Boo Seeka back to back in immediate proximity to each other. Both boys are feeding off each other in this moment through a clear chemistry, and gains a true appreciation from all and is reciprocated through a lift in the overall energy within the venue.
The night rounded itself out with arguably their biggest track to date saved till last in the encore ‘Does This Last’. Throughout the tour, you may have noticed videos and photos of people on each other’s shoulders during this moment, and Boo Seeka ensured that Melbourne got the full experience in this moment by commanding the room from the front to the back to be in this position. The reception to this track was something to behold, as it seemed the sense of giving everything to the song carried through the venue, ensuring that the band got the respect they deserved for delivering the perfect set from start to finish.
Boo Seeka are well and truly at the top of their game right now. Not only producing quality tracks repeatedly, but producing without a doubt one of the best live sets you’ll see from an Australian act now.
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author: Chris Salce