Live Review: Yeo, Saatsuma, Take Your Time

27 September 2016 | 1:57 pm | Shaun Colnan

"A powerful soul-smeared voice and a diva attitude to match."

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Take Your Time had a blissfully chilled vibe, enjoying their moment under the lights. The pair, dressed in black, boogied away to some heavy pre-recorded beats and moaned and hummed into mics, their tunes reminiscent of The xx. The music and style of the band was simple, streamlined and laidback. Saatsuma brought a plethora of melodic tunes that filled Newtown Social Club with a warm feeling. The joyful rhythms mixed with angelic vocals and sky-high synths for a trance-invoking dance. 

Yeo made a splash in the big smoke's pond with musical stylings and a charged encounter with the PA guy. Yeo and drummer moved from '80s-style anthems to deeper dancefloor bangers. He wielded a bevy of instruments and proved a talent on several synths, including a keytar, and the bass guitar. One particular keytar solo inspired "yew"s, "woo"s and schmoozy dance moves. The songs varied in mood and tone with the band oscillating between romantic slower tunes and more upbeat stories about love and the joy of life.

Yeo had a powerful soul-smeared voice and a diva attitude to match, ripping into the sound guy with a passive aggressive air. "The joys of being a predominantly electronic band," the singer said after telling the sound guy to "not do that again". His smooth timbre melded with the rhythm section: some pre-recorded, some live. At times the music moved to an electronic drone but also showed signs of pop sensibility and great Michael Jackson-esque melodies. He also showcased his cocky, lover-boy demeanour. Great visuals were the cherry on top of this happy-go-lucky affair with flourishes of melting colour.

"This is officially a SOLD OUT show," the drummer said before the band dipped into their dancier tracks. "You know I'm pushing myself harder than I ever have before in this show," said Yeo, almost condescendingly. "Because I'm having so much fun."

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Yeo finished on a high note - quite literally - with Tina Turner's '80s smash hit, What's Love Got To Do With It, leaving an impression on a kooky and sympathetic crowd.