Live Review: Hidden Treasures

That the final installation of this year's Hidden Treasures festival was such a success felt somewhat pre-ordained. Falling between bouts of near-biblical weather, it allowed revellers one final opportunity to soak up the unique street theatre and general merriment that the event generates. The Buffalo Club kicked off with Mal De Mer's easily digestible pop, and while there's nothing particularly innovative about the band's songs, they're sufficiently laced with catchy hooks and rhythms. For a band with so little time together, they're impressively tight.

With considerably greater experience under their belt, followers Axe Girl were full of vigour and character, singer Addison Axe a mesmerising presence on stage. Her appeal isn't just aesthetic, however, and when she challenges her voice to reach for varying octaves, they're routinely nailed. With stalwart Vanessa Thornton driving things along on bass and guitarist Brendan Biddis routinely stretching his contributions, they're a highly entertaining and proficient outfit.

Much like the excitement that accompanied The Neptunes performance last year, Prawns With Horns' appearance at this year's installation was met with giddy excitement as passionate fans responded feverishly. For the uninitiated, the band play an exuberant funk, rock and Latin mix that's embellished by a stonking horn section. Tonight, like most other nights, they whipped the crowd into a sea of frenetic limbs and impassioned dance moves and closed the Wyola Club with a bang.

This week's, and indeed the whole festivals', main drawcard, however, was Abbe May & The Rockin' Pneumonia's performance of her 2008 album Howl & Moan. As expected, this was a visceral, volcanic performance and its quality was due to both the class of the decade-old record, and May's powerful, perfect voice. Todd Pickett, an expert as ever, provided backing vocals of a high order that drifted between perfect harmonies and distant, plaintive wails. More subdued tracks like We'll Take A Trip Up To The Country were transformed, largely by a boisterous crowd, into profoundly animalistic experiences. It was a blistering performance, and one that capped another incredibly successful edition of this excellent event.