Live Review: Rudimental, Jess Glynne

It's a beautiful night to attend the Riverstage, and as Queensland's cooler months are now approaching, tonight is the beginning of a more comfortable season for enjoying outdoor live music. Rudimental have returned to Australia to show off their back catalogue of endless eclectic pop hits, headlining shows around the country. Brisbane is first cab off the rank for their tour, which sees British artist Jess Glynne support the group.  

With backing singers and musicians pumping up the crowd, Glynne quickly appears from left of stage, donning an impressive chequered pant suit and strutting side to side during her gospel-inspired track Ain't Got Far To Go. Glynne's signature optimistic pop perfectly sets the tone for tonight's antics, performing hits such as Don't Be So Hard On Yourself, Hold My Hand, and You Can Find Me. Performing a set with complete flawlessness, Britain's pop girl-wonder gets the crowd keen to boogie — that's why we are all here right? Although it's a modest crowd at this early hour, Glynne's presence brings the few to the front of the mosh pit, releasing that built-up excitement we all feel between support and headline act. For her first performance in Australia, Glynne hits it out of the park and will undoubtedly be returning before too long.

Since last touring Australia with good mate Ed Sheeran late last year, Rudimental return, having already gauged their audience and are clearly keen to take it up a notch with their live production. With a stage absolutely littered with musical instruments, the group open up their set with a performance of their own reggae dub-smash mash-up, steel drums included, slowly moulding the chaos into just one of their many hits, Right Here. The drum and bass elements of the track light up Riverstage, getting even the picnic blanket-lain families up on their feet. With the group's insane endless array of energy and excitement about their own music, and with every member simply losing their shit after every drop in the songs, it becomes seemingly difficult to compose oneself. Although the band's energy is spectacle in itself, it is a shame the group didn't bring with them as many performers as they did on Sheeran's tour, making the crowd lose interest pretty quickly in some of the more mellow songs of the evening's set. The group tie off the set with their unmistakably signature and ridiculously catchy tune Waiting All Night, with the crowd roaring a chorus undoubtedly being heard in South Bank and beyond.