Live Review: Sticky Fingers, Lyall Moloney

The Gov transformed into a hive of fervent activity Friday night, as 500 punters clamoured to get inside to see the Adelaide leg of Sticky Fingers' Gold Snafu tour.

Sydney beat-maker Lyall Moloney was tasked with hyping up the crowd. Armed with only a guitar and a loop pedal, he jammed through an hour-long set that was imbued with beat-boxing, dub and funk-rock. He left the crowd in high spirits, but not before introducing Sticky Fingers as “some dudes who have much more hair than me, but are hopefully wearing less clothes than me”.

He was sort of right. The band fell upon the stage in their usual array of baggy attire, save for keyboardist Freddy Fish, who jammed shirtless all night.

Clothed or unclothed, Sticky Fingers truly are a force to be reckoned with. Their stunning debut album, Caress Your Soul, features much-loved tracks Clouds & Cream, the eponymous Caress Your Soul, and Australia Street, which reached #70 on triple j's Hottest 100. Each track on the record shows off their unique blend of indie-pop with reggae undertones.

Sticky Fingers have played shows in Adelaide in previous years, but this was the first to sell out. The band was clearly stoked to be playing before so many people, and it carried through in their performance. Their electrifying set explored songs from the album as well as their addictive new single, Gold Snafu. The band was so on point, and, if possible, lead singer Dylan Frost's voice sounded even more beautiful in a live setting.

Fuelled by tap beers and Friday night vibes, the crowd was raucous and completely devoted to the band before them. They screamed the lyrics to every song, and tried to take up as much space as possible, as if what they were feeling couldn't be contained within their bodies.

The night culminated when Fish played the first few bars of Australia Street: the mosh pit all but imploded. Many propelled themselves onto/off the stage, at times aided by a furious bouncer. Ten minutes after the song had ended, and after Sticky Fingers had left, punters were still screaming the anthemic chorus to one another.

After seeing swarms of happy faces leaving the venue, it all became clear: summer may have passed, but a glimmer of its warmth can still be felt at a Sticky Fingers gig.