Live Review: Toro Y Moi

Having been at the helm of the chillwave movement in the early 2010s, Toro Y Moi is the perfect choice to play on the inaugural night of Adelaide Festival's new Riverbank Palais venue — a shimmering, fluorescent structure that's based on the old 1930s club that used to be in its place. Luminescent and sophisticated, it's everything that the music of Toro Y Moi — otherwise known as Chaz Bundick — has become, and with the sight of the bright Adelaide city lights behind him and a light-hearted grin on his face, those in attendance are treated to something special.

Now playing with a five-piece band — including himself on guitar and keys — Bundick's music live is brilliantly elevated from the bedroom charm of his early recordings to tight and taut indie pop. That's mainly thanks to Bundick's most recent LP What For?, his most refined effort to date that also sports some of his most pop-leaning tracks, such as the infectious Buffalo and pastel-coloured Half Dome — two sure-fire hits that have the crowd rushing to the front to dance along. Even a few new and more obscure tracks were thrown in for good measure throughout the night, seamlessly integrating themselves into the set thanks to Bundick's ridiculous knack for a melody.

Loosely dressed without any shoes and a cup of tea comfortingly nearby, Bundick and his band transform the Palais into a bustling bedroom disco. Fan favourite Grown Up Calls — from his most electronically experimental and arguably best record Anything In Return — encompasses the crowd in a mesmerising R&B groove; the set almost taking the tone of a disco crate-digger's club night performed live. Apart from the occasional "How's it going?" that's returned by a chorus of positivity, he hasn't got too much to say. But by the time the set reaches the one-two punch of So Many Details and encore number New Beat, Bundick's already communicated with the crowd in ways that speak louder than words, and a sea of limbs are too busy dancing away in pink and purple hues to care.