(photo: Kristy Smolcic)
Just when you thought Sunday nights were for winding-down before the work week starts again, eight-piece indie-pop outfit Superorganism brought exhilarating visuals and the smell of margarita pizza (or possibly garlic) which lingered in 170 Russell during the entire show (seriously, not that I was complaining).
It’s absolutely impossible to write a review of Superorganism’s set without talking about this persistent shoey business, which was a talking point during the show’s duration. During last night’s show, a wild group at the front persistently chanted for Orono Noguchi to do a shoey, but it didn’t end there. Somehow, the sweaty shoe ended up on-stage for the remainder of the show, with Noguchi placing her water bottle in it as if it was a cup holder. Though most musicians would have been annoyed with it, she seemed to laugh it off saying in the nicest way, “you motherfuckers are fucking weird and fucked up and crazy”, before launching straight into ‘SPRORGNSM’.
Now for the music. Don’t let this shoey business distract you, Superorganism brought more to the table than just tolerating wild Australian antics. Superorganism has gained prominence for the consideration they put into planning their live shows. Their on-stage visuals featured an array of space/intergalactic visuals to accompany their next-level performance. Witnessing their debut album come to life in a live environment elevated the LP into another galaxy. Songs such as ‘The Prawn Song’, ‘SPRORGNSM’ (which had the biggest sing-along of the night), ‘It’s All Good’ and ‘Nobody Cares’ were highlights. The eccentric and dazzling electronic production, which was evident throughout the album, soared to new heights in a live environment, with it inspiring an array of impressive dance-moves amongst members of the passionate and animated crowd.
Superorganism closed the initial part of their set on a high note with ‘Everyone Wants To Be Famous’ — the awkward ‘is this an encore?’ happened when they disappeared from the crowd’s view. The group then returned back to the stage with a bowl of fruit to play ‘Something For Your M.I.N.D.’. Throughout the track, Noguchi proceeded to throw fruit into the crowd, gifting them with not only the beautiful gift of extraordinary sounds but also much-needed vitamins.
The show ended awkwardly with the lights switching on and Elton John’s ‘Benny And The Jets blaring from the speaker. Noguchi and some of the band returned to take a few pics with eager fans, with Noguchi yelling out a couple of ‘fuck you’s to the crowd.
Superorganism delivered everything you could possibly want from a live show — electrifying vibes, superb stage presence and visuals that could rival the cosmos.
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