People are crowd surfing at the Beach Hotel.
Need I say any more to describe how much this Lyrics Born gig rocks?

I’m trying to remember the last time I saw people crowd surf here and I’ve got nothing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it. Tonight, two people appear on their backs above the audience before security calm them down. It’s like a festival. Short girls are sitting on shoulders, one guy is swinging underwear over his head, another guy rushes the stage… and everyone is dripping in sweat. Lyrics Born has worked us into a frenzy.

“If I don’t lose my voice and my hearing, I’m not doing my job,” LB tells us. Before the show he had sat quietly in the fenced off green room tweeting about DJ Goodie spinning Chali 2na. Onstage, LB barely pauses for breath.  His backing vocalist, Joyo Velarde, belts out her tunes while busting non-stop funky-ass dance moves. Lyrics Born and his live band don’t just perform, they engage the crowd. Both the keys and bass player make eye contact with me and grin. They pose for photos. LB tries to show us pics of his newborn baby on his mobile. He tells us we’re the best audience he’s seen on tour yet. He tells us we can download his music for free on his website. He pushes Velarde’s debut album. He freestyles; rapid-fire name checking O’Sushi, buying weed in Nimbin and getting the plane out of Ballina. But mostly, Lyrics Born delivers the beats and rhymes we are all here for.

Click here to see photos from the gig.

From the set list:
Turn it up
Hello
Pack Up
Knock Knock
Phreak
I Like It
Differences
Hot 2 Deff (Michael Jackson tribute)
Stop Complaining
Aim (Daft Punk)
It’s Like That
PDT
Oh Baby
Callin Out
Coulda Woulda
(encore)
I Changed My Mind
Lies
Take you Home
Shake it off
Bad Dreams
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I'm watching the sweat shine on Al Anderson's arms as he plays guitar. He moves fingers over frets as naturally as breathing. Vocalist Erica Newell is delivering a soft Redemption Song. I look around the crowd and realise I'm the centrepiece for a couple of schoolie groups. They are more interested in photographing themselves with the band in the background than actually watching the band. Other people lean in to touch Anderson and frontman Junior Marvin. Neither of them seem to mind. There's no barrier separating the stage from the crowd. From sidestage, security observe the audience. Occasionally they struggle in and remove someone. No fights, you understand, this is a reggae gig. But there's a certain smell in the air. A friend later told me "I was standing right at the front and some girl passed me this huge spliff! I'm not going to say no while Bob Marley's music is playing live. It's sacreligious!"
As far as their live performance goes, The Original Wailers move smoothly through their set list in a manner and quality you would expect from people who could do this in their sleep. There are no showy tricks or excessive audience interaction. They let the music speak for itself. Three Little Birds  puts smiles on faces and has everyone singing along. Things pretty much stay this way up until the last song of the encore, One Love.
See photos from the gig here.
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Sweat pours off Jackson Jackson frontman Harry James Angus as he stands centrestage like a zealous preacher - head bowed, arm outstretched, captivating the masses with drama and prose. The entire Melbourne-based seasonal population of Byron Bay have crammed into the Beach Hotel for this very special gig. Locals who have never heard of Jackson Jackson are converted after a moment's confusion. 
And they are all losing it.
Apart from a prior commitment photographing bikini shots at La La Land, Jackson Jackson had me buzzing from soundcheck to when the ugly lights come on. Dear God... the hooded female vocalists, their sheer vocal power, the tension, the release, the exquisite rarity of genre-defying performance... it's almost too much to handle. I can safely say, you have never seen anything like Jackson Jackson (and if I'm wrong about that, I'd really like to know).

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I’m sure there have been plenty of comparisons made to the Cat Empire for these guys. The six piece all male outfit from Melbourne includes a brass section and they’re fond of the Dub element. Dé Jah Groove is what Cat Empire would be if they replaced the Latin Gypsy with Rock, stripped back a few harmonies, bounced instead of danced, and looked street.
You don’t know how sorry I am for not taking my camera to this gig.
Dé Jah Groove bring a vibrant energy to the Beachie despite playing the same venue several hours earlier on Saturday night. They meld reggae, dub, rock and a touch of salsa to get our hips shaking. “Me mates tell me I can’t salsa,” a drunk nearby shouts at me “I’ve got avocado and tomato, dunno what I’m doing wrong.” I’m too sober to smile politely and turn my attention back to the stage. Hot hot Harley and Delaney Stewart on vocals (also guitar and bass respectively) sound identical and look similar - I’ll assume they are twins. When David de Podolinsky steps away from his timbales, Will Bakes and Gus Rigby from the brass section can’t resist the urge to cross the stage and play his drums.  In the finale, de Podolinsky and drummer Lach Hall trade places without missing a beat.
Check their Myspace page or www.dejahgroove.com to have a listen if you missed them.
Image taken without permssion from their Myspace.

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"Why didn't you tell me they're all cute and speaking Spanish?!" my friend says as she arrives halfway through the second set. "I'd have come much sooner!"
As most of the women dancing in the front row would agree, good looks help any performer. Luckily for Watussi, they are also shit-hot musicians.  Admittedly, I'm a sucker for any band with a brass section. The eight-piece band from Sydney add a distinct Afro-Cuban flavour to rock and roots. Fronted by Oscar, a charismatic Columbian, they present a high energy performance with an enthusiasm that turns the audience into wannabe salsa all-stars.
I first saw Watussi play the Surry Hills festival about four years ago. They were crowd pleasers then, and have only improved since. If you missed them, check their website and have a listen to the audio player. If you get the chance to see them live, make sure you do.

Did you see this gig? What did you think of it? You can comment here.

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