Everybody loves themselves a bit of the System; part of the appeal is in the name itself. It’s fun. Go on, say it: Sneaky Sound System. Now try saying it five times fast. Did everyone on the bus look at you?
The rest of their charm must lie in their incredible talent, because not everyone can manage to win two ARIA awards and three Number One chart hits on a debut album that was compiled in a home studio.
Arriving at Rocket’s door, there is a surprisingly varied demographic of fan lined up at Rocket to see the two-piece. Married couples stand by while several under-agers are sent home with refunded tickets before the doors can open. While Sneaky may know their way around a turntable, apparently organising the ticketing details is another matter.
The Rocket Bar is a dimly-lit joint, with mismatched neon and pop culture icons papered on the walls. A DJ hidden at the back keeps the room awake but only one soul shuffles half-heartedly on the dance floor. The ceiling vibrates alongside the heavy bass and suggests it might crumble on top of us if it wants to.
A couple of hours of soft core DJing and awkward talk with strangers later, it’s nearing quarter past 11 and there’s no sign of the band.
Suddenly the stage is bathed in lilac lights and the lovely miss Connie Mitchell struts onto the stage, bedazzled microphone in hand. Angus, dressed to the nines, has taken his place at the master control station and is preparing to knock all our socks off. In about four seconds, the empty dance floor is completely taken over by a screaming cheering audience.
The first beats hum and Connie bursts into ‘It’s Not My Problem’. Everyone is simply insanely happy to be here (or at least to hear Sneaky play before midnight). It’s now that the real appeal of the Rocket Bar shines: the stage may be small but it allows for an extremely up close and personal experience with Connie’s ankles. Flaunting back and forth along the stage, no one leaves without a smile thrown in their direction. The song melts into a pumped up rendition of ‘Pictures’ and the crowd couldn’t be more pleased.
The band take a moment between songs to express to the crowd how long it’s been since they last visited Adelaide, and they don’t know why it took them so long when they receive a welcome like this. The crowd evidently agree and hands are pumped into the air as ‘I Love It’ plays on, followed by an electrified ‘Kansas City’.
Experiencing Sneaky Sound System live only reinforces what we already knew before. That their solid grasp of what makes house music truly enjoyable, a dash of funk, a generous pinch of groove and a sense of adventure, couldn’t be stronger. The only “sneaky” thing about them is their secret to such a strong and consistent line of hits and how they make it impossible to stand still.
We are all obviously waiting for upcoming album, From Here To Anywhere, like dogs wait for dinnertime. Judging by this performance, it should be just as upbeat and trendy as ever.
– Lauren Robertson
