Jinja Safari: The Blind Date Tour

With their infectious and energy fuelled performances, Jinja Safari really know how to get a crowd going.

First published on 13 Jun 2012. Updated on 16 Aug 2012.

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The Hi-Fi became a haze of hair wreaths, floral, and ponchos, with Jinja Safari’s fans embracing every aspect of the jungle inspired music they had come to see. With the anticipation building for the Sydney based packet of energy, the front row positions were staked quickly and early.

White Arrows and Opossom played them in, but the crowd seemed to have eyes for only one group of performers. Maybe Opossom knew this, because their performance leant towards dull, with a few select instances of intriguing musical outbursts.

In stark contrast, Jinja Safari certainly got the crowd moving. Their on stage presence can’t be described as anything less than infectious. Hanging from the lighting, standing on drums and amps, these boys know how to create a party atmosphere, even if it did verge slightly into overkill.

Don’t let stage antics fool you into thinking they lack any musical ability, though. Engaging performances with the audience and each other delighted the crowd. Loud and rhythmic percussive, and even entrancing sitar playing, Jinja Safari displayed their musical prowess.

Charging through old crowd favourites, such as Peter Pan and a cracking rendition of Mermaids, the band didn’t shy away from material that didn’t even have names for, as well as those that do, like Toothless Grin.

Jinja Safari transformed their recorded music to the stage in a way that brought their sounds to life, by a group that genuinely seem to love performing. The dancing, and the cheeky smiles from everyone on stage and off in the Hi-Fi can attest to that.

If the progressively growing sweat patch of bongo player, Alister’s grey t-shirt was anything to go by, these boys work hard and fast.

With no premeditated encore (and kudos to the band for that) they may have left the crowd wanting more, but definitely did not leave them disappointed.

Words by Pia Salvatore |

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