Kumfy Klub at the Shores made every provision it could for a fantastic Summer evening of local entertainment. A perfect atmosphere was established by the lads from Three Reasons, who created five different spaces for the significant crowd to spend their time in. Lighting, music and décor aside, there was one thing variable the promoters could not control: the weather.

It was forty-two degrees when I headed off to Shores early Saturday evening, and the demonic heat had taken it’s toll on early numbers. The main room was closed until 7pm, leaving the crowd three spots to spend the early hours- at tables on the front verandah (compete with tasty burger stand) in the side room (where Troy J Bean was spinning laid back dub grooves) or in the garden space. The latter provided pavilions, kumfy furnishings and plenty of beanbags. The DJ’s set from the side room was being piped out into the garden space at a comfortable volume that allowed for a relaxed social atmosphere. A mist tent also provided a gentle shower for those who were struggling under the heat- a feature that I took advantage of frequently throughout the evening. Later that night, firetwirlers and percussionists entertained people perched on the mounds, with a beautiful starry sky providing yet another silent attraction.

When the main room opened at seven, the sun was on its way down, and the crowd was building on the front deck. I’d never been to a gig of this scale sporting an all-local line-up and I was already impressed with how thing were shaping up. The crowd was rolling steadily into the main space now, and realizing the live acts had been postponed for the crowd to build, punters happily took seats and bean bags in the various areas. A ‘chill out’ room made for a great escape throughout the evening, with eye candy from music videos to surfing docos providing visuals to go the night’s Summer soundtrack.

The live music schedule began with Spacejunk, a very large outfit, clearly grounded in jazz. Sporting two female vocalists and a mutating line-up that featured a several multi-instrumentalists, their sound was slick and smooth, but not particularly memorable. They were the right choice for first band up, and their dub-reggae and didge-driven moments were the most interesting. Incidentally, this was Spacejunk’s farewell gig, though each boasting musical commitments elsewhere, the Spacejunk players are unlikely to individually disappear from view.

The next group on stage was an act that has seen many key lineup changes over the last six years of smooth grooves. Starting out in 2000 as George, the band later became The George Special, and finally The New White Sneakers. Always fronted by an attractive female vocalist, the band has gone through four from memory, including the former lead singer of Phat Albert, Holly (who currently sings with Crazy Penis). An ever popular, acid-groove band (guitar, keys, bass, drums and horns), they play mostly original material, with a few ‘sneakerfied’ covers including a soft and loungey version of Prince’s ‘When the Doves Cry’. The band is tight, Lesley’s easy on the eyes and their songs often feature sing-a-long choruses with simple dance floor appeal. Their sunny and jazzy jams suited the day and the crowd well, but as the sun went down, the dance floor was getting ready to rise a level.

The next act provided exactly that, and even in their laid back moments, played with a lot more passion and intensity than the sugary sweetness of the Sneakers. Having not heard the Beat Smugglers since before their support spot for Jamiroquai, I was impressed with their improved stage chops, musicianship and sound. The band’s drummer and the bass player are always impressive to watch, with Charlie also now playing drums for the New White Sneakers. He’s a hard hitting, high energy drummer, and the rest of the Beat Smugglers matched him this night where the New White Sneakers could not. Laced with samples and the occasional snarling synth line, the Beat Smugglers played through the most varied set of the day, reaching moments of great intensity. By now the crowd was up for anything, and the Beatsmugglers provided for the punters some chemical breaks, d’n’b and latin flavoured jams.

The headlining act on the day was the semi-retired funk band, Magma. I say ‘semi’ as 2006 marked the second annual reunion of the band since their official split. Magma don’t try and hide who they are: they’re a ‘get on up and jam’ funk band, with old-school grooves to shake your booty loose. Again featuring horns, keys, bass, guitar drums, and a few players from other bands performing on the day, the lead vocalist showed his love for James Brown in his vocal expression and phraseology. The other stand out player was Magma’s saxophonist, who lights up the room with his effortless solos. You can catch him jamming at the Crown & Sceptre and other clubs who choose to augment their House music with a live player. Many were rapt to see their old favourite band reunited again, while the younger audience probably enjoyed them for the first time.

Featuring Matt Walker on the decks and JD on percussion, closing act ‘The Break’ spun party house and kumfy breaks, embellished with live elements and on-stage dancing girls. With Noodle and the Activist helping out and Smiley spinning a few tracks himself in the closing minutes, the floor was struggling to hold up. The smiles remained though, and after a closing bracket featuring the feel good ‘Love Generation’ and a breaks version of the cabaret classic ‘Fever’ thanks were said, and the audience gave their final, rapturous applause.

The Kumfy DJs also deserve mention of course, each adding their own twist to the groove-based cocktail of the day’s music. DJ Brad kept things funky between acts in the main room, while Hemi-love, Japeye, D-Lux, Col C, Andy T and Luke Lombe took the side room toward the tech-house tip upon which Ben James and live act Amoeba stand. Early DJ’s spun everything from lazy chill, funk and reggae to commercial house and electro, while Ben and Amoeba made their passion for techno and house music’s lovechild clear. Smiley and his crew should be commended for making the scorching day as Kumfy as can be with all the tunes and performance elements that define the regular Crown and Sceptre institution.

Click here for photos from the event…