“Ev’rybody say ‘Oh yeah’ (Oh Yeah), ‘Shit yeah’ (Shit yeah), ‘Fuck yeah’ (Fuck Yeah)”. Fellow Kiwis Solaa are in full force eliciting audience interaction as I bound up the stairs and the punters are loving a good swearing opportunity. The room is heaving, defying their support band status and soon my dancing feet are struggling to keep up.

As the instruments are shifted around in preparation for the headline act, chit-chat makes the space sound like a cafeteria. Animated discussions promise an auspicious evening and everywhere you eavesdrop there’s another Kiwi accent. My neighbour in the crowd is here to experience Shapeshifter for the sixth time – fair praise indeed.

The roar accompanying their arrival onstage would’ve lifted the roof off had there not been a hotel on top of it. “Melbourne you’ve got a lovely, beautiful noise. We’ve gotta love you for that, man!” An affinity with Melbourne town has definitely been established. The crowd’s packed in and primed for immediate carnage but the set coasts off to a mellow start. With a stage set-up promising high-voltage power we wait for the drop. There’s a very annoying, repetitive “Whooooo-hoo!” coming from nearby and I hope its owner will disappear onto the teeming dancefloor pronto.

“Brothers & sisters, kings & queens – FUCK yeah!” P Digsss chooses an interesting outfit – his knitted argyle vest clashes with arms covered in tatts. There seems to be a hundred people onstage, each contributing to the complex sound. The proclaimer of ‘Whoooo-hoo!’s needs to be shown the door and given a job as Town Crier.

Fans are feeling a tune extolling “Let Us Be Together!” but I’m unsure as to whether it’s genuine or cheesy. One thing’s for sure, their track lengths know no bounds. A rumbling, thrust-into-the-nearest-person’s-nether-regions bassline kicks in. That’s more like it – all hands in the air! The venue resembles a bouncy castle during ‘Skateland Killa’ and strobe lights emphasise arms that dribble basketballs off walls in unison. An air horn creates mass hysteria. Maybe the New Zealand massive brought over some of those contentious over-the-counter party pills?

“Out in the street, they call it murder!” Basement Jaxx are also fond of incorporating Damian Marley’s message into their live set to equally great effect. A sax solo creates mass devastation and the crowd won’t give Shapeshifter a chance to leave the stage let alone do an encore. Bass that would spray you against any back wall thumps from the speakers and I’m convinced. If there’s party in a can, someone just sprayed a whole lorry’s worth through the venue. “Y’all want this party started, right? Y’all want this party started quickly… right?” Even if you cringe at the thought of drum and bass you’ll dig these sounds. Though skeptical at first, Shapeshifter shift my consciousness – they sure know how to navigate a party.