On the tail-end of their national tour with Parklife, UK new-wave rockers New Young Pony Club took some time out to perform an intimate show at The Forum, supported by The Dirty Secrets and PhDJ. Those who arrived early to check out The Dirty Secrets were rewarded generously. Buoyed by seamless mixing from PhDJ, the Sydney quartet delivered a fresh, energetic set that quickly had the gathered crowd moving.

However, it was not long before New Young Pony Club stormed the stage, opening with the punchy hit Chaos from their latest LP. Lead vocalist Tahita Bulmer is invariably brimming with energy and this performance was no exception. From centre-stage she proceeded to whirl the masses into an unruly frenzy with radio-favourites The Optimist and Ice Cream. Bulmer also provided plenty of banter between songs which was lapped up by punters.

Vision of elegance Lou Hayter on keys and drum-destroying Sarah Jones provided excellent backing while ostensibly-cool guitarist/production genius Andy Spence oversaw proceedings, before leading the charge into We Want To. After a brief hiatus backstage, the band returned with gusto, blasting out an extended, re-worked version of their iconic Get Lucky before closing with The Bomb.

As the lights came up and the collective consciousness returned I was struck that the venue was perhaps only sixty percent full. There is no question of New Young Pony Club’s popularity amongst Australian audiences and so the only conclusion I could fathom was that many punters were planning to see them play live at Parklife. While there is merit to such logic, it is noteworthy that given the enormity of artists playing the festival, New Young Pony Club has a miniscule 50 minute slot. In my opinion, such a short set could not possibly do the band justice.

In this 90-minute sideshow with perfect sound and a fully appreciative crowd, New Young Pony Club truly shone. Their new tracks work well live. Their production is watertight and their lyrics have clearly matured from the days of their debut LP Fantastic Playroom. The band’s emulsion of pop, rock and new-wave is deliciously infectious, creating a sound that is unquestionably catchy and stylistically lush. What a pleasure it has been share a glimpse into their glittering, sparkling world.