Since 2004, Matt & Kim have taken a DIY approach to their music, releasing three albums that are often pigeon-holed into the ‘dance punk’ or ‘new-wave’ categories. The subsequent maturity that can be heard through a chronological listening makes evident that the two have come a considerable way since their debut.

Having gotten a tried-and-true formula to their whimsical pop songs down pat, Matt often leads a track with his right hand melodies on synthesiser and nasal vocals, leaving Kim to drive the rhythm with her upbeat drumming and background shouts. Releasing their third album Sidewalks in November last year, the two were given the chance to incorporate the new material into their Australian tour this January, with appearances at Big Day Out and the Sydney Festival.

As part of the Sydney Festival, the Beck’s Festival Bar has gained a strong reputation for housing a fantastic diversity of international acts, making the bar a hot-spot for live music over summer. Following suit for 2011, the festival put together a plethora of buzz-worthy acts, with Aloe Blacc, Cobblestone Jazz, Holy Fuck and now Matt & Kim all joining the party. With a support slot from Brooklyn based act The Death Set, Matt & Kim’s Sydney Festival debut had me hoping for an infectious night of synth pop.

The venue is set in the courtyard of the Hyde Park Barracks Museum, a historic landmark that makes nice both aesthetically and acoustically, with its smooth sandstone walls and open plan setting. The stage itself is housed in an opened walled tent, letting the sound flood nicely into the surrounding courtyards.

Upon entering the bar, the atmosphere was laidback and pleasant, with plenty of space to chill. Keen to check out The Death Set, I watched as the three-piece took to the stage in front of a projected fish-eye lens, giving off a gritty view of the stage from above.

Originally from the Gold Coast, the band are now based in Brooklyn, having toured much of the US, UK and Europe including stints at Fuji Rock Festival in Japan and Leeds and Reading Festival. After hearing of their reputation for putting on a truly riotous live show, and having taken a liking to their latest track, Yo David Chase! You P.O.V Shot Me in the Head featuring Diplo, I was left a little disappointed by the performance that felt restrained. Nonetheless the trio still gave a considerable effort, finishing off their set with the David Chase track (which sounded great in a rawer setting) and a cover of Nirvana’s Territorial Pissings.

Between acts, triple j’s Zan Rowe hit the DJ booth, delivering a set that kept to the theme of indie rock, giving Sleater Kinney a run and Seattle’s Pretty Girls Make Graves track All Medicated Geniuses. Like a perfect party playlist to fill in time, Rowe did well in keeping the crowd entertained and in anticipation for the duo’s arrival.

Making a ceremonious entrance to a sampling of Terror’s Squad’s Lean Back, Kim jumped on the stool of her kit for the first of what would be many a time, and Matt did the same with an enthusiastic wave at what was now a packed tent. Heading in with tracks I Wanna and Good Ol’ Fashioned Nightmare, both were spot-on live in terms of sound and delivery. Most impressive was the transitioning between each track, keeping the flow of the set smooth and energy at its highest, with sampling of Jerry Lordan’s Apache, Just a Friend by Biz Markie and Alice Deejay’s Better Off Alone.

Attempts at sing-alongs to Lessons Learned – the track that made headlines when the two stripped naked in Times Square for its filming of the video-clip – and Yea Yeah, were both successful in getting the crowd into a melodic unison. Finishing off with Daylight (the track that has been the two’s most popular to date featuring on Barcardi commercials and EA Sport video games), its sparkle was not lost live and was perhaps the most memorable moment of the set.

Showing a constant display of enthusiasm and gratitude with a set that did not stop, Matt and Kim are an act whose live revelry make them a must-see for any fan.