Confidence Man: camp, infectious and euphoric

(Featured image taken by Amy Wooller)

They’re camp, infectious, and oddly satisfying to watch. Yes, I’m talking about none other than Confidence Man.

After a string of recent appearances at festivals across Europe, including Glastonbury, the Brisbane-born band were back on Australian shores for their latest headline tour.

Janet Planet, Sugar Bones, Reggie Goodchild, and Clarence McGuffie dropped their third studio album 3AM (LA LA LA) in October, inviting listeners into their “bubblegum warehouse” world. 

Their sold-out rave took place on the eve of a public holiday at one of my favourite Naarm/Melbourne venues: the Forum. Newcastle producer Loods opened the night, setting the vibes high right from the start. At 10:30 PM, it was time for the band to shine.

Now, I’m no stranger to Confidence Man’s music and have seen them perform at several Aussie festivals over the years. However, this was my first time seeing a solo show of theirs, and wow, was I happy to be there!

One thing I love about Confidence Man is their ability to stay true to their persona and reflect it consistently across every element of the show. This is evident in the little details, like the bratty gum-chewing during 'Don’t You Know I’m In A Band', and the bigger additions, like visuals of wacky pigeons, floating heads, fake blood, flipping, Katy Perry-esque light-up bra cones and shoulder pads.

Their synchronised dance moves honestly soothe my inner child. I think it’s because they radiate “cousins putting on a show to convince their parents to let them have a sleepover” energy but in the best way possible.

'Now U Do', 'Feels Like A Different Thing', and 'Holiday' hit really hard and were crowd favourites. 'I CAN’T LOSE YOU' is a personal standout from the new album and Janet Planet’s live vocals throughout it were pitch-perfect. Janet and Sugar also fell back onto a hidden crash mat after that song, which was a very cool moment in the show.

They got the crowd involved by having us spell out C.O.O.L with our arms during 'C.O.O.L Party', and jump on each other’s shoulders for arguably their most euphoric, anthemic track, 'SO WHAT'.

Confidence Man knows how to deliver a solid show every time. It feels as though they’re in a sweet spot sonically, and they continue to own their playful, eccentric energy like it’s nobody’s business.

3AM (LA LA LA) is out on all streaming platforms — go check it out!