It might be cold outside but Confidence Man are turning up the heat in Leeds

★★★★☆ (4/5)

**CONFIDENCE MAN PERFORMING AT LEEDS O2 ACADEMY**
**PHOTOCREDIT: JOHN HAYHURST**

In 2022 they played Leeds University ‘Stylus’ then after several festival appearances, including Glastonbury, and support slots with Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher, the Australian Boy/Girl non-stop danceathon are back, and now selling out venues on the Academy circuit. Fair reward for years of hard work in venues not much bigger than your local nightclub.

As always the gig starts with the masked duo of Clarence McGuffie and Reggie Goodchild arriving in their black ‘beekeeper’ outfits on keyboards/samples and drums, they get the party started at the back of the stage, leaving lots of dance room at the front for the dynamic duo of Janet Planet and Sugar Bones who waste no time in getting into “Now U Do”. Very much a high energy house dance number as they collaborated with DJ Seinfeld (aka Swedish producer Armand Jakobsson) on it last year. The setlist tonight, as you would expect, will draw heavily from the latest album “3AM (La La La)”.

For those that haven’t witnessed a Confidence Man live performance before, the best description I can give is a vivid spectacle of boundary-pushing, party-driven colourful energy, with infectious old-school dance beats, theatrical flair, dynamic and sometimes bizarre choreography.

From the moment they hit the stage, Janet Planet and Sugar Bones command attention with their bold, unapologetic presence. Their choreography is central to the performance, blending synchronized dance moves with playful improvisations. It’s a fascinating mix of campy, exaggerated gestures and razor-sharp precision. Janet Planet has this ability to transition from sultry, almost hypnotic staring poses to wild, uninhibited movements which mirror the fluctuating tones of their music.

Sugar Bones, on the other hand, provides a comedic yet equally mesmerizing counterpart, engaging the audience with cheeky dark and brooding expressions and flamboyant spins. Together, they embody the spirit of their music, they don’t take themselves too seriously, they are fun, unorthodox, and impossible to ignore. Make no mistake - this is an over the top, choreographed electro disco dance show, where you can dress up, have a dance, sing along, and have a smile on your face and forget about the world for an hour or so. It’s contagious, and a force for good.

Moments like the infectious chant of “Does It Make You Feel Good?” saw the entire audience moving in sync, almost as if they were part of an orchestrated dance routine. Confidence Man’s ability to break down the barrier between performer and audience was remarkable, making everyone feel like they were part of the best party of the year.

The setlist spanned their energetic discography, with tracks like “C.O.O.L Party” and “All My People” providing perfect backdrops for their offbeat dance routines. Even during slower moments, the duo managed to infuse humour and charm into their movements, ensuring the energy never dipped.

Janet Planet really does not stop and whether she is kicking her legs in the air or spinning around Sugar Bones manly frame, does not seem to break a sweat, constantly on the move from one side of the stage to the other.

This may have started as a tongue-in-cheek side project for them, but the sheer energy and joyous celebratory vibe they summon, which is fully embraced by those in attendance, is genuinely off the scale. It’s one of the most engaging, hypnotic, full-on endearingly bonkers shows you’re likely to see. “Feels Like A Different Thing” sounds biblical “Holiday” sounds anthemic, whereas earlier tracks such as “Boyfriend (repeat) sound wonderfully unhinged live. The set is a glorious technicolour mix of the off the wall ironic bratty art-pop and good old fashioned banging house tunes and you can only marvel at Planet’s ability to leap through the air, spin, contort her body into a variety of mad shapes and carry on singing without missing a beat.

You’d have to have a heart of stone not to come away from a Confidence Man gig without feeling the world is a better place with them in it. It’s a hugely enjoyable life-affirming experience and one which they both put their hearts, souls and bodies into. They finish the deserved encore with a crowd-surfing version of title track “3am La La La” and their job here is done.

I realise I’m being tight with only 4 stars as this show was another immense performance from Australia’s ‘How to lift spirits’ demonstration, but it only lasted just over 1 hr 15 mins – we could have gone on for much much longer, and there were at least a couple of tunes from the last tour that I wish they had played (“Break It, Bought It” and “Out the Window” come to mind). Make sure you catch a performance soon in your home town, you really won’t regret it.