Review: MOOD SWING & CHEVY BASS BLOCK PARTY

8 July

Oh Funk!

Saturday 5th July 2025

Written by Rashid AlKamraikhi and Tom Wilson
Photographed by: Rashid AlKamraikhi

This is our first time reviewing a dance party, but when OSAKA PUNCH is involved, you know SENSE is going to be there!

We arrived at The Triffid shortly after doors, and while we are no strangers to the venue, the abundance of sequinned jackets, brightly coloured clothing, and the occasional exposed buttock gives the place a very different vibe to the black-on-black attire of the usual crowd that we tend to experience here. We headed inside the hangar to where groups of people were meeting up and mingling, while SHADY LADY pumped housey tunes from the stage. You could tell the groove was getting to people as head bops and foot taps could be seen around the room, but it was early days, and this was a crowd that was prepared to go all night. After the ceremonial changing of the USB sticks, D’JONN took over DJ duties, playing chill atmospheric beats that ebbed and flowed throughout the room as it rapidly filled up.

Hosting the night, Chevy Bass took the stage to introduce the first live band of the night, VERSACE BOYS. Armed with a drum machine, a guitar, a synth, some brass, and three irrepressible smiles, they kicked into a highly animated set. Hailing from Byron Bay, a lot of their material was centred around lampooning the lifestyles of the more affluent members of their community, though, at times, it was hard to tell if they were mocking or celebrating them. One thing is for sure, this multi instrumental, hip hop come yacht rock trio could sure write a damn good hook, and we still have ‘I’m a Vegan, I’m a Vegan, but, I eat chicken on the weekend.’ stuck in our heads.

Post Versace Boys, Chevy returned to the stage to tell us a story about how he first met members of OSAKA PUNCH while waiting in line for food at Splendour In The Grass, and how that joking around with a couple of randoms in a queue had gone on to forge a life-long friendship between them. With that sweet sentimentality out of the way, it was time for OSAKA PUNCH to fire up the funk metal.

This is their one show of 2025, so everyone in this room is witnessing something special, and they play cuts from throughout their career, from Eat Red Carpet to Simulate. Actibreeze is broken up with the theme from Ghostbusters, and everyone sang along to set closer, How We Operate. That is, until they decided to blow out their set time and throw in one last sneaky track in the form of Electric Jam On Boogie that transitioned into a literal rager by finishing with the headbanging chorus of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE’s Bulls On Parade.

Chevy may have self-admittaledy screwed up by electing to follow the OP OSAKA PUNCH, but MOOD SWING & CHEVY BASS had a room full of loyal fans that would beg to differ. Backed up with brass accompaniment, Mood Swing and Chevy cranked it out on their electronics, and keytars respectively, and had the whole hanger grooving along to their funked-up musical machinations. Tonight, they were not only playing their hearts out for their friends and fans, but also in dedication to a fallen comrade.

But even heavy hearts wouldn’t stop them from bringing the party, with a joyous set that got people dancing, loving life, and coming together in community spirit. This is what the MOOD SWING & CHEVY BASS Block Party is all about, and it’s something that they, and all involved, should be very proud of.