Since forming in Brisbane in 2016, Confidence Man have been making a name for themselves in Australia’s music scene and beyond. Comprised of front-duo Janet Planet and Sugar Bones and two veiled band members, the indie-electronica group have managed to remain elusive yet omnipresent, opening for the world’s biggest stars and collaborating with the world’s hottest producers. While on the road in support of their third album, 3AM (LA LA LA), they have become widely renowned for their energetic live set, and with New York trio Fcukers under their wing, their second of two Manchester Academy shows was near-flawless.
Fcukers’ ‘Bon Bon’ has been everywhere at the moment, if you’ve looked in the right places. Not only becoming a staple of many artists’ pre-show playlists, the song enjoyed a semi-viral moment earlier this autumn when a video surfaced of Sabrina Carpenter and Declan McKenna spinning it in an exclusive DJ set. Confidence Man themselves recently released a remix of ‘Bon Bon’, which stays true to the Fcukers original but adds their own signature indie-house twist.
Throughout the duration of their 40-minute set, the trio frequently exchanged knowing grins, appearing completely aware of their own quality, and the power they held over a crowd that wasn’t even theirs. Ben Scharf’s dynamic percussion and Jackson Lewis’ powerful bass riffs shone particularly on ‘Homie Don’t Shake’, while sunglasses-clad lead vocalist Shannon Wise proved an enchanting presence, continuously stepping around the stage and enveloping herself in the delights of her band’s music. Watching the trio, you get the impression that you’re witnessing something truly special: it can’t be denied, Fcukers are destined for greatness.
Enter “the big bad Confidence Man”, promptly arriving on Manchester Academy’s stage at 9pm flanked by their two veiled band members and an ever-shifting screen displaying weird, wonderful, mesmerising graphics. As DJ Seinfeld collaboration ‘Now U Do’ opened the show, few in attendance were prepared for what they were about to experience: Confidence Man are the kind of act you expect all-out performance from, but the extent that Janet Planet and Sugar Bones went to across their sixteen-song setlist was nothing short of astonishing.
The set’s pace and energy were sustained early on by the infectious ‘Does It Make You Feel Good?’ and a higher-tempo version ‘All My People’, a collaboration with producer Sweely released as a stand-alone single in the lead-up to Confidence Man’s much-anticipated third album. ‘CONTROL’ followed, pulsating with a funk-tinged bassline and tight drum patterns.
‘I CAN’T LOSE YOU’ is easily one of this year’s best dance tracks, with Janet Planet and Sugar Bones going back and forth on vocals, backed by an infectious dance-pop beat. The song juxtaposes its driving tempo and animated production with heartfelt, vulnerable lyricism evoking feelings of longing and desperation: this combination serves to provide a cathartic moment when performed live.
Following this, Janet Planet and Sugar Bones departed the stage, leaving their two band members to perform ‘Firebreak’ instrumentally. The duo emerged after an outfit change, returning for ‘Feels Like Something Else’ with Sugar Bones shirtless and Janet Planet in a futuristic, sleek white outfit. ‘C.O.O.L. Party’ proved to be Confidence Man’s ‘HOT TO GO’: the audience followed the duo in their cheerleader-style performance and became a sea of alternating letters each time the chorus hit. The duo’s ode to party drugs, ‘BREAKBEAT’, features warbling synths and distorted vocals which were recreated impressively well live before it was time for Sugar and Janet to depart once again, leaving the crowd in the hands of their band members and the IN2STELLAR collaboration ‘BREAK IT DOWN (ON THE BASSLINE)’.
On record, ‘SICKO’ is one of 3AM (LA LA LA)’s few gentler tracks, featuring Happy Mondays-esque instrumentation and drawling, drawn-out vocals, but it was entirely transformed live: the duo’s performance involved Janet Planet glassing a suit-clad Sugar Bones with an empty prosecco bottle that had previously been sprayed from the stage onto the audience. With Sugar Bones jumping into the crowd for a momentary crowd-surf and throwing what looked to be a bloodied towel for one lucky attendee to catch, the song instigated pure chaos, fitting in perfectly with the rest of the set.
The duo’s breakout hit, ‘Boyfriend (Repeat)’, is the definition of a cult classic: lauded in certain circles but remaining outside mainstream culture, its tongue-in-cheek lyricism and combination of discontent and independence is quintessential Confidence Man. The song facilitated a moment of crowd participation, as Janet Planet instructed the audience to “get down” and jump back up as the beat dropped. ‘REAL MOVE TOUCH’ followed, with backing vocals courtesy of reggae singer Sweetie Irie transmitted via a screen, leading the crowd in chants of “naughty, naughty, naughty”. Janet Planet closed the song with a “Thank you, Sweetie Irie”, blowing a kiss behind her in tribute to the duo’s collaborator.
As ‘SO WHAT’ began to draw the main part of their set to a close, Janet Planet sat atop Sugar Bones’ shoulders, and the duo jumped down to join fans at the barrier. The song is invigorating enough in itself, but this added touch energised the crowd further. ‘Holiday’ closed the main portion of Confidence Man’s set, bringing its euphoric, buoyant vibrancy which perfectly encapsulated the carefree spirit of feel-good escapism which illuminated the duo’s live set. Returning for a one-song encore of ‘3AM (LA LA LA)’, the show was closed in the same manner as the album: one last dance, but this time with a hint of darkness and danger.
As the crowd left Manchester Academy, many began to head in the direction of Islington Mill, a slightly dilapidated, run-down ex-indsutrial site in Salford, eager for more. The venue seemed made for a hedonistic afterparty: Confidence Man’s band members provided a thrilling DJ set featuring multitudes of electronic sub-genres, including classic floor-fillers, hardcore techno and high-tempo house. Fcukers followed with Jackson Lewis at the helm of the decks, while Shannon Wise, Janet Power and Sugar Bones could often be seen strutting to the front of the stage to dance with fans.
Complete with instrumental breaks facilitating multiple outfit changes, Confidence Man’s effortlessly cool live show was perfectly choreographed, with narrative elements, unmatchable stage presence and the sex appeal to match. Fcukers were the perfect choice to support, and both groups’ broad appeal is a testament to their excellence: the show brought together a diverse range of demographics, with all age groups uniting to enjoy the pinnacle of modern music.
