#51 Wonderfish Collective, Galatos

18 August 2018

"I'm sorry I'm at a gig and not capable of rational thought." It was almost 9pm, the band was just about to come on, and I got a text about a meeting on Tuesday. Tuesday - on a Saturday night? That's days away and in the meantime I've got some disco to get down to.

Wonderfish Collective are a 15-piece band that somehow managed to all fit into the tiny Galatos stage for a funk and soul revue. The show was poignantly timed, just a day or two after Aretha Franklin's passing; her greatest hits played in the background before they all came to the stage, and Natural Woman was an early tribute.

They're a band who do it for love, and donate all their profits to charity. They bring together vocals, strings, horns, percussion and all the varieties of guitar, and crafted a riotously good night. The team dressed better than appropriately for the occasion, with some bodacious 70s wigs, bandanas, track tops, flares and flowing dresses. 

It was a packed house who were in every mood for partying, so much so that by the time Sweet Inspiration came on early in the first set it was clear the Galatos needed fewer tables and more dance floor. Everyone was up for a boogie, and with songs like Let's Dance, Brick House, Move on Up, Sign of the Times, and Boogie Wonderland, all had their fix of disco addictions. The only let down was the sound balancing, at times it seemed the band were struggling to hear themselves, but few seemed to mind. This punter left happy.