Melbourne indie rockers The Temper Trap electrified Union Transfer (photos, recap, setlist)

The stage at Union Transfer was dark Sunday night until a booming news broadcaster announced, “Another night of rioting in England.” And then an orange light flashed. Everywhere.

Melbourne indie pop-rockers The Temper Trap electrified the crowd at Union Transfer as they opened with the lively “London’s Burning (Repeater).” The band played through the evening with an unwavering energy that surged through the crowd, keeping fans dancing the entire show. Dougy Mandagi boogied around the stage, seeming to effortlessly transition melodic tenor vocals to the sweet falsetto that has become part of the band’s signature sound.

Critics who call The Temper Trap “soft” has probably never seen the group connect with a crowd as enthusiastic as this one. Mandagi’s voice soared through his smile, which was nearly as wide as the stage when he addressed the “city of brotherly love, and sisterly love,” mirroring the faces of the other band members. The happiness onstage transcended into the crowd through Mandagi’s heartfelt vocals and bassist Jonathon Aherne’s animated dance moves.

The set visited tracks from both 2009’s Conditions as well as their eponymous sophomore album released this past May. Upbeat favorites such as “Love Lost” had fans clapping along to every note, while Mandagi assigned alternating “Woo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo’s,” to ladies and gents during “Fader.” Mesmerizing purple and green lights created an eerie hypnosis with more laidback songs “Miracle,” and “Science of Fear,” breaking only when Mandagi delighted fans by launching himself offstage and into the crowd during “Science of Fear,” at which point the crowd all too readily embraced him.

Closing with the explosive “Drum Song,” Mandagi showed off some frontman finesse by splashing water from a cymbal, heightening a heavier rock atmosphere as the band prepared to exit. Before the group had even fully left the stage the mass began cheering for more. Returning after a mere three minutes, The Temper Trap came back out only to tease the audience a little longer before finally playing breakaway hit, “Sweet Disposition.” Dancing and singing along to every word, the audience was lost to the world in a moment of pure indie bliss.

Setlist:
London’s Burning (Repeater)
Never Again
Love Lost
The Sea Is Calling
Rabbit Hole
Fader
This Isn’t Happiness
Trembling Hands
Miracle
Science of Fear
Resurrection
Drum Song

Encore:
Soldier On
I’m Gonna Wait
Sweet Disposition