Australa’s Pond live at the Toronto’s Danforth Music Hall

Australian psych-rockers Pond have a talent for giving their fans exactly what they want during a live show. Given their pedigree, they proved to be a perfect fit for Toronto’s long-standing Danforth Music Hall.

Possessing big sound inside such a big venue, the band’s booming synths echoed mightily amid a sold-out crowd while lead singer Nicholas Allbrook showcased his best Mick Jagger moves, occasionally sashaying his way through the crowd.

The quintet, forever linked to like-minded countrymen Tame Impala, are certainly their own thing. Whereas the former pursues sonic transcendence, Pond remains less experimental, grabbing one by the collar with charisma.

Opening with the hard-hitting beats of “(I’m) Stung,” taken from their newly released album Stung!, fans were soon treated to “Neon River,” another album cut outfitted with a chorus of scratchy guitars and oscillating electronic warbles.

Members Shiny Joe Ryan on guitar, Jamie Terry on synths, bassist Jay ‘Gum’ Watson, and drummer James Ireland all performed impeccably tight and harmonious together, enjoying playing second fiddle to Allbrook’s boundless hijinks.

Equipped with an urgent falsetto, he belted out their biggest single “Paint Me Silver,” which evidently incited everyone at the Danforth to sing and dance along.

Synth-drenched notes and soaring fuzzed-out guitars, Pond’s 90-minute set grooved and moved, tossing tunes ranging from rock stompers to hypnotic ballads. It delighted fans old and new, anchored by a frontman on the top of his game determined to take fans on the ultimate trip.