If the British band Jungle can do one thing, they can get a crown dancing.
The opener in their Sunshine World Tour, Rio Kosta, understood exactly what was required of them and matched that energy perfectly. With their layered harmonies and sunglasses clad faces, the band brought the audience a groovy vibe that reflected the fun they were having on stage.
The eclectic and mismatched appearances of the band members, from tracksuits to overalls to leather jackets, undersold the unity of the group and their colorful sound — packed full of electric guitar, synths, and the beat of the conga drum. Performing with their name in lights on the curtain behind them, the band’s talent was especially illuminated during the song “Higher” on their 2025 album, Unicorn. The extended instrumental breaks between songs provided smooth transitions to the main pieces, funky jams that reflect the style of the group.
Though they were trapped in Connecticut during a blizzard when they were meant to have their first performance in Boston, Rio Kosta’s performance in Agganis Arena more than made up for this past missed show. Their calls for community met willing ears as they encouraged the audience to meet someone to their left, to their right and dance together.
The crowd, though sad to see Rio Kosta go, soon blasted off into “Smile” as the familiar drums that start the song launched Jungle’s set. Early in the show, Lydia Kitto showed off the vocals that have brought a new sound to Jungle and she was welcomed with loud cheers. Few artists sound just as good live as they do in released songs, but Jungle is one of them.
The muted neutral outfits of the band allowed the white, orange, yellow, and brown background lights to frame the stage, with geometric shapes and patterns changing each song. This simplistic background was a nice reference to the clean simplicity of Jungle’s album covers which feature little more than the band’s name.
The instrumentalists on tour with the main three members were an extremely versatile group, often switching instruments from song to song without missing a beat. Similar to Rio Kosta, the congas particularly stood out as an excellent percussion choice. The setlist didn’t shy away from songs with other artists and actually broadcasted recordings of features by Channel Tres in “I’ve Been in Love” and Erick the Architect in “Candle Flame.”
Jungle kept the energy up throughout the show, cheekily asking the audience, “Wanna dance?” as they started “Move Like You Do,” a song from their newest album Sunshine. Instead of playing their absolute hit “Back on 74” as the encore, they played it about 2/3s of the way through the night. The band did as they do best, subverting expectations with the order of their musical setlist as they do with genres.
The surprises didn’t end there as large plastic balls were thrown into the pit during “Coming Back” and the crowd enjoyed hitting the bouncy balls throughout the arena for a few songs. The night ended on a high note with “Good Times” and two encores, “Keep Moving” and “Busy Earnin’.” Jungle delivered an electrifying performance that everyone present is sure to remember.
Hailey Akey ('27) is a staff writer for WHRB.