For those of us who found ourselves complaining about the lack of warmth Glasgow received this summer, Stereo’s basement is here to make us eat our words. As you walk through the doors into the venue, the blast of sticky, wet heat is akin to the sensation of opening the door to a boiling-hot oven. Even Playlunch admits to feeling the sweatiest they’ve ever been – and they’re Australian. Taps are aff galore and, for the first time ever, the water station proves busier than the bar. Still, none of this stops the infectious energy of the seven-piece from getting the whole, dehydrated room jumping – advisable or not.

For Playlunch, a self-described Bogan Funk band, delivering a joyless set seems simply impossible. Gaining fast traction for their easy-going humour and complete disinterest in taking themselves remotely seriously, the band know exactly how to deliver a fun set – and that’s exactly what they do. Ripping through a strong selection of witty songs, including popular hits ‘Keith’ and TikTok-viral ‘Soupe Opera’, the band still finds time to constantly riff with the audience, making sure the eager crowd never loses that Friday feeling. While elements of the style and choreography feel uniquely Australian, the easy-going camaraderie between band and audience makes the whole gig feel like an inside joke that everyone is a part of.

The youthful banter is clearly a central part of the Playlunch experience, with the Inbetweeners-style façade never slipping for even a moment. Seriously, not even a second. For those of us who need an occasional break from internet humour, what keeps the performance going is that beneath the jokes, they are a genuinely talented band. The best moments come when they allow even a second of seriousness, letting the brass and funk take over and transforming the performance from what feels like a Freshers’ night out into a genuinely impressive musical performance.

Unfortunately, these moments are few and far between. There’s a sense that Playlunch are so committed to the joke that they sometimes forget just how good they can be when they stop telling it.

In the end, Playlunch are a talented band with a strong following and, judging by the enthusiasm of the Glasgow crowd, they’re only going to get more popular. Still, in-your-face banter and prepubescent humour can only hold an audience’s attention for so long. When the jokes take a back seat and the funk takes over, Playlunch prove there’s much more to them than a punchline. It’ll be interesting to see if the band can take their performance seriously enough to transform themselves from spoof to stars.