If you’re a music lover from Canberra you’ve undoubtedly heard of our most recent home-grown hero Timomatic, unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past six months.

This R&B pop artist has recently exploded onto the music scene with two hit singles both which have been certified platinum. The dream run began for Timomatic after he placed 7th in the dance competition So You Think You Can Dance in 2009 and then two years later coming 3rd in the 5th season of Australia’s Got Talent. It didn’t take long for the singer/songwriter to be snapped up by a major label, signing to Sony Music Australia in November, 2011.

Despite not being a huge R&B fan, I was keen to see if Timomatic’s live performance was up to scratch, and see what all fuss is about. The line at Academy on Saturday night didn’t give justice to the party raging beneath. As I entered the venue, the crowd was split into those who were already in party-mode and just wanted to dance and those who wanted to socialize, many seeming to have come directly from work.

As the crowd began spilling in, DJ Rush was getting the job done and playing some familiar tunes, getting the crowd pumped. DJ Rawson took control soon after and, having been around the traps for a while now, knows exactly how to work the crowd like a champ.

By midnight the crowd was clearly starting to get a little antsy. When Rawson cut the music mid-song and the lights dimmed, screams filled the room in anticipation (yes, high pitched, shrill screams)! As a hooded figure made his way onto the stage the place erupted. It took me a moment to realize that the person on stage wasn’t even Timomatic and then, as another hooded character emerged it became apparent that they were just the backup dancers. When Timomatic finally did make his way to the stage, it was as though One Direction had entered the building. I didn’t think girls over the age of 18 got so excited for artists. Clearly I was wrong.

Timomatic jumped into the first track and the high-flying, energetic dancing didn’t seem to stop from there on out. I was pleasantly surprised to hear his actual voice coming through the speakers as opposed to the whole thing being lip-synched, which has unfortunately become more popular with artists these days. To his credit – the kid could sing. While the backup vocal tracks were apparent, they weren’t overbearing and were there to help guide the song when the artist stopped singing and did a dance breakdown instead.

This guy was born to perform in front of an audience. At only 25 years old, he had charisma and confidence beyond his years that poured out of him and infected everyone in the audience. His gleaming white smile could be seen from the back of the room and didn’t leave his face once. The great thing about his performance is that he was having a great time and enjoying himself up there. His connection with his home-town audience was undeniable, and one lucky fan was left shrieking after he finished one of his songs, pointed out to her and said “hey there, yeah, I see you girl”.

It really was entertainment through and through. I always like to think there’s a moment in each set that is memorable and sets it apart from anything else, and that moment came after the first track. As a Skrillex track was blasted through the speakers, the crowd cheered in approval as Timomatic soared into what I can only describe as a ‘dance-solo’. He was all over the stage grabbing his crotch and spinning and jumping around wildly, the crowd loved it.

The two clear crowd favourites were Timomatic’s lead singles “If Looks Could Kill” and “Set It Off”. Everyone in the audience, even a few of the guys staunching at the back of the club in the corner seemed to be getting into it, or at the very least enjoying the show.

The only negative thing I can really say about the set was that it wasn’t long enough. At only half an hour, the crowd was insatiable and couldn’t get enough of him, screaming for more.

Timomatic is a born performer and his live show is perfect for small venue shows like Friday night, or on a huge stage in front of thousands of people. I heard on the grapevine that back when he attended Narrabundah College, he’d often put on performances for the school. Well, I think it’s safe to say all that hard work is starting to pay off.