Aside from lovebug swarms, waves of humidity, and unceasing rains, the month of May in Tampa Bay is often a joyous time thanks to the spoils of a rich summer concert slate.

Just two days after hosting incredibly talented Aussie Tash Sultana, the Bay was blessed with yet another awe-inspiring act from Down Under as Rüfüs du Sol performed at Ybor’s Cuban Club on Thursday night.

After speaking with drummer James Hunt last week, this rare Florida appearance presented itself as a show not just for the average electronic music fan, but for music lovers at large. The international touring outfit flaunts breathtaking electronic production, passionate songwriting, and captivating instrumentals that have helped make the band a global success.

Critics often detract from electronic music, and say that a lack of instruments or vocals makes it “not real music,” but Rüfüs has all of that and fills that void. The band’s performance leaves little room for reproach by combining styles and genres, and it effectively serves to bridge the generational gap between music fans.

After being rescheduled from its original venue Jannus Live, the show found a fitting home in the sprawling parking lot of Ybor’s historic Cuban Club where fans found a festival-like setup, with a variety of food and drink vendors setting the perimeter for a wide-oriented stage setup.

Gates opened at 7 p.m., and early arrivals were treated to Berlin-based Jan Blomqvist in addition to the absence of forecasted rain showers. The singer, songwriter and producer’s performance was lit to the hue of dark blue neon lights as he performed live techno from his sophomore album Disconnected while fans continued to trickle in from a line that wrapped around the venue.

As the bulk of the crowd arrived around 9 p.m., so did the rain, which delivered a cooling downpour that lasted through the band’s scheduled 9:15 p.m. start time. This delayed the show’s start by 10 minutes, but most fans had forgone the cover of vendor tents and moved closer to the stage at this point. Hunt, Tyrone Lindqvist and Jon George appeared just before 9:30 p.m., and despite the delay, the crowd rabidly welcomed them as rain began to relent halfway through the group’s opener, “Eyes.”

With each band member perched atop an elevated stage setup of their own, the group rewarded the crowd with an early run of notable songs that featured past hits (“Animal”, “Sundream”) as well as “Treat You Better” from its latest album, Solace.

Throughout the performance, the group showed why bands like Rüfüs are so crucial in helping bridge the gap between contemporary, producer-led acts and traditional acts.

Lindqvist — who also plays guitar and synths for the group — brought the band’s impassioned lyrics to life with his heartrending vocals. Hunt and keyboardist George aided in reinterpreting the group’s catalog by feathering in freestyled instrumentals throughout the show. While the band busied itself in performance, the backing production helped enhance the experience. A thin cage of LEDs flickered on a giant backing board as beams of light strobed in from below and atop the stage.

On tracks like “Say A Prayer For Me” and “You Were Right,” it was easy to find yourself friskily dancing along to these radiating colors and the house-music production that dominates most of the Rüfüs catalog. But throughout the show you felt compelled to watch and listen to the group’s instrumentation as it reinterpreted each track live on stage.

After segueing into a Radiohead cover mid-set (“Everything in its Right Place”), the group dove into more material off Solace, performing “New Sky,” the title track, ”Underwater,” and “Another Life.” After teasing fans with an early ending on the latter track, the group returned to the stage with an encore that featured singles “Lost in My Mind” and set-closer “No Place.”

Despite the humidity and early rain, Rüfüs dazzled its audience, sending most home with sweaty smiles and soggy hair. This long-awaited Tampa show proved well worth the wait and made the case that electronic-hybrid acts like this are the way of the future in music.

Setlist

Intro
Eyes
Like An Animal
Brighter
Sundream
Treat You Better
Everything in Its Right Place (Radiohead)
You Were Right
Say A Prayer For Me
New Sky
Solace
Underwater
Innerbloom
Another Life
—
Lost In My Mind
Not Exactly (Deadmau5)
No Place