Thursday night was one without any unnecessary additions – The Mars Volta needed no support act to create an atmosphere of anticipation in the huge Hordern Pavilion. With a DJ keeping the music going from 6.30pm, the band’s psychedelic backdrops set the stage for a surprising and awe inspiring two-and-a-half hour set.

As the lights dimmed and the eight-piece band stepped onto the stage, the atmosphere in the audience was spine-tingling. The stage’s background changed to reveal a surrealist scene of a nude female body with an impressive six-pack, echoing the dramatic artworks of their latest and possibly most impressive album, Bedlam in Goliath. The opening song was equally sexual: a rough, rhythmical exercise in power and force, leading into the popular radio single from Amputechture, Viscera Eyes. It was surprising to hear them begin with one of their less epic and more audience-friendly tracks, but as the night progressed it was obvious that this and the next tracks, Wax Simulcra and Goliath from Bedlam in Goliath, were warm-ups for what was to be an extensive and exhaustive collection of songs.

Tracks were drawn from their latest album as well as Amputechture and Frances the Mute, with Tetragrammaton, the singularly epic work, and an around 40 minute rendition of Cygnus…Vismund Cygnus. Eventually trying to keep track of the length and structure of songs was fighting a losing battle, as what felt like jazz-style improvisation sessions ensued. The major result of this was that the new drummer, “Thomas ‘Holy Fucking Shit This New Guy is Incredible’ Pridgen”, as described Jeremy Robert Johnson’s band biography, often stole the show and ensured that the night didn’t turn into another ‘Cedric and Omar Show’.

The drumming exuded a power, energy and skill that seemed unearthy, robotic or driven by some kind of other force. Perhaps it was a good thing that the famous Ouija board responsible for the story behind Bedlam in Goliath reportedly drove away the band’s previous drummer, as well as causing various other forms of demonic trouble (see the biography on www.themarsvolta.com for the Soothsayer story – I don’t know whether to be disturbed by the prospect of its truth or amazed by the ingenuity behind its concept). Solo battles between Pridgen and the prodigal bass player, Juan Alderete de la Pena escalated towards the point of ridiculous – all improvised, the crowd sat and stood in awe of their beyond-necessary talent, making a mockery of the negative comments often heard about the band’s apparent ‘pretension’. This isn’t arrogance – no sir, it’s pure and simple skill.

Musicianship was, however, not the only skill on show. Cedric Bixler-Zavala, clad in surely uncomfortably tight black jeans, once again was in fine form with his incredible dancing prowess, inviting applause and cheers from the crowd and he leapt and bounced in black-heeled boots. It’s a lucky thing he holds that particular skill – with half-hour instrumental improvisation, he’d want to have something to do besides sipping constantly from a conspicuous steaming mug that was constantly being replaced by side-of-stage staff.

After thoroughly tearing apart and piecing back together various motifs and themes from their gigantic library of tracks, the band left the stage at the sudden ending of one of the longest tracks of the set and immediately the lights were switched back on, leaving no option of encore – of course, though, no one required anything more of the band after such a tiring and mind-bending experience. Thousands of fans could be heard banging the syncopated rhythms on fences outside as they left for bus stops and train stations. The rousing voices of teenagers yelling lyrics from Viscera Eyes demonstrated an adrenalin-filled crowd who were thoroughly satiated, but more than ready for another go at the Volta experience…or maybe I’m just speaking for myself here.