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Despite seeing the two large equipment trucks parked outside the Royal Theatre, I had no idea what I was getting into – Massive Attack go above and beyond ‘trip hop’ and put on an unforgettable music and lights show that will challenge the way you think.

For this tour Massive Attack’s support act was also their guest vocalist, Martina Topley-Bird, who promised Canberra she was here to ‘Show you all the love I can muster’. Also a UK native, she boasts an impressive musical past – getting a kick start as the female vocalist on Tricky’s debut Maxinquaye, she released her first solo album Quixotic in 2003 and Blue God in 2008. She’s also collaborated with Danger Mouse, Roots Manuva and Gorillaz, among many more.

Topley-Bird is one versatile lady, and her set was throughly enjoyable. Early on in the show was a track called Lying, a combination of pounding beats, piano and her vocals, which opens with the lyrics ‘I walked out of the house in your girlfriend’s clothes – they fit me better than I would’ve supposed’. She followed up with songs like Baby Blue and Phoenix, and a handful of short, one minute tunes. Normally, Topley-Bird explained, she travels with a percussionist ‘But he’s afraid of planes, so this is what he would do’. If she hadn’t told the audience, it would’ve been hard to tell anything was missing, each song was a new experience and was met with resounding cheers from the crowd. She finished off with a track that featured her on electric guitar and beat boxing, and the beat continued on as she left the stage. Thank goodness Massive Attack snapped her up, as Martina Topley-Bird is a very welcome addition.

The audience had a chance to relax before Massive Attack arrived onstage to assault the senses. The group has been around since the 1980’s, and the audience reflected that, with a large array of ages in attendance. A purple haze and eerie twinkling ushered the band onstage before the music and strobe lights kicked in, highlighting silhouettes. Words began to flash in neon lights: tobacco, razor, cut, no rights, create fear – seeing Massive Attack live is much more than a musical extravaganza, and it’s impossible to just sit back – they are here to make you think, and hopefully afterwards, to act. The show also drew attention to many human rights issues, with quotes and statistics lit up in unmissable bright lights on screens above the stage.

Of course there was also the music. Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja and Grant ‘Daddy G’ Marshall, along with their many guest vocalists and performers, played through songs from Massive Attack’s large arsenal, including Angel and Girl I Love You featuring reggae legend Horace Andy, Babel and Psyche with Topley-Bird, and Teardrop, which had extreme close ups of eyes and faces projected on the screens.

The first finale was Inertia Creeps, which had news headlines from the last week running in neon green capitals behind them – Bingle: Who bloody cares? got a loud cheer. The words swapped to statements like every vote counts and your call is important to us before all flashing and running together, finishing on the innocent have nothing to fear. After leaving the stage, Massive Attack came back for a nearly hour long encore, which included Deborah Miller on Unfinished Sympathy. After clocking in at close to two hours, the show was over, and the audience filed out in a daze, almost overwhelmed – as leaving a Massive Attack show is, quite simply, like waking up from a dream.

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