LCD Soundsystem, Hot Chip @Festival Hall, Melbourne(29/07/2010)

Fri 30th Jul, 2010 in Gig Reviews

Expectations were high as the biggest double bill of the year swung their hefty dancing boots into town. After a show that blew a number of Sydneysiders’ socks off, there was even more steam to build a truly exciting gig proposition: two of the greatest dance-pop-rock bands head-to-head, one night of moving like no tomorrow. So what if it had to be at Festival Hall!

As the gym lights went down, on stormed Hot Chip. They broke straight into a jagged rendition of Boy From School, before another classic, One Pure Thought. Alexis Taylor looked dazzling as always, particularly with the sparkly-elephant accoutrement he produced half-way.

They are all each weirdly magnetic performers, and the enthusiasm of their groovey moves must always be praised. Being their third Australian visit, they’ve certainly toured these songs to death, and what remains ultimately so worthy of respect is this omnipresent enthusiasm. Over and Over still sparks with really remarkable energy, and the new ones were bright enough too – One Life Stand had a great reaction, as did the fantastic I Feel Better. News that the portly but nonetheless dynamic Joe Goddard would not make this particular tour had been flagged a week ago, though as in Sydney, he appeared via an upturned flatscreen on stage. It worked surprisingly in their favour and guitarist Al Doyle always had a chuckle ready for his appearances.

The set flattened during some of their more recent mid-tempo material, but it was certainly all worth it for the gems, like the extended brilliance of Hold On and the slamming closer, Ready For the Floor. Indeed the crowd were, and that excitement congealed with the time that passed.

Weird and wonderful analogue modules began filling the stage, with an array of sparkly percussion and fluoro-coloured tape; the stage was set, hearts were pumping as the weird strains of I’m Not In Love came over the Hall. This anti-buildup could have been quite the foreboding message.

The reception was still wild as LCD Soundsystem took their places, all six members waiting for Mr. James Murphy to humbly appear. Beginning with Us Vs Them then straight on into Drunk Girls, we knew the songs are enough to set any place alight. His music is built for the live arena, and they sound so much better there, without the frequent Murphy-multitracking vocals, and with a slinky Chin Nancy Hwong constantly moving by his side. The songs were there, but where there should have been other elements to complement, there was a void.

“We’ve been flying a lot, we’re feeling beat up”, Murphy confessed halfway in. It had been written on his face: “This has still been, you know, a great show” – locking eyes with his just-about-destroyed drummer – “it has been, that’s… the truth”. It looked like he believed himself as little as that drummer did. To look in his face, it was clear he was not enjoying himself, and he looked outright depressed when he realised he had “nothing to say”, so he sang a little jig, then mumbled an “I’m sorry.” The only genuine smile to be seen was when he was leaving the stage.

For most, the songs were there and that was enough, and more. The frenzied chaos of Yeah that led to the encore, the hits, Daft Punk , Tribulations and All My Friends, they were all in place. In the former, the lights were dark and the strobe was on brutal attack, so the sonic onslaught was in itself, really exciting. Yet, coupled with that dearth of feeling, and that awful ‘only one hour to go’ look that beheld Murphy’s face, it was difficult to enjoy the show as a whole.

Concerts are as bands for songs, but these are nothing in both contexts without some honesty of feeling. Hot Chip had this in spades and were successful because they earnestly looked like they were having some fun themselves. For LCD Soundsystem, a selfish lack of any emotional warmth was a deadener for a potentially incredible gig. “Except you are an actual jerk”: well, he actually seemed like a really nice guy, but this just wasn’t his night.

CHECK OUT SOME THE PHOTOS FROM THE NIGHT HERE