Art Vs Science @ HQ, Adelaide(02/07/11)

Wed 6th Jul, 2011 in Gig Reviews

The last time Sydney electro-pop trio Art Vs Science played in Adelaide, it was at the more intimate Governor Hindmarsh venue months before their debut album dropped. This time around, Dan Mac, Jim Finn and Dan W are riding high on the coattails of the success of said debut, The Experiment, an album that just came in #68 in Triple J’s Hottest 100 Australian Albums of All Time… not bad for a record that’s only be out 4 months.

The immensity of their success really showed tonight, with hundreds packing into the HQ Complex to witness one of Australia’s best live bands. The eclecticism of the punters tonight was a real testament to the fan base these boys have developed. Rather than restricting themselves to a stereotyped genre, they’ve resisted the genre limitations of dance music, pushing the envelope and incorporating rock-infused electro-pop filled with plenty of complex twists and turns that will always have you surprised.

The night started off with the Transmission DJs spinning a few tracks to get the crowd going. Cut Copy, Phoenix, Foals and The Strokes tunes all provided the perfect background music and set the mood up for the evening ahead.

Support act Strange Talk, a four piece out of Melbourne had the crowd slightly hesitant at first, with many refraining from joining the dance floor during the first part of their set. However, their similar style of music to Art Vs Science’s had the initially frigid crowd slowly trickling down onto the dance floor to shuffle along to their indie-pop set. Lead singer Stephen Docker’s Jared Leto-esque stage charisma made them slightly awkward to watch at times but their classical and dance-influenced sound ( Friendly Fires meets Yeasayer and Phoenix) made them a generally enjoyable act, with hit songs Climbing Walls and Eskimo Boy receiving great reception- the latter performed as a heavier, more rock-infused version, prompting an attempt at moshing by those on the dance floor. However, the highlight of their set by far was their funk-infused (albeit slightly dragged on) version of No Doubt’s Hella Good.

Art Vs Science, entering the stage in dashing attire (Dan Mac with a rather suave scarf, Jim in a shirt and tie and drummer Dan W with a bowtie), had the crowd’s excitement at boiling point as they took their respective places on the stage. Feeding off the electric atmosphere and acting like Energiser bunnies who have downed one too many red bulls, they open with A.I.M. Fire! from their debut, and I could instantly tell why many are touting them as one of the best live acts going around. Having an album with as complex sounds as The Experiment does, I was intrigued to see how the boys would pull it off live with only keyboards, synths and a drum kit (no laptops or live loops here) but they somehow did it, and they did it in style. Following on from the opener was current single Higher which sent everyone into a complete dance floor rave, with the band’s infectious full-to-the-brim energy bouncing around the room as much as Finn bounces on stage. For an act branded as electro-pop, the night has more of a rock show feel to it, with the boys clearly drawing from their musical roots in the performance style, feeding on the crowd’s anticipation and spitting it back at us with raging choruses and playful beats.

With many of the fun-loving, light songs out of the way early in the set ( Take A Look At Your Face, New World Order and Meteor (I Feel Fine)) the crowd were treated to basically a non-stop dance-a-thon before the boys slowed things down in the middle of the set, with Rain Dance and With Thoughts allowing for us (and the band) to rest for a minute (well… as restful as you can be at an Art Vs Science gig) and regain energy for the second half of the set.

And what a second half it was. Packed tightly with more energy and liveliness than any band I’ve seen to date, the boys carried on with their stage antics, always demanding more from the crowd and always getting back what they demanded. We were all thankful for the mid-set rest break as their more powerful tracks Friend In The Field, Finally See Our Way, Magic Fountain and Sledgehammer followed in quick succession, at which point in the evening punters were starting to struggle to keep up with the ever-rising energy levels. As well as their energtic performances, another part of the band’s appeal is the fact that the three boys completely ooze stage charm and charisma, as they cheekily smile their way through the evening.

As Dan Mac swapped keys for strings, no amount of exhaustion or fatigue was going to stop the evening when we were teased with what was unmistakably Parlez-vous Francais. Any hint of lethargy was automatically thrown out the window as a frenzied eruption of dance floor chaos was unleashed, with everyone’s horrible attempts at the French dialect echoing through the room. Describing this song as epic would probably be an understatement this evening, as a mid-way marathon guitar solo by Dan Mac saw him run to the rear of the room and back again (all the while playing) before mounting Finn’s shoulders Angus Young style, sculling a beer (much to the crowd’s amusement) and continuing to play before relaunching back into the second half of the song where frenzied rave-style dancing ensued.

The lengthy 90 minute set wound up with everyone using their flippers to get down to Flippers, the band’s first ever song, before the hyper Bumblebee and oldie-but-goodie Hollywood, their signature send-off song (always prompting a sing-a-long of “We are Art… Versus… Science!”), saw the mammoth party come to an end.

Completely gracious and thankful for the crowd’s support, the boys take a final bow centre stage before departing. An immediate and eager cry for an encore is unfortunately unanswered but the crowd don’t mind, they’ve just witnessed what is unquestionably one of the best live shows of the year.