But before the storm, amidst the drizzle of a small collection of excited punters I stood with great interest awaiting Tame Impala’s opening set. As the four of them awkwardly walked on stage, worn denim hanging about their spindly legs I couldn’t believe how young they were. As a band they are well rehearsed and tight. Their command of each instrument more than commendable. Their age, unbelievable. I wont go as far as to say they are band of prodigies but they are pretty damn good. If you haven’t invested in them yet maybe wait a couple of years. These boys should grow into something special. I admit all five of the songs contained a drawn out and slightly dull jam session that boarded on the passe. But as the song was in full flight the sea of heads around me packed itself closer to the stage and started to bob. As we stood the Horden slowly filled behind us, the once empty hall was now peppered by drinking and dancing revelers. Those packed in front of the stage started to feel the pressure building up behind them.
By the time an oddly oriental but ultimately farcical Luke Steele lumbered onstage there was no escape. I watched with reservation and only applauded because I thought I had to. I’ve never like Luke Steele’s work and I appreciated this performance even less. His music is written for one man, the very same standing on stage blowing his harmonica out of time with the drum machine. The very same beating the strings of his guitar over and over again with discord. Every time I looked behind me I was surprised at how little attention the crowd was paying to the stage. Groups conversed facing each other. It was just self indulgent noise, nothing more.
As soon as as his set was over things changed. Rows and rows of fans suddenly appeared. It was hard not get caught up in the throngs of anticipation. People ready to jump out of their skin and I can understand why. After listening to Oracular Spectacular many times I am well and truly in love with its originality and diversity. If this was the band that brought me all the emotions in that album then hell I’m going to push right to the front myself.
On their entrance the crowd erupted. My ear drums assaulted by screaming fans rather than loud music. MGMT began to play and I was lost in the thick of it. As a completely biased fan the band played to a level that surpassed my expectations. My expectations, however, weren’t very high. I had read on multiple accounts that their live performances were lack luster. The vocals weak the band out of sync. Now they weren’t amazing but something has to be said for their presence. With only a few words spoken throughout the whole concert MGMT had it’s crowd's undivided attention. As we were introduced to a few new tracks things did calm down. But unlike some reviews I have read none of the vibe was lost.
I’m still undecided about MGMT, are they truly the musicians that can produce this kind of intoxicating energy and hype for an extended period? Only a second album will tell and from what I heard it wont be fair to ride them off yet.
When they walked off stage for the first time the crowd was abuzz. Each song had had a choir of thousands singing along with such enthusiasm it was hard not to smile. But something was missing... Kids. Enter the band and the song, an undeniable to hit. The crowd went berserk. A fitting end to a band that performed to the best of its ability but really just needed stand still onstage.
1 comment:
You perfectly captured this concert with your review. I felt like I was there again groaning at Luke Steele and twisting away with MGMT in awe of their psychadelic sound.
Encore Professional Suicide.
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