Venue:
Astra Kulturhaus Berlin
Date: 13/11/2015
There are two approaches to the electronic act goes live. Either you do visual spectacle plus blokes (usually is) behind laptops. This is the Chemicals, Leftfield, Orbital way. Or the onstage party/carnival – the Basement Jaxx vibe and also Rudimental. We got a three-person horn section, two female singers, an awesome drummer, and the core group of 4 lads down the front who did keyboards, laptops, MCing, singing, jumping around and even extra horns. A party/festival vibe from start to finish with yes all the big hit singles – those from the second album up first. We got a bit of soul, bit of 90s house, and lots and lots of the slow verse, huge drum and bass powered fast choruses that is their stock in trade. Not a lot of between-song chat, as I think they wanted to keep the dancing going – but plenty of liveness.
The drummer Beanie gets a special mention firstly for his name and secondly for reproducing the skittering biscuit-tin-down-the stairs rhythms so brilliantly live. Feel The Love and Waiting All Night saved for the encores and predictably brought the house down. Know and love Home their first album and prompted to check out We The Generation.
The audience:
Lots of Brits in the crowd, including a party from Swansea who could not be convinced that my mate was not holding something. Everyone knew the words, or if they didn’t they were belting them out by the third chorus. Quick mention for the perfectly tasty Astra 3 euros a not quite a pint lager. An energetic, relaxed vibe – only made slightly more taxing by the fact that everyone is on average 2/3 inches taller or so it seemed.
It made me think..
Lots. On the night it made me think how great live music is wherever you are. Afterwards it made me think how fragile life is, and how we should enjoy it while we can. They were due to play the Bataclan this week.
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