Venue:
The Institute, Birmingham
Date: 09/10/2015
Grump up first. This gig was originally billed to start at 6:30pm, then changed to 8:00. Finally, after two hours of rather sweet but definitely time-filling deck-bothering from two sixth-formers Leftfield took the stage at five past ten. Actually, rather sweetly Neil Barnes came on and shook their hands at the conclusion of their set, as if they were either his son and his mate or someone on work experience whose project was really quite good.
On with Leftfield. For the first twenty minutes we had engineer behind laptop, Neil Barnes behind various mikes and a live percussionist. They tore through mostly stuff from the new album, half-hidden behind translucent screens onto which we got the regulation animations compulsory for all live techno acts. I have to say this section was amazing – hard, fast and loud. The tension dropped (perhaps it had to) for a section in which @retropath2 referred-to MC Cheshire Cat and then Ofei provided some vocals. For the rest of the set the ‘best club in the world ever’ atmosphere was restored. Bass came up through the floor, percussion was crisp, and everyone generally thought they were, in that moment, in the best place in the entire world.
Afrika Shox was perhaps the highlight, Neil Barnes coming on like a techno Walter White as he shouted ‘Let’s Get Electrificied’ into the vocoder set to ‘intense’. We had to leave during the encores to catch up with minimole 2 who was, he told us, watching CNN on the sofa and waiting for us, missing Phat Planet. Arse. I’m taking as read it was awesome.
The audience:
Massive cross-section. From crusties vaping away who were probably at the Battle of the Beanfield to young things discovering what all the fuss was about. Those in the balcony looked as if they’d rather be in the sweaty throng downstairs.
It made me think..
Going back to where you started is a smart career move. Watching The Chemicals at Glastonbury they seemed to be turning themselves into a stadium heritage dance act, with ever-more elaborate visuals distracting from the fact that they are not quite what they were. No such problem here – playing barely anything off Leftism, and recreating a club vibe, made them appear as relevant as ever.
Brill review, Moseley, not least for taming the AW night out/in bogeyface. Phat Planet was, I’m sorry, a delight, the audience bobbing out on waves as high as the guinness advert. As a virgin to the live techno experience it was a delight, even if I couldn’t necessarily tell tune from tune, despite having all the records. Listening loud in the car isn’t quite the same as having your kidneys wobbled at a higher/deeper volume. And yes, I missed my train home, a midnight taxi proving more expensive than the admission price.
With tickets for Massive Attack and Faithless in the bag I sometimes wonder where the Fairport in me has gone……..