remembering live music no.3

 

LCD Soundsystem, Magna Centre, Rotherham, 13 November 2010

ROAD TRIP!

This gig was at a crazy venue - Magna Science Adventure Centre just outside Rotherham. Thankfully all the interactive exhibits were safely away by the time the gig started.

I loved - and I still love - LCD Soundsystem. I wouldn't say they were strictly dance music per se (Mrs D, who is a bit of dance-music officianado, sometimes dismisses them as 'indie dance'). But they're probably as close as I'll get (chip on my shoulder caused by bad experiences at university combined with my own snobbery).

And the Sound of Silver album is one of my all-time faves - a concept album (kind of?) about careening towards middle-age (hmmm, why would this possibly resonate with me?)

So as soon as the tour with Hot Chip was announced - LCDs FINAL tour, no less - I knew I had to get tickets for me and Mrs D. By the time the gig rolled around, she was pregnant with Little Ms D so my brother was more than happy to tag along.

The tour was a co-headlining-deal with the two bands taking turns to headline - on this night, LCD were on first.

I've always been the sort of gig-goer who doesn't like to be too near the front. The only times I've been in the "pit" are Galaxie 500 (which was never going to be too raucous!), Fugazi (politest, most respectful mosh-pit EVER) and this gig.

Now I have pretty short hair. But when the beat kicked in after the intro of Dance Yrself Clean, it was so LOUD that it moved my hair. I remember my brother and I danced our butts off throughout their set.

Yet again, as a live band they were ferociously tight. Even when one of Nancy Whang's antique synths went haywire near the start of the set they kept it going.

And I don't think there's anything better than watching a brilliant drummer. And Pat Mahoney was - if you'll excuse the language - fucking amazing. He was like a frigging machine, just holding it down throughout the set. Evan when James Murphy wandered over to play bits of his kit in a way which must have been off-putting. If not bloody annoying.

I can't argue with SetList.fm this time - it certainly tallies with my memory, anyway. But I can't believe they turfed out All My Friends so early in the set.

Long time visitors to this blog will know that I'm a massively soppy bugger. One of the things which can set me off are songs about home.

Talking Heads' This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) is a particular killer. Even Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's Our House can set me off if I'm in the right mood.

So when LCD ended their set with Home - the last track from their final album at one of their final ever UK gigs - it was just perfect.

I mean, I wasn't anywhere near as bad as this guy from the DVD of their FINAL EVER gig at Madison Square Garden in 2011 but it was pretty powerful nonetheless.

It was so good that we didn't stay for all of Hot Chip's set. It just wasn't able to come anywhere near the majesty of LCD Soundsytem going out at the top of their game.

Except they didn't. Because a few short years later they reformed.

And I couldn't even be mad at them, especially not when I saw them perform Call the Police on SNL.

But imagine being by this guy!

At least he was at the MSG gig.