Hot Chip @ Enmore Theatre 5/3
British pop sensations Hot Chip made their way down under for a headlining spot at the Farmer & The Owl Festival, playing side shows in Brisbane, Melbourne and Canberra. Last Friday they played at Sydney’s premiere music venue, the timeless Enmore Theatre. It’s been more than sixteen years since they released their debut album Coming on Strong, but these veterans proved with last year’s A Bath Full of Ecstasy that they are showing no signs of slowing down. Supported by Harvey Sutherland and his band, the entire show was an all-out spectacle of genre bending audio and mind melting visuals.
The electro-pop UK group often experiment with alternative dance genres, bringing in influences from house and disco. With such a hard to define sound, it was important that their support act was equally experimental. That’s where Harvey Sutherland and his band came in. His electronic form of new jazz is reminiscent of Robert Glasper and Kamasi Washington, but where those artists excel with huge production and big bands, Harvey separates himself with indie charm.
Joined only by his drummer and bassist, Harvey jumped between keys and MIDI controllers, using digital effects and loops to create layers and layers of sound. He would record a small keyboard loop, bathed in a thick red hue from the lights, then play over the top of it while using a prism effect to harmonise with his own backup vocals, all while the band maintained the rhythm and bass section. It was a shame that not many people made it out early enough to see him, because his set was a real treat.
The crowd definitely made it out for the main act, however. While the event wasn’t sold out, it’s hard to imagine the Enmore with any more people inside. With only a few empty seats up in the mezzanine, the entire show floor was packed shoulder to shoulder as shifting blue and orange lights washed over them. This enormous showing highlighted the enduring quality of Hot Chip, as the crowd spanned generations just like the band’s decade spanning career. There was both natural and dyed grey hair.
When Hot Chip made it to the stage, this dedicated mass instantly began pulsing with every beat. The seven man band each took their station, arranged to highlight the multi-purpose nature of each members’ role. Up the back was the group’s engine room, featuring two keyboards/synth/MIDI controller set ups, providing the intricately programed layers of electronic sound, and drummer Charles Hayward, who’s endless effort provided a constant thumbing beat for the audience to dance to. It would’ve been easy to have a drum machine or digital beat, but having a real drummer added a much-needed human touch of improvised flurries and sneaky solos.
Up front was Alexis Taylor, who seamlessly jumped between keyboard and guitar all while his gentle high pitches lifted the melody into an accessible pop vibe, Joe Goddard, who grounded the melody with his spacey keyboard and digital percussions as he sang in low counterpoint to Taylor, Owen Clarke, who’s array of instrument work was as varied as it was impressive, and Al Doyle, who sonically did the least, but acted as the group’s hype man, dancing in between breaks to match and raise the crowds’ energy. These four never stood still, hoping between instruments, taking lead lines and acting as the focal point for this amazing show. They even had a synchronised dance during “Flutes”, pivoting and spinning to the “left side, right side”, all while playing and singing.
Aurally, the show was a masterclass, with the multiple synths enveloping the music in a thick synth-pop sound while the different instruments pushed the music into various experimental territories of house, techno and disco. They played all their hits, from early hits like “Ready for the Floor” and “Boy From School”, to later releases like “One Life Stand” and “Melody of Love”, to the timeless classics “Over and Over” and “I Feel Better”. The latter carried a melancholic tone without the over the top boy band production of the studio version, resting instead on the band’s talent and the audience’s nostalgia to deliver an unforgettable highlight. The Enmore’s sound system remains one of the best in Sydney, ensuring the audience could feel the band’s every note, beat and emotion.
Visually, Hot Chip’s live show was something else. As rich coloured lights saturated the Enmore, thick violets and deep blues covered the band members to add a futuristic atmosphere to the digital music. On top of this were wild moving spotlights and dynamic strobes flashing in sync to the music, adding another layer of stimuli on the already hectic multi-instrumental music. The result was a complete audio-visual experience, leaving the dancing crowd both thrilled and exhausted.
Hot Chip’s live show is a testament to the wealth of experience that the group has. It is clear from the flawless performance, intense pace and constant activity that they have perfected this live spectacle over sixteen years. Their Australia tour has come to an end, but their return cannot come any sooner.
