search for something...

search for something you might like...

Last Word on the LCD Soundsystem at the Ally Pally Jay Lewis gets in the last word about the LCD Soundsystem's live show in London

Last Word on the LCD Soundsystem at the Ally Pally

Jay Lewis gets in the last word about the LCD Soundsystem's live show in London

by Jay Lewis, Reviews Editor
first published: October, 2017

approximate reading time: minutes

Daft Punk may still be playing at Murphy's house...

LCD Soundsystem
LIVE at the Alexandra Palace
September 2017

There's a T -shirt for sale at the merchandise stall tonight that has the lyrics to LCD Soundsystem's debut single 'Losing My Edge' on it, as well as, curiously, a cartoon of a bear's face.

It's a joyous reminder of how LCD Soundsystem  introduced themselves in 2002 with a song that took an hilarious swipe at music snobbery. James Murphy's  lyrics and delivery were a droll delight, the music was a fabulous hybrid of electronic dance and rock music. There then followed three outstanding albums but, in 2011, it was all over.

Did those lyrics to Losing My Edge prove prophetic for Murphy? Was he the cartoon bear wearily calling time on the band?

Whatever Murphy's tribulations may have been back then, the bands return this year has been euphoric, the album 'American Dream' shows him inhabiting a darker place but still displaying a sharp and mordant wit. 

Tonight the band enter the stage as the closing strains of Shit Robot's DJ set is still vibrating through the hall. They launch into a propulsive rendition of 'Us and Them' and it feels like a homecoming anthem,  the chant of 'the time has come, the time has come today' feels like a celebration of the bands connection with their audience.

'I Can Change' follows, with Murphy pleading for atonement amidst an explosion of strobe lights and gleaming mirror balls. It's an eye scorching, heart felt experience. 

'Get Innocuous', their most Kraftwerk-esque number, is an mesmerising highlight and then the new songs, 'Call The Police' and 'I Used To', have the crowd singing every word as if they've always known them.   There's an ecstatic response to the current single ''Tonite', the vocodered backing vocals suggesting  that Daft Punk may still be playing at Murphy's house. 

The encore include the underwhelming LCD-by-numbers new song 'Emotional Haircut' and an invigorating version of 'Dance Yrself Clean' before, as ever, closing with the communal celebration of 'All My Friends'.  

It's a rousing and timely note to end on.  LCD Soundsystem are back, having lost none of their edge.

Jay Lewis
Reviews Editor

Jay Lewis is a Birmingham based poet. He's also a music, movie and arts obsessive. Jay's encyclopedic knowledge of 80s/90s Arts films is a debt to his embedded status in the Triangle Arts Centre trenches back then.


about Jay Lewis »»

Armoires week web banner

RECENT STORIES

RANDOM READS

All About and Contributors

HELP OUTSIDELEFT

Outsideleft exists on a precarious no budget budget. We are interested in hearing from deep and deeper pocket types willing to underwrite our cultural vulture activity. We're not so interested in plastering your product all over our stories, but something more subtle and dignified for all parties concerned. Contact us and let's talk. [HELP OUTSIDELEFT]

WRITE FOR OUTSIDELEFT

If Outsideleft had arms they would always be wide open and welcoming to new writers and new ideas. If you've got something to say, something a small dank corner of the world needs to know about, a poem to publish, a book review, a short story, if you love music or the arts or anything else, write something about it and send it along. Of course we don't have anything as conformist as a budget here. But we'd love to see what you can do. Write for Outsideleft, do. [SUBMISSIONS FORM HERE]

OUTSIDELEFT UNIVERSE

Ooh Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha May 29th
OUTSIDELEFT Night Out
weekend

outsideleft content is not for everyone