While we all know which two bands everyone is here to see, kudos have to go to Leeds quartet The Sunshine Underground, who deliver a pulsating set of punk-funk, reminiscent in its intensity of DFA-produced NYC rockers Radio 4. Indeed, The Sunshine Underground toured last year with DFA mastermind James Murphy’s superlative group, LCD Soundsystem. As a side note, it’s nice to see that the rehabilitation of a certain percussive instrument continues apace; as Christopher Walken says in the cult Saturday Night Live sketch where he produces Blue Oyster Cult’s ‘Don’t Fear The Reaper’ – “More cowbell!”
And so to the main event. Cansei de Ser Sexy indulge in some titillating foreplay prior to getting down to business. They take to the stage clad in black sheets, which they then throw off in a highly theatrical piece of choreography (soundtracked by 2 Unlimited’s ‘No Limit’), before kicking into a riproaring set of lethally addictive dance-pop.
Singer Lovefoxx is a magnetic performer; resplendent in figure-hugging lycra bodysuit, she dances around hyperactively, interacts with the crowd and chats away in slightly broken English (“This is our song about what it’s like to have no money and be unemployed!”), to cumulatively thrilling effect. Can’t wait for the singer’s solo album, due later this year, for which prospective song titles include ‘I’m The Greatest’, ‘Why Bother To Learn Music Properly?’, ‘The Cool Is All That Matters’ and ‘Fuck In, Fuck Off, Doesn’t Matter, I’m Torn’.
The band also know how to rustle up a tune; the likes of ‘Alala’ and ‘Alcohol’ (“This song is suited to Ireland,” observes Lovefoxx) are spellbinding, while the insanely brilliant closer, ‘Let’s Make Love And Listen To Death From Above’, sends the place ballistic. To be frank, Klaxons have a job on their hand following such a magnificent performance, but in front of a partisan crowd, who have glo-sticks at the ready, they succeed admirably.
Performing on a set dominated by a row of vertical neon lights, Klaxons are a much heavier live proposition than their reputation as psychedelic rave revivalists would suggest, with the early take on ‘Atlantis To Interzone’, in particular, featuring some scorching guitar work from Simon Taylor-Davis, aka Captain Strobe.
But they have a winning way with a melody too; the gorgeous recent single ‘Golden Skans’, taking its lyrical cue from JG Ballard, is already a fan favourite (the crowd later chant the “oooooh-ahh” refrain during the encore break), while their cover of Grace’s 1995 dance hit ‘Not Over Yet’ is a gem.
Best of all is the chaotic performance of ‘Gravity’s Rainbow’ towards the finish, which sees the crowd jump around manically to the chorus of “Come with me, come with me/We’ll travel to infinity”. Indie kids with glo-sticks pogoing to a song inspired by Thomas Pynchon? What wonderfully strange time.
Pic: Andrew Duffy