When I added Cut Copy’s “Lights and Music” as one of my top 10 songs of 2008, I had made a statement that the song would be perfect for a house party or the big arena, even using the word “epic” to describe the song. Sure, it seemed silly to call the Australian electronic group epic among greats such as Bon Iver and TV on the Radio, whose music has a little more substance than four lines of simple lyrics and repetitive beats.
However, last night’s show at Cat’s Cradle reaffirmed all my faith in the group and proved once and for all why they deserve all the hype they receive. I have seen some great electronic shows at this venue, including Caribou and Ratatat, and Cut Copy takes the win for the most fun I’ve had there yet.
Opener Matt & Kim did a good job of whetting the crowd’s appetite, although the night was clearly still young. After the duo ended on a high note with “Daylight,” the music did not stop, thanks to touring DJ Knightlife that mixed house music in between sets.
Can I just say—I have never enjoyed waiting for a band so much. Listening to track after track of quality remixes, with some MSTRKRFT and Daft Punk spliced in here and there, kept my body moving the entire time, and before I know it, the lights were dimming.
As the band arrived on stage and opened with the night’s first song, “Hearts on Fire,” I couldn’t concentrate on anything else but lights and music. Panels and panels of fluorescent light tubes were set up behind the band, synced perfectly with each song with different patterns and colors schemes flowing through the tubes at each moment. The visual aspect was definitely a key component to the show’s overall energy, never to the point of overwhelming viewers.
Lead singer singer Dan Whitford, to put it plainly, looked like Jesus. Positioned right smack in the middle of the stage, he was glowing in color with graceful arm gestures and his signature soothing voice that ushered the audiences to lift up into musical euphoria.
They continued with a good amount of solid tracks off their old album Bright Like Neon Love, including “Saturdays” and “That Was Just A Dream.” Other highlights from night included “Feel The Love” “Out There On The Ice.” They also played a slower track that wasn’t off their album, “Sands of Time,” which was a pleasant surprise that complemented their disco-synth repertoire.
Although there was a technical blip in the middle that caused a 20-minute break in the middle of Cut Copy’s set, the audience was seemed drunk with happiness and there was very little complaining. After the set started back up, intense dancing ensued. The continued with an interested remix of “Future” and closed with, naturally, “Lights and Music,” which was the peak of the night.
The crowd was definitely fun, which fueled my own dancing and jumping. Cut Copy’s crisp sound translates extremely well live, and the show maintained the same high level of momentum throughout, even during slower tracks. My only complaint is that the band would sometimes perform single tracks and break in between songs, whereas I would have liked the entire show fashioned in the manner of In Ghost Colours, where one song flows into the next.
That being said, the show was a success, even if I had some beer spilled on me. But it was only because we were all dancing too hard, which I can’t hold against anyone.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.