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During my lazy period of not writing anything, I went to some shows...

LCD Soundsystem & Hot Chip, Rotherham Magna Centre, 13th November 2010

Everything ends. It’s a depressing fact, and James Murphy calling time on LCD Soundsystem just feels plain cruel. But at least we got one last hurrah in a co-headline tour with bezzie mates Hot Chip.

The night wasn’t without controversies though, with LCD taking to the stage first and only playing All My Friends off Sound Of Silver. If I’m honest, I was still in awe of their Academy gig, nothing was ever going to top that. What we got instead was show more focused on This Is Happening, the set opening and closing with that records’ first and last tracks. In between there was the usual faultless musicianship and trademark Murphy self deprivation. If this really is the end then they left on a high.

Less praise can be given to the bar facilities at the venue. OK, so working museums don’t tend to be well versed in the ways efficient alcohol distribution, but this was taking the piss. Woefully understocked and using a bar surface that was just that little bit too long to be heard over, we lost whole hours in that plastic bottled hell, and the first few songs of Hot Chip as well.

Whereas LCD have always performed as a bunch of session musicians (beyond talented but lacking camaraderie), Hot Chip played like the Boys From School, working off each other and generally having the times of their lives. Latest album One Life Stand did the usual Hot Chip record thing of containing some brilliant moments before drifting off a bit towards the end. Although to be fair to them that is an accusation you could level at pretty much any album these days. Unlike most bands, when Hot Chip release a Best Of it’ll contain some of the finest dance pop this country has produced.

Still sore from not hearing Someone Great or All I Want earlier, it was pleasing to hear Hot Chip play every song I wanted them to play, just not in the way I was expecting to hear them. One or two unnecessary guitar solos were thrown in, but Over & Over, Ready For The Floor and Shake A Fist were all present, correct and dance magic.

I remain hopeful that this isn’t really the end for LCD. James Murphy Will Return.


The Go! Team, Leeds Cockpit, 18th February 2011

Another band that have announced that this could be our last album / tour / series. What’s going on?? Still, since Take That have made reforming into a billion dollar business, no one seems to stay split up for long.

New record Rolling Blackouts takes the familiar themes of old skool horn samples, cheerleader freestyling and all the drums in the universe and thrown in some good old fashioned songwriting that gives the whole experience a more satisfying feel.

Ninja is still the star, kicking out against everything and anything, dancing like she knows you’re watching. She gets the biggest cheers, so it’s ironic that my favourite tunes from the new album actually feature the vocal talents of the other members. Secretary Song fizzes and delights, and Ready To Go Steady is a gorgeous Mowtown girl group-esque ode to settling down with that right guy.

Playing the songs in the same order every gig must get depressing, but is was a tad odd to chuck out Ladyflash so early on, and to end the encore with second album track Keys To The City. But hey, there was party on the stage and everyone was invited. Add to that some charming crowd interaction: “we’re gonna play our new single now which is called...anybody?” cue a muffled reaction from the audience. “See, that’s why we’re never gonna be famous!” Their career path may never reach the X Factor Results Show, but by the looks on their faces The Go! Team are bloody happy doing their own thing their own way, and making us all dance at the same time.