Photo of LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy © Ruvan Wijesooriya, courtesy of Nasty Little Man PR.
Straddling the line between indie darlings and raging kegger college frat party band, LCD Soundsystem has been bringing their brand of spiky dance rock, post-punk, and funked-out disco electronica to the masses intermittently for over two decades.
Having toured with TV on the Radio and playing upcoming dates with Pulp, they’ve set their sights high with a stunning show complete with strobes, a disco ball, and a massive amount of gear.
Operating with a ninety-minute DJ as an opener, the band was greeted by a restless crowd anxious to get the party started. From the moment they hit the stage, James Murphy and his accomplices generated a nonstop set of blistering beats and dance anthems. Their sonic assault was underway.
Never one to be pigeonholed, the band was in fine form, delivering a charged two-plus-hour extravaganza, complete with Murphy’s witty and reflective lyrics (and a rather long rant about farts) to an excited crowd.
Combining these with hypnotic grooves, slabs of soul, and vintage synth sounds, LCD Soundsystem’s concert at the Factory blended the nostalgic and the modern, resulting in a vibe that was raw and infectious.
Sometimes singing and sometimes shouting, James Murphy adeptly served as the evening ringleader. His onstage chatting was charming and lively as he engaged throngs of sweaty followers.
Broken up into three sets, the concert mixed the energy of a rock club with the euphoria of a club night out. Eyes, dry from the relentless bombasts of lights, were joined by aching joints as the group cranked out bangers, one after another.
Opening with a cover of Lou Reed’s “Real Good Time Together,” the Factory faithful were treated to the unrelenting beats of “Tribulations,” “Movement,” and “Tonite.” The slick synthpop of “I Can Change” was next, followed by their popular hit “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House,” which was greeted with wild fanfare. Then the tempo slowed a bit with “Yr City’s A Sucker,” the bouncy “On Repeat,” and “Oh Baby,” which was of the evening’s highlights.
The next set reaffirmed the band’s reputation for legendary live sets. This was cemented as the night progressed with two fantastic numbers, “You Wanted A Hit,” and “New Body Rhumba.” Murphy then launched into both parts of “45:33,” much to the joy of the audience.
It’s rare to see a concert and hear almost everything you want to hear. But, for those in attendance, this could be one of those times. With a revolving setlist each night, it was impossible to hear all their crackers; nonetheless, they delivered.
For their final act, LCD Soundsystem held nothing back. Building on the momentum of the evening, they turned the banging percussion, searing guitars, and shimmering synths to eleven with “North American Scum” and an extra funky “Dance Yrself Clean.”
After an extended repartee with the audience, the band turned again to their second album, Sound of Silver, for a stirring “New York I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down” before winding things down with a buoyant “All My Friends.”
Exultant, loud, rapturous, and blissful, LCD Soundsystem’s sold-out show at the Factory was a triumphant fête that underscored their status as artists whose live performances take no prisoners and pull no punches. | Rob Levy
