Concord Dawn (aka Evan Short & Matt Harvey), the darlings of the drum n’ bass scene, started a big year of touring at Melbourne’s landmark electronic music venue Miss Libertines. The back room was just steamy enough to really get pulses racing as the many animated punters danced their booties off. And they just didn’t stop. With support acts like Nam, Cammo Vs Spherix, Joe Seven, JPS and Hooves also on deck, the night was full of high-quality drum n’ bass action.
The crowd was very large and very mixed: from young Uni students through to the more middle-aged fans, from the highly tattooed to the highly preened. Concord Dawn has pulling power across a wide spectrum, and although the crowd was plentiful there was still enough room to keep some personal space between you and the sweaty guy without a top right next to you. After a short break, Concord Dawn kicked straight into it shortly after 2am. The crowd was literally chomping at the bit, and the start of the set went off. The beats were not overly dark and dirty in the early stages, and thus were more accessible to those who are not familiar with the genre, while still holding appeal for those die-hards at the front.
The drum lines quickly became driving and unrelenting, and by the fourth and fifth songs they were heavy, pulsating and put the audience in a trance. The ambient intros from some of the tracks off Chaos by Design were cut in favour of out-and-out drum n’ bass fury. This was good to hear as it showed they weren’t afraid to adapt to fit the situation: the crowd wanted it hard, and that’s exactly what they got. And damn was it hot in there, with the sweat dripping from the ceiling. You knew this was the real deal!
Overall, the live performance lacked much of the subtlety that is present on the new album. The gig definitely hit you at a physical level, more than an emotional one. But hey, you don’t go to drum n’ bass gigs to appreciate subtleties and nuances, do you? Concord Dawn has used the album as a template for its powerful live performances, that it knows the crowd loves. If you want a deeper appreciation of their music, then buy the album. If you want to dance harder than you have before, then the Saturday night gig was the time to do it.
Their set ended after two hours. The crowd was easily ready for another two hours after that to see them through to the Morning Light, as it were. But no, instead we were rewarded with Bonsai, who lacked nothing in intensity. They offered no respite to the crowd, who took everything they gave and pushed them to the limits. The crowd eventually began to thin, more out of exhaustion than anything else, with the beats still flying out at a high-paced rate. Killer set, Concord Dawn. I’m sure your mothers are very proud.
stable says...
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