2, 4, 6, 8, let me see what you can do...

Just home from Simian Mobile Disco's debut NYC performance of their live show. It was one of those experiences where immediately afterwards you're kind of in a state of disbelief and shock...what just happened?

SMD started shockingly early at 1. They let everyone know this by flashing tall rows of super bright multi-colored lights they had brought along that were all over the stage. The place was packed to begin with and I was in a real shitty spot (quite far away) because I didn't think they would start until 2. So I had to scurry around the dancefloor to the other side only to end up standing in a closer, but shittier spot - behind a column. Thankfully when they opened with Sleep Deprivation hell broke loose and everything shifted pretty quickly as people started dancing so I wound up with a decent view.

I don't think I can convey the level of mayhem on the dancefloor. You could barely move, but everyone was. It was the most violent electronic show I have ever been to. Check the footage! The sound was sooooo loud. James & Jas had all this equipment they were fiddling with the whole time and it was all just erupting with sound...thick, crunchy, beepy, everything. They kept up a solid dance-crazed pace for the whole show, which sadly clocked in at just about an hour...but the hour was quality. Here's what they played in no particular order:

Sleep Deprivation
Animal House
It's the Beat
Hustler
Tits & Acid
I Believe
Their remix of Klaxons' Magick

That seems quite short, probably a few odds and ends I'm not yet familiar with mixed in as well.

Ok...allow me to clarify how awesome the show was. Not even halfway through Sleep Deprivation I decided they had unseated Soulwax from my "Top Live Electronic Show" of the year. Remember how I couldn't shut up about them?! Craziness! Here's where it gets real nuts...I started drawing Chemical Brothers parallels: They're each two British guys, performing their own electronic stuff live, behind all this crazy equipment (though the Chems' is more extensive at the moment) absolutely killing it. Even the way they were scurrying about reminded me of the Chems. They each have a blonde skinnier guy with glasses, and a dark-haired guy. They are little baby Chemicals! Haha...maybe it's a bit of a stretch, but I think there are some undeniable similarities. While I'm on about the Chemical Brothers, I stumbled upon this interview with them (they discuss We Are the Night): Part One.

Other random awesomeness from last night...JDH & Dave P played "Star Guitar" (which is what got me into the Chemical Brothers and electronic music) and followed it with Gui Boratto's "Beautiful Life". They went quite well together. They were playing some good songs...but between ATOC at PS1 and Simian Mobile Disco, I called it early.