LCD Soundsystem @ Randall's Island

I love that picture to the right. It sums up the LCD Soundsystem experience. You have James Murphy (a.k.a J-Murph) standing by himself. It symbolizes the reluctant lead singer/de facto leader of the New York dance rock movement. The microphone shows the immediacy of their live show. While it's a whole bunch of keyboards, drums and sequencers in the studio, live it just feels like more of a organic musical performance. Then you have that disco ball, a shining beacon of dance, fun and energy. Wow, I feel like Sister Wendy, the nun who discusses art on PBS.

The inclusion of LCD Soundsystem on this joint U.S. tour might seem like an odd choice at first, similar to the Death Cab for Cutie/Franz Ferdinand tour last year. You have two bands that have different looks, different sounds and different performances. Arcade Fire have a costumes of sorts, kind of like a traveling band of preachers circa 1933. LCD come on the stage with what they are wearing that day. Arcade Fire are an indie rock band from Canada who uses strings, accordions and traditional percussions. LCD have all sorts of wicked keyboards, computers and a guitar or bass here and there. Arcade Fire are crazy, spontaneous performers who knock crap over, beat the hell out of their equipment and have this controlled chaos on stage. LCD, do get into their show, but are not the extroverts that Arcade Fire's members are.

So if they are so different, why tour together? They have the same fan base, mainly music lovers and music snobs alike. Their live show are musical musts for anyone who likes live music. You might not be a club kid, but you sure as hell will dance and jump around to both bands. Likewise, if you are a club kid, you'll recognize how fun these two bands are.

It was pretty much the same experience as when I saw them last June in Philly. Being in the supporting spot for the tour, they have to trim a few of their choice cuts, mainly Daft Punk is Playing and Watch the Tapes. It felt that "Yeah" went on for about 20 minutes into some sort of free for all techno jam -- it was seriously ill. During the closer, "New York I Love," he seemed like he was messing around a bit. It became, "New York, New Jersey, Long Island I love you, but you're bringing me down."

• Get Innocuous
• Us vs. Them
• Time to Get Away
• North American Scum
• All My Friends
• Tribulations
• Movement
• Someone Great
• Yeah
• New York I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down

While I was in front taking photos, I stopped to watch J-Murph on the microphone (there's only so many ways you can shoot a guy at a mic). He was in the moment, eyes closed and holding the microphone tight, when all of sudden he turns to the sound crew in mid-performance and screams at the top of his lungs, "I CAN'T HEAR A FUCKING THING." Then, he immediately gets back into his performance zone. It like when a cartoon character who goes red and grows devil horns for two seconds, then snaps back to their normal state. I was like, "Damn. Brother's got a sound problem. Somebody best fix that."

This being the band's fifth New York show this year, it's time for them to set out to pasture for the time being. J-Murp and the crew will head over to Europe for the fall and then hopefully rest for a while to recharge their battery cells.

For now, it's us...

and them ...

over and over again ...

Comments

[heavy]

that free-for-all techno jam was actually a different song. it was a cover of one of the most classic house records of the 90s, a song called "throw" by the paperclip people (aka carl craig). feel free to adjust your setlist accordingly.

[Steve]

Just wondering if anyone knows the make and model of that mic he always uses...at first I thought it was a Sennheiser, but I don't think it is now.