Hot Chip Live Review

For six years they’ve been making consistently danceable and often heart wrenching music that’s always inventive.

 

Songs from their latest disc One Life Stand sum up their appeal. Hand Me Down Your Love has ravey synths, tender vocals and an insistent kick drum that drives everything along. When played live Joe frantically adds tambourine to the mix.

 

Other new ones recall 90s house. We Have Love has a UK garage bassline and cut up vocodered vocals. I Feel Better features a similarly euphoric hook- but with a typically unusual twist sees band member Al swap his guitar for steel drums.

 

On tender moments- like Brothers and Alley Cats - Alexis’ high and emotional vocals weaved perfectly with Joe’s low tones.

 

Of the Chip’s older material Boy From School is torn apart and reassembled to banging effect. Later the audience are anything but ‘laidback’ as Over and Over is played. Ready For The Floor is another back catalogue highlight and closes the set as ticker tape is launched across the vast old theatre.

 

This late night show certainly had a real club atmosphere which suited the six-piece, while assured performances like this will surely please electro-loving festival goers across the UK this summer.