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M83 + AMUSEMENT PARKS ON FIRE Having read glowing reports concerning Amusement Parks On Fire's so-called "incendiary" live performance I certainly expected more than this. Sure, there are moments which threaten to ignite but to my ears there's nothing new or exciting here. Very simple basslines and repetitive riffing rumble on following the post-rock MBV blueprint and whilst there may be some subtlety buried beneath the bluster, I'm certainly missing it. That's not to say that they sound terrible - just not quite as good as I'd been led to expect. M83, on the other hand are about a million times better than I'd expected - and I thought they'd be, at the least, good. I loved 2003 album "Dead Cities, Red Seas and Lost Souls" from the first spin. It's succesful welding together of electronica and post-rock guitar formed a monumental, but at times cold, almost glacial sound that seemed like it may not translate well to a live environment. On record M83's music is a cerebral, experience, best appreciated with no distractions and plenty of time to immerse yourself. In the flesh, it's a far different experience. The sheer power of the songs hits you square in the gut and there's a sence of propulsion that doesn't really exist in the recorded versions. Seeing the music created in front of your eyes humanises it and the obvious passion that goes into making it gives you something to connect with - something which many other post-rock and especially electonica outfits lack. Having never seen a picture of M83 in the UK press it's tough to know who's who, but it's safe to assume that the two men at the front of the stage are the two brains behind M83. Flitting between keyboards and guitar, singing vocals for the songs which have them, the frontman (Anthony? Nicolas?) is a good focal point, whereas the guitarist is a more studied, cooler character, intensly concentrated. Live bass and drums add extra dimensions to the electronic pulsing electronic rythmns. Tonight's gig gives many of us the first chance to hear new songs from forthcoming album and pretty fantastic they are too, seemingly more upbeat and epic -and at times even dancier - than those on "Dead Cities...". But it's the familiar songs from that album that get the best response. "Unrecorded", "America" and "Run Into Flowers" are all massive hypnotic swathes of noise, and the more delicate numbers also seem to be somewhat heavier. After modestly accepting the crowds cheers at the end of the set, the band retreat offstage and ignore the extended calls for an encore. On this showing I'm sure we'll get plenty of chances to see them again soon. Richy [ December 3rd, 2004 ] |