From EDM outsiders, there’s a constant condescending narrative that runs along the line of “anyone can press a couple of buttons” without understanding what makes a great performance. There’s a massive amount of crowd control, managing audience reactions and expectations to your advantage. The tricky part, once you’ve established yourself with a reputation, is bringing something special to the performance. You’ve gotta stand out. As trite as it sounds, flashy stage setups and visuals are like the cherry atop an already stacked audio sundae. The Glitch Mob seem to get this. Judging by their performance at the Danforth Music Hall, The Glitch Mob seem to get this very much.
Faced with a darkened stage, the audience could merely see a strangely shaped structure hidden beneath a silver tarpaulin. What I’d half expected to be a new model Hercules aircraft turned out to be better; a futuristic jungle of touch screens, trigger pads and electronic drums dubbed “The Blade”. Affixed with flashing lights, smoke machines and strobes, the unveiling of its cybernetic enigma brought the first of a constant stream of cheers. Transcending the traditionally unexciting sight of a DJ tweaking a turntable, the midi controllers were smartly angled towards the audience, adding a layer of transparency to their set. It was a stance that brought them closer to the audience, doing away with the classic obfuscation plaguing so many acts. Consummate showmen, they made a big sight of stylised hand gestures and taiko style drumming, backed by a veritable cityscape of roaming strobes and flashing fractals. If somehow the aural assault of electronic rock, drum and bass beats, shoegaze and breaks weren’t enough for you, at least it was pretty to watch.
As an aside, it constantly bums me out how much of the audience I see at gigs witnessing the whole set through their phone’s video recording. A personal values judgement maybe, but if you’re in a live environment, why not try connecting with what you’re watching? What’s the point otherwise? Never was this less prevalent than at The Glitch Mob’s gig. Despite the tempting barrage of visuals, the crowd cast aside the trappings of personal technology and just threw down to the music. It was a sea of people dancing uninhibited, expressing their intense connection to the performance. And the drugs probably. Quite probably. Plus ça change, eh?
