The Rapture,Shitdisco Live Review @ Academy [1, 2, 3 and Club Academy] (Manchester) - 02 Mar 2007

The Rapture,Shitdisco Live Review @ Academy [1, 2, 3 and Club Academy] (Manchester) - 02 Mar 2007

The Rapture

Live Review

Part of the fun of witnessing a support act is trying to figure out their intended purpose? Some bands are chosen because they are label mates or friends of the headline act and some are chosen to create the right mood for the main parade. Others are just selected for shock value, with Glasgow’s Shit Disco, who probably chose their name for the latter purpose, it is hard to tell what their intended function is tonight. Jarring disco with a post rock edge is consistently produced, combining the ranging synth inclusive, fat atmospheric jolts of The Horrors, the hollering, bemused vocal pitch of !ForwardRussia! (coming off in the haunting, combined vocals of Joel Stone and Joe Reeves), and some The Prodigy drive. Reactor Party mixes all the above together the best and people slowly get into the vibe. For now, it is generally a taking stock of the situation approach from the crowd, as Shit Disco is a band you need to revisit to fully appreciate their tack and indeed, their purpose.

You know what? People do still dance at gigs and this evening they do it with an spirit releasing pride and grace, right from the first moment the full fat bass lines boom out and Luke Jenners high pitched, funked up vocals swirl around. A collective sigh of relief is blown, when the opening notes are unleashed from the funky and authoritative third song, Get Myself Into It. It is at this stage last time when guys came to Manchester that their sheer range caused the amps to falter and halt the set. Tonight, the technical equipment holds firm for a number that features effective lyrical simplicity, delivered over a catchy, synth led backdrop to move bodies the venue over.

Much has been made of The Rapture’s change in producer to Paul Epworth for their latest album Pieces Of The People We Love that followed on from 2003’s swash-buckling, indie/disco jaunt of Echoes. The fulcrum of the latter album, Sister Saviour coasts along on a wave of bass drum led gushes to pronounce the trash/punk vocals. This drills home the creepy repetition of the song title for the most abrasive, blues funk, skirting offering.

Tonight, the New Yorkers tend to infuse their sets with a more profiled saxophone pitch courtesy of the nimble Gabriel Anduzzi, whose keyboard element also gets cranked up. Even for the new numbers like People Don’t Dance No More, they fall back on their older, more rustic approach, leaving the polishing for the studio. It is easier to see the connection between the last two albums in this setting and their back to what they know strategy hits home. Making for a congruous set that builds in pace and rhythm. Older track House Of Jealous Lovers flows effortlessly into the more recent, drum n bass fuzzed First Gear, as they both ooze provocation, slowing the gyration down to slow robotic levels. This soaring 70 minute set shows that dance, blues funk, disco and indie can all congregate in the same place and when they do it makes for some party!

David Adair

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