LCD Soundsystem | Music Review

by Charlie Lindler

LCD Soundsystem survived persistent technical difficulties to put on a brave show last month at the Brixton Academy.

This was the first night of a two-day stint in London - itself the first stop in a tour across the UK - to promote the band’s upcoming album This is Happening.

Techno failure

Keyboard failure led to frontman James Murphy asking the band to reperform their opening song Us V Them, which they did without a glitch.

The six-member group didn’t let their stressful day get to them and soldiered through to the delight of the tightly-packed venue.

Despite the imminent release of their new album, the group leaned heavily on their early work, which Murphy justified by saying that he always felt disappointed when he went to gigs only to see bands play solely their new material.

The mix of songs worked well, but the constant technical delays between songs sometimes disjointed the set.

The 13 song set (14 if you count the two versions of the opener) featured only three tracks from the new album, just enough to entice the crowd ahead of its release.

The fan favourite-filled encore closed with New York, I Love You but You’re Breaking My Heart, during which a cascade of white balloons were dropped into the crowd.

The group provided a memorable night filled with catchy synths and floor-shaking bass beats but the technical problems did prove to be a huge distraction for the audience.

For info on the band visit their website.