Caribou
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Caribou image courtesty of indiehouston.org
Sometimes I wish I wasn’t a musician. I wish I could go to a show and, like most of the people around me, simply get lost in the music. I wish I could leave behind the analysis of the songs; stop thinking how they’ve been changed for the live show; marvel at the technique behind the lighting or visuals; contemplate the setlist… but I can’t. I guess it’s just an occupational hazard. I often wonder whether surgeons do the same when they’re watching “ER” repeats on TV? Or astronauts – could they watch “Interstellar” or “Gravity” without thinking about their work?
I digress. Last Thursday night at The Forum, I saw Canadian four piece electronic band Caribou play an utterly blistering set, in which there were several, blissful moments in which I was completely lost in the music. For a brief moment, the familiar walls of the Forum disappeared and I felt like I was transported back in time to the mid 90s to (legendary Manchester club) The Hacienda. I wonder whether Dan Whitford (Cut Copy), Edd Fischer (PBS) or any of the other raft of “which band do I know them from?” faces in the crowd felt the same as me?
I digress. Last Thursday night at The Forum, I saw Canadian four piece electronic band Caribou play an utterly blistering set, in which there were several, blissful moments in which I was completely lost in the music. For a brief moment, the familiar walls of the Forum disappeared and I felt like I was transported back in time to the mid 90s to (legendary Manchester club) The Hacienda. I wonder whether Dan Whitford (Cut Copy), Edd Fischer (PBS) or any of the other raft of “which band do I know them from?” faces in the crowd felt the same as me?
Stepping onto the stage at The Forum, four men resplendent in matching white outfits took their places, picked up their instruments and launched straight into the title track from their most recent album, Our Love (2014). My first thoughts were “Kraftwerk!” – and yes, there were definitely echoes of that seminal electronic band. Greeting the crowd with a smile, frontman and the brains behind Caribou, Dan Snaith, seemed genuinely happy to be there. Considering the last time he played in Melbourne was at the much smaller, Hi-Fi Bar alongside Four Tet (can we just stop for a second and appreciate how epic that gig would have been?!); he took out position number #55 on the 2014 Hottest 100 with “Can’t Do Without You”; and was one of the major draw cards for St Jerome’s Laneway Festival – there’s little wonder he was smiling.
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To begin with, the set mirrored the Our Love tracklisting - next up was slow jam “Silver” and its hypnotic groove, which was bolstered by the live drums and bass. The number of smartphones hovering in the air at that point was testament to the quality of the lighting and backdrop. At the back hung a huge curtain in the same psychedelic pattern that graces the cover of Our Love, over which washes of green, red and blue light moved; the band below, surrounded by huge beams of light which moved in ever-more hypnotic patterns. It was stunning.
Keeping with the current release, next was “Mars” (Our Love, 2014) which started in a similar manner to the album track, restrained and driven by the flute line throughout. But halfway through, Snaith joined the existing drummer on a second kit, and with a drop of the bass, the dancefloor erupted. How could four men with only a handful of instruments create such an epic sound? It was beyond me. “Found Out” (Swim, 2010) and “All I Ever Need” (Our Love, 2014) provided a brief reprieve, although in the cavernous Forum Theatre, the sound for both songs was epic. “Leave House” (Swim, 2014) saw Snaith again take his seat at the drums – after kicking back and surveying his band and smiling, he took up his sticks once more and launched into more double drumming. |
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It’s rare to see drums with an electronic act (Little Dragon, Cut Copy and The Presets being other, notable exceptions), however this was the first time I’d seen double drums. It was incredible.
“Kaili” (Swim, 2010) and “Back Home” (Our Love, 2014) rounded out the middle of the set before the familiar refrain of “Odessa” (Swim, 2010) plunged the dance floor once more into chaos - people on shoulders, hands in the air… the place went nuts.
“Kaili” (Swim, 2010) and “Back Home” (Our Love, 2014) rounded out the middle of the set before the familiar refrain of “Odessa” (Swim, 2010) plunged the dance floor once more into chaos - people on shoulders, hands in the air… the place went nuts.
In contrast, “Your Love Will Set You Free” opened almost too quietly. I could hear the people behind me talking as the band dropped back to half the volume and intensity of the previous song. I thought it was a sound issue – but it wasn’t. Halfway through, the drums kicked in again and we were back on track. It was a clever ploy to give the set light and shade; to let the audience go, before reeling them back in again. Genius.
It was at this point that I began to feel as though the audience were holding back a little; they were waiting for the song they really wanted to hear. Considering “Can’t Do Without You” (Our Love, 2014) has been on high rotation on triple j for over six months, there’s little doubt that song would end the show on a high. And it did. The moment the familiar, looped “can’t do without…” vocals begun, the crowd gave 110% to the band, who in turn gave 120% back, Snaith’s delicate vocals providing a stunning counterpoint for the pounding bass.
It was at this point that I began to feel as though the audience were holding back a little; they were waiting for the song they really wanted to hear. Considering “Can’t Do Without You” (Our Love, 2014) has been on high rotation on triple j for over six months, there’s little doubt that song would end the show on a high. And it did. The moment the familiar, looped “can’t do without…” vocals begun, the crowd gave 110% to the band, who in turn gave 120% back, Snaith’s delicate vocals providing a stunning counterpoint for the pounding bass.
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Walking offstage to rapturous applause, there was little doubt they would return for one final song. And they did. Smiling and waving as they returned, they launched into an extended version of “Sun” (Swim, 2010), which again featured double drums and descended into a crazy jam, reminiscent of Underworld at their peak.
As I looked across the heaving dancefloor in the show’s closing moments, all I could think was one thing… “Reach for the lasers. Safe as f*ck.” (Human Traffic, 1999). Phoebe Dubar |
Caribou live at The Forum, Melbourne. Image courtesy of speakertv.com
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Read Phoebe's review of the Caribou album Our Love here.