Justice @ KOKO Sept 6th
(ok so I'm not known for my photography skills (you should try taking a pic with 20 elbows in your face) )
My ears are still ringing, I feel slightly disoreintated, have cuts and bruises everywhere and have had just 2 hours sleep in the last day and its all down to a couple of cheeky frenchmen called Xavier and Gaspard.
Arriving finally behind a platform so packed with flashing nobs and switches it would put the Millennium Falcon to shame, the pair of electro rockers arrived cooly at their DJ throne, separated by the iconic figure of the illuminated crucifix.
The set played out in a similar order to the album. When originally planning what order the tracks should go in on the album, the two sat down and scribbled graphs. The Y axis would represent intensity, the X, length.
To start with purpose and get the wheels in motion was the first aim, which is delivered via a powerful punch of 'Genesis'. As expected, the album opener topped the tracklisting for the gig too. Next came the middle tracks which allowed for greater experimentation, a more varying style and tempo. Not everything has to be floor filling iconic dance anthems after all - check. On the night this was achieved through a spout of remixes and more mixing than you could keep track of. And finally, the dance innovators planned to finish the album with a high and something to remember them by. Last night this came through an unreleased version 'Never Be Alone', spliced with the Klaxons' 'Atlantis to Interzone' and topped with a few rippling, reverberating 'Waters of Nazareth' effects.
But you can't help but think they're trying to ditch the club favourite single that launched them into the MTV limelight. It was certainly left from the album for good reason when you consider the construction of the LP and how it works from one track to the next. With its simple dance-based rather than rock inspired core and repetitive club chorus there's just no home for it. Live is a different story though and it was appreciated by die hard fans or justice novices alike.
