THE GLITCH MOB w/ PHANTOGRAM & COM TRUISE
@ THE MOD CLUB THEATRE, TORONTO
JULY 28, 2011
The Glitch Mob took over a small chunk of Toronto when taking the stage at College Street’s renowned Mod Club Theatre. Originally slated to perform at 69 Bathurst the venue change was last-minute and a bit confusing. The only explicable reason that the move had occurred is that ticket sales had simply surpassed the capacity at the original club and a larger area was needed to compensate for the crowd. The move proved to be worth the confusion in the end, and fans of the band were more than capable of figuring out the venue switch-up. A smattering of people filed into the club, not so much a crowd that looked geared to see a concert but more like an assemblage of drinkers, friends and low-key club-goers. The stage revealed only one-third of its area cleared, the back two-thirds lay in quiet chaos with an enormous amount of drop-cloths covering… something big.
Com Truise took the stage with a whimper of an entrance that was only noted at first by a handful of people. Standing behind a tightly crowded series of CPU’s, monitors and an electronic percussion-pad he proceeded to slowly get things moving. Electronic beats and digital loops began filling the hall, all the while escalating as he tweaked and fiddled with his dials. The set ended with a fizzle as a muffled “thankyoutoronto” (small caps intended) was shyly murmured into the microphone as Com Truise left the stage. Next on the docket was Phantogram. This band typically works as a duo with a sequenced electronic percussion providing the backbeat. However, this tour included a live component with session-drummer Tim Oakley filling in for the computer. Sarah Barthel played with sequenced repeats of her own vocals, filtered through microphones and a midi-system that provides richness to her repeated ‘sound bites’. The live percussion gave the music a raw quality that bounced nicely off of the modern synthed sounds that she created. Filling the final void was Josh Carter’s sharp and pronounced guitar-work and intermittent vocal add-ons. This set became something of a lovely surprise. The energy in the room had quickly grown and the crowd’s response to the music was becoming enthusiastic and upbeat. The combination of the three live components and the electronic core made for a fantastic opening act, one that now seemed aptly chosen to set things up for the headliners.
The Glitch Mob’s entrance was led in by the removal of the canvas drop-cloths, revealing three massive diamond-shaped metallic units that took over the foreground of the stage. Beside and behind each of these lay a crowd-faced touch-pad computer panel and simple drum kit. Something special was about to happen – we just didn’t know exactly what it was yet. Instantly the diamond-shaped monoliths emitted a sequenced light show that began a countdown, all led by a numbered LED sequence coming from the center panel. The timer hit ‘0’ as the three members of the band had taken their positions on-stage. All-hell instantly broke out once the first electronic pulse hit the crowd. The intro led into Glitch’s remix of Daft Punk’s “Derezzed,” and from that moment on the night was set in fevered motion. The band played crowd-pleasers from their earlier works, plus some new soon-to-be favourites from their recently released EP, We Can Make the World Stop. The Glitch Mob conveys something truly great in a live performance – something that lacks certain ‘oomph’ within their studio recordings. Pure energy filled the air for their entire twenty-song set (that’s right – twenty songs), and for the duration of their presence everyone’s eyes were glued to the stage. Beat-driven electronica with a remarkably controlled touch-pad rhythmic pace guaranteed non-stop liveliness that evening. The combination of percussive moments with the electronic mayhem that drove the entire session provided an exciting onslaught of live music, all of which was clearly enjoyed by the masses. Finishing with a three-song encore the verbal intro “This track is for those who love grimy bass!” gave way to their electro-nightmare version of “Seven Nation Army”; a track that once again fed the frenzied crowd then dropped them like a wet rag as they left the stage.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan or lightweight follower of what The Glitch Mob produces, the massively energetic live performance that these guys put on is one that will suck you in without remorse. Some sound advice – take in all of the studio recordings that The Glitch Mob have made to date and then set your sights for the next live performance. Prepare to become a believer.
The Glitch Mob Setlist
Intro
Daft Punk – Derezzed Remix
Animus Vox
Warrior Concerto
Fortune Days
We Swarm
Drum Solo
TVOTR – Red Dress Remix
How To Be Eaten By A Woman
Nalepa – Monday Remix
A Dream Within A Dream
Starve The Ego Feed The Soul
Palace Of The Innocents
DSP Solo
Fistful Of Silence
Matty G – West Coast Rocks Remix
STS9 – Beyond Right Now Remix
Encore:
Drive It Like You Stole It
We Can Make the World Stop
White Stripes – Seven Nation Army Remix
Artist Links
Background Photo Credit: Stephen Lussier
