Liquid Liquid live
Liquid Liquid’s sprawling influence stretches from LCD Soundsystem to Bloc Party and back across the Atlantic to modern New York hip-hop, meaning that although most of the songs performed tonight are largely unknown and over 25 years old, there’s a queasy familiarity to the sound. The result is that watching these sharp-suited 50-somethings play lick after lick of tight, punky house music and dub feels a bit like witnessing an old magician from yesteryear come out of retirement to debunk all his progeny’s tricks.
But aside from the history lesson, what is so refreshing here is to see relentless, aggressive and futuristic-sounding dance music played entirely organically, without an electronic instrument in sight. Nothing here is programmed. The drummer is not wearing headphones. He is not playing to a pre-ordained click. With these old hands, what you see is what you get – a single, four-headed organism, thumping drums, marimbas, bass guitars and all manner of percussion to create the most natural dance music you’ll ever come across.
