One of the hottest days of summer isn't deterring any of the patrons heading to the Sydney Showground for the long awaited return of The Chemical Brothers.
The Presets warm-up the night (29 February) with a DJ set full of dark, fat twists and turns. The lights pump out yellow, white and red, and you can't stop yourself from dancing immediately. The venue is a huge warehouse called The Dome, setting a perfect scene for a long night of sweating your worries away.
The Chemical Brothers - image © Brayden Smith
The filtering and cuts are super clean and the tunes are quality, before a seemingly never ending rise results in one of the best drops of the night. The arena floods green for 'My People’. It's a beautiful collection of memories and a new memory all in one.
Surprisingly, The Presets throw in Nirvana's 'Lithium'. Time and space suspends, how long have we been here? They end their set with the coolest version of 'Killing In The Name' ever.
James Holroyd re-enters with an '80s vibe, and the blue soaked fog seeps among the crowd.
The Chemical Brothers commence with 'Go' as a pink silhouette of a man runs frenetically. 'Do It Again' and 'Get Yourself High' features a man with devil horns advising to do the latter, before laughing masks take over the screen. It is going to be a journey.
The Chemical Brothers - image © Brayden Smith
A bare waisted alien-faced man declares: 'I ain't gon take it no mah" and the jagged synth reverberates in your chest. He outstretches as the drop hits and white lasers shoot out at the crowd.
Thousands of bugs crawl out from behind the duo for 'No Reason', before a psychedelic marching band man stomps furiously. More marching men appear to inspire a Zumba style dance along, which is a lot of fun.
Vibrant bodies fly around as if inside a tornado, before Aurora makes a video appearance with a sci-fi helmet atop her head for 'Eve Of Destruction'.
The Chemical Brothers - image © Brayden Smith
A strange segment ensues for 'Feel Like I'm Dreaming' with a blue Asian man in a toga drinking from a goblet and some witchy women giving a lot of side eye. It is the least enjoyable part of the show.
'Swoon' offers a welcome reprieve and return to positive vibes as the synth glides up and down smoothly. The bass thuds in your chest for 'Star Guitar' as purple lasers fill the sky. It is truly beautiful.
A woman covered in red cylinders tells us: "Gotta keep on gettin' ya high," before some dancers in indescribable costumes dance fast then slow. Next, a woman swims through water, raising her arms in a beautifully artistic moment. A stunning drop bursts into golden sunlight as the high keys are played frenetically. The packed arena is enraptured.
The screen tells you to 'free yourself' before giant balloons are released into the crowd. They're an instant hit. "I walk through the valley of death every day of my life. I will fear no evil, for you are with me," cries a man in the song passionately. The audience cheers.
The Chemical Brothers - image © Brayden Smith
A love scene is followed by paint splotches. I have never seen a visual accompaniment to a show like this in my life. Gumby-like robots appears as lasers shoot out of their eyeballs, before 'Galvanize' enters and the crowd erupts. It's the most they've moved all night. 'Block Rockin' Beats' has a similar effect.
An extraordinarily long break ensues where a single beat pulses. Finally, a kaleidoscope of lasers shimmer as a woman says: "Let your heart see the colours all around you."
Closing track 'The Private Psychedelic Reel' features a story told through stained glass windows, surrounded by fluorescent red lights reminiscent of Luhrmann's 'Romeo + Juliet'.
An epic of mammoth proportions, visual aids aside, the music and craftsmanship is seamless. The Chemical Brothers are unlike anything seen before, and probably ever will be again.
