Friday 13/10/06 Hot Chip, Junior Boys @ Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

The NME will likely lead you to believe that Hot Chip are leading the so called ‘new rave’ scene, drilling the charges such as Klaxons and Shitdisco with their experience. Judging by the sold out crowd tonight Hot Chip are less ‘new rave’ and more middle aged, ok late 20s and early 30s isn’t strictly a middle aged crowd but its hardly got the youthful exuberance of a My Chemical Romance throng has it? Hot Chip are probably uninterested in how the press see them, their music is unashamedly true to themselves and it this value which is inadvertently striking a chord with the public. 

Beardy Canadian pair the Junior Boys are the only support act and it is easy to see why they’re here. They’re not like for like but they are at least in the same postcode as Hot Chip producing an electro-pop sound which slowly gains an audience as they progress. Jeremy Greenspan and Matthew Didemus have presumably barred their tour drummer from becoming a permanent Junior Boy until he has achieved significantly more man fuzz but all of this is irrelevant as the set perks up to ‘Like A Child’ half way through. The keyboards and electronics clash perfectly to produce the catchiest tune of the set. They hover around Daft Punk at points but their eclectic mix will likely find acclaim for its originality amongst those in the know. 

Hot Chip’s recent acclaim has presumably secured a few more pennies in their pockets as they play tonight with an impressive light show and screen above the stage. Their stage set up is an array of keyboards, drum machines and good old fashioned guitars and it makes for an extremely busy feel. The music takes no time in flowing sublimely with miniscule front man Alexis Taylor sounding note perfect as the first big cheer of the night is reserved for ‘Boy From School’. With so much multi instrumentalism going on you might expect a cluttered sound but it is evident from the first note Hot Chip are well honed live artists. It is their latest album cuts such as ‘Colours’ and ‘No Fit State’ which finally set the crowd alight with even the odd glowstick being snapped into life to compliment the ambiance. Visually it is intense and exciting even when the set slows because there is so much to see, be it the members bouncing around the stage and crossing over positions or the vibrant lighting which illuminates the whole spectacle.