Review: Chase and Status at The Academy, 20th November 2011

Review by Oisin Tormey

A gig I’ve anticipated with great excitement since their memorable set at Oxegen this year, Chase and Status returned to Ireland for their first live show as headliners in a sold-out Academy setting, for what would hopefully be a repeat performance. And this was a repeat performance, in both pleasing and disappointing circumstances. Despite the fact that their songs have received heavy airplay since the first release of ‘End Credits’ in 2009, their second album which this tour is supporting was only released in January, and is one of the most commercially accessible albums of the year, gaining fans within the dance, pop and alternative genres while gaining more exposure playing festivals across the world. Tonight, however, the focus is completely on the band, and the crowd eagerly await their arrival.

Before the band take to the stage, the support act (and collaborator on ‘No More Idols) Delilah takes to the stage and plays an unmemorable five-song set which lacks the tempo or quality of the group who have brought her on tour. Her vocal range is powerful, but this doesn’t compensate for a monotonous and lifeless set, somewhat rescued at the very end by her performance of ‘Go’ which leads into a faster remix of the track to finally bring so life to the proceedings. Her music just didn’t seem suited to what you would expect of a Chase and Status support act, and is quickly forgotten about when the interval music finally brings some pace into what was a sluggish start to the night.

After a short wait, the venue goes dark, and all that can be seen is a white Chase and Status moniker behind the stage. The familiar drum beat of ‘No Problem’ begins, and finally, the gig is fully underway. The band makes great use of the screen behind them. With some acts unable to collaborate with them on the tour it is left to the screen to showcase their parts of the song. With ‘No Problem’, we get Takura dressed up in voodoo-like clothing intensely staring into the camera. It’s a chilling video, and one that works to make the song visually interesting. Hype man for the evening is MC Rage, who keeps the crowd as energetic as he is on stage. “Let’s get fuckin’ stupid, Dublin” he screams out, and the place erupts into a frenzy. It’s an explosive start to the night, and one which sets the tone for what was an enigmatic and confident performance from the group. Comprising in live form of Chase and Status behind desks mixing on either side of the stage, Rage spurring the crowd on as the profanity-filled front-man, and Andy Gangadeen inside a spherical hooped drum-set, it feels like they are the heirs to The Prodigy’s throne. Even ‘No Problem’ is reminiscent of the band in the ‘90s.

Next up is ‘Eastern Jam’, a track from their début album which fuses asian music with a hard dubstep drop. Despite much of the crowd being unfamiliar with the song, it’s one of their best of the night. Rage screams out “we stand together, we rave together”, and there is a communal feeling in the venue. The feeling is carnage, but it’s communal so it’s ok! ‘Fire In Your Eyes’ follows, and is a track which translates better to live performance than it did on CD. The guitar grinds throughout the track, and the drums pump deep into your skull. Again due to touring constraints, Maverick Sabre is not performing with the band, but is broadcast on the screen behind them. He’s not missed, however, as the band power on with a confident performance.

The screen isn’t needed for the next track fortunately, and Tempa T comes out for his part in ‘Hypest Hype’. The song is infectious, and a mosh pit develops towards the back of the floor. My only surprise is that one hasn’t started sooner. The gig pounds out hit after hit, but there is one problem with this. Besides adding a couple of extra songs to the set, it’s basically a repeat performance of the set that was seen at Oxegen five months ago. I was hoping for some changes in the set to keep it from becoming predictable, but it’s still only a minor grievance of what was another top performance by the group. There’s a slight blip when ‘Take Me Away’ and ‘Hocus Pocus’ are on, but the gig has been fast-paced since the beginning, so it’s to be expected. ‘Smash TV’ and ‘Pieces’ get the crowd back to their rabid selves just in time for ‘Let You Go’ to inspire hysteria, as the band go backstage for a quick breather, one which is needed all around The Academy.

The set changes to a much slower tempo for ‘Midnight Caller’ which sounds more like an 80’s ballad than a Chase and Status song. The already-packed toilets are calling for a visit. Delilah, as seen in the earlier five-song snooze-fest returns to the stage for two songs, and the improvement is clear very quickly. With a competent band behind her, and better songs she leaves the crowd with a better impression of her than they would’ve had from her opening set. She has great presence on stage, and it’s shamefully wasted on the average at best songs which she performed earlier in the night. Delilah leaves to a good response, and now it’s back to the hits as festival favourite ‘Blind Faith’ ends the main part of the set with a bang. We’re told Irish crowds are mental (something I wouldn’t disagree with amongst this group!) as the band leave and return abruptly for final song of the night ‘Fool Yourself’. Energetic only half describes it. The place is now as mental as C&S previously pretended it was, and this ends the night on an atmospheric high. Fantastic live presence but a predictable set, Chase and Status put on a great show. Festivals are usually used by bands to showcase and fine tune for their own gigs, but this gig was nearly a carbon copy of the one at Punchestown in July. Despite this, the band’s performance cannot be questioned, and their live show is one which will not disappoint. Now does anyone know a good remedy for ringing ears?

Setlist
1. No Problem #
2. Eastern Jam #
3. Fire In Your Eyes #
4. Hypest Hype (With Tempa T)#
5. End Credits #
6. Flashing Lights #
7. Hocus Pocus #
8. Take Me Away #
9. Brixton Briefcase
10. Smash TV
11. Pieces
12. Let You Go
13. Midnight Caller
14. Heartbeat (with Delilah)
15. Time (With Delilah)
16. Blind Faith
Encore
17.Fool Yourself#