Live at the Marquee season is quickly becoming a very important season for Corkonians. Each year, the good people at Aiken send a few greats (and a few not-so greats) down to The Showgrounds outside of Cork for a few weeks of immense shows. And the habitants of the Rebel County are grateful.
The past few years of the Marquee has seen Jay-Z, Kanye West, Bob Dylan, The Flaming Lips and a host of other artists took to the stage, and last night, French electro-dance duo Justice opened this year’s proceedings. It was a perfect choice of opener. Justice’s live set is really a sight to behold.
Turkish Cypriot, and London-based DJ, Erol Alkan warmed up the crowd, and given the torrential rain and storm winds that blew outside the arena, the warmth he provided was sorely needed. Erol’s presence confused some of the younger concert goers, as this attendee heard a few people shout “They’re on!” once they heard the DJ strike into his own brand of dubby, electronic disco.
The confusion didn’t last too long though. Because once Erol had finished his set, Justice followed quickly after, and no one was under any illusion that they had arrived. One of the promoters of the show mentioned to us before their set that he had overheard a conversation between the sound engineer and the lighting engineer during the soundcheck. The lighting guy was shouting at the sound guy to move his gear out of the way because “this isn’t a music show, it’s a lighting show.” And that is exactly right.
It’s hard to describe exactly how diverse and impressive Justice’s lighting show is. They do so much with so little. Gaspard and Xavier stand behind a desk of twinkling lights with their infamous Cross emblazoned on it, and they’re flanked by nine Marshall stacks on each side. At least they look like Marshall stacks. They are in fact packets of LEDs that light up with the music as the show progresses and becomes more intense.
Justice have wanted to capture the idea of ‘opera-disco’ since their debut LP, and their live show is an embodiment of that. Roughly halfway through their set, and during D.A.N.C.E, their little podium of lights opens up to reveal a piano surrounded by white light, which Gaspard proceeds to play during the song’s bridge. These are the kind of theatrics that ‘opera-disco’ gives us, and they are moments of pure magic.
Justice have kicked the Marquee off with one of the downright coolest shows that has ever been there. Their throbbing, glitching, off-the-wall electro lay down a warming blanket upon the crowd of thousands, and what more can you ask from the act who are perhaps the most interesting act to fill this year’s lineup. Absolutely gripping.
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