Type – Synth-pop, live band, house, contemporary and electronic music
If you liked – Moby; Pet Shop Boys; Fatboy Slim
HOT CHIP: JOY IN REPETITION: Dance, chill and get joyful with Hot Chip
Dubbed as “our favourite electro dads” by Double J radio station, Hot Chip delivered in spades last night with a nostalgic and euphoric 90 minutes of smooth synth pop. With over twenty years of house and dance music under their belts, it was rather like watching a performance by Kevin Rudd and Joe Hockey, only much cooler and more talented. Alexis Taylor’s unique lyrical voice, which has been and still is the highlight and touchpoint of their music, was in full flight. Joe Goddard in a onesie provided the counterpoint and together with their excellent band they filled the Concert Hall with their cheeky, bittersweet brand of electronica.
Aussie hip hop support trio Haiku Hands had the thankless task of warming up the initially sparse audience, and ably delivered on their brief. The people poured in after interval to catch the show they were really there to see. Mostly Gen X and Millennials, we were all well dressed and comfortable, compared to long-ago Hot Chip gigs where we sweated in the Boiler Room at a Big Day Out many summers ago. There was plenty to like in the music for the sprinkling of kids and Zoomers in the room as well, as Hot Chip’s music has a timeless, shimmering quality that has proven itself to withstand the cruel tests of time. This performance presented us with a twenty-year ‘greatest hits’ catalogue which showed itself to be smooth, fun, and sophisticated electro-pop.
Musical influences and keeping it fresh
In the radio interview, Taylor and Goddard revealed that their musical influences were as varied as Neil Young, Depeche Mode, New Order, Destiny’s Child and Prince. The well-loved songs were still fresh and lively, and they tend to change up a few things to keep them alive, but not so as to upset the fans. Everyone was on their feet from the get-go, and bopped and grooved non-stop until after the last encore.
With simple but effective lighting design – eight spotlights facing the audience, banks of square pixelated light boxes, they created a stadium feel that was helped further by the soaring ceiling of the Concert Hall. Goddard and Taylor didn’t waste time on chat between songs – they know what their audience wants and they gave us the music we wanted to hear. With four keyboards, several guitars and a real drummer, the music was immersive, although at times the vocals were lost somewhat, it didn’t seem to bother anyone at all!
Is HOT CHIP: JOY IN REPETITION Worth Seeing in SYDNEY?
I’m always amazed at the power of music to transport one back in time to a precise moment, just like a loved aroma or taste that takes you back to the moment you first experienced it. The warm familiarity of Hot Chip’s many hits created a blurry nostalgic glow that wasn’t all due to the dry ice machine that was set to max. The joy of repetition was blossoming in the Concert Hall, taking their fans back to younger, happy times.
Tickets and Practical Info for HOT CHIP: JOY IN REPETITION in SYDNEY 🎟️
Presented by Sydney Festival
Playing January 14 and 15 at Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall.
Run time:150 minutes, including 1 interval
Suitable for all ages
