Photo: wenn.com
It’s the penultimate night of the iTunes Festival 2012 – the evening before Muse bring a month of free music to a most bombastic end. But before Muse blow the Camden Roundhouse into outer space, Hot Chip stand before us as five very Earthly fellows.
Too much has been written about Hot Chip seeming the unlikeliest of pop stars. They’re a very English band, and the words ‘geek chic’ get thrown around a lot. But it’s not a contrived effort – they’re just ordinary-looking blokes who make extraordinary-sounding pop.
And for tonight at least, their knack for a hook and the connection with their audience is undeniable.
Sure, with their portly figures, 1980s gameshow attire and beards, they look uncomfortable on magazine covers – but never on stage. The skin that they live in is enough of a vehicle for the sort of music that runs through that vein of universal melody that endures.
Laced with intricate and tribal beats, Hot Chip call on all of the greatest tricks in the book to turn the most majestic Roundhouse into an all-out rave - all at once channelling everyone from the Human League, New Order, and Daft Punk to Lipps Inc, Prince and the Bee Gees.
With their awesome disco dynamics on full show, the Roundhouse is treated to a grand greatest hits display. From the glitchy but shimmering funk loveliness of 'Don’t Deny Your Heart' to the polished but pounding dancefloor odysseys of 'Night and Day' and 'I Feel Better', the band utterly dominate the stage with every moment.
The sharp and glossy sound showcased perfected in the now anthemic 'Over and Over' may seem entirely at odds with their awkward and nerdy appearance. But just look at the reaction from London tonight: it doesn’t matter what face you put on it – a good time is a good time.
Leave all your irony at the door. Hot Chip are not here for some kind of ironic pastiche of cheesy sounds gone by. This is just sincere and solid-gold pop.
