TV On The Radio

It’s 1994 and I’m perched up in the wings at the Britxon Academy with my Dad watching The Cult melt the faces and burn the ear canals of all those in attendance. This was the last time I had to leave a concert early - health and safety concerns surrounding my pre-teen ears with excessive amounts of rock forcing us onto the streets of Brixton halfway through the evening.

In eardrum-pummeling terms, this date has now been brought forward to the 13th July 2009 with the culprits this time Brooklyn’s indie-synth sweethearts TV On The Radio [TVOTR]. Though this time I couldn’t bring myself to leave early.  Not even during the evening’s final song could I peel myself away from the sticky floor of Brixton’s Academy to save what was left of my hearing. Because TVOTR are just too bloody good live to walk away from, damn them.

Opening up slowly with ‘Love Dog‘, taken from last year’s magnificent Dear Science, was an inspiring move. Most TVOTR live virgins would probably expect an evening of silky, synthy textural delights that would find them loving and caressing the soul and ‘Love Dog’ does just that. Yet as soon as ‘The Wrong Way’ smashes open the windows and runs kicking and screaming into the O2 Brixton Academy you got the impression that for all their posturing and majesty on record, TVOTR are a genuine live act to behold.   One that doesn’t need the clean-sheen magic of David Andrew Sitek’s studio wizardry when confronted with an overly packed, overly-plaid Academy. 

They aren’t here to replicate those records.  They’re here to melt faces, damage some hearing and get those Converse covered feet moving.  And they do just that, with an almost effortless wonderment.  

Frontman Tunde Adebimpe stomps and twists his way around the stage, interweaving with the visually flooring light show like an American Apparel sponsored Sid Vicious, as the rest of the band bring a different class of energy to a set list which spans the bands 8 year tenure.

Dance floor classics ‘Golden Age’ and ‘Wolf Like Me’ suddenly evolve to near moshpit inducing anthems before Kyp Malone insights a 5,000 people dance-a-long riot to Dear Science highlight ‘Red Dress‘. With the sweat still dripping from the pasty faces staring up at them, TVOTR invite support act The Noisettes up onstage to fill any possible space left as they run through Return To Cookie Mountain gem ‘A Method’ before bringing the curtain down on an ear-achingly impressive evening with set-closing staple, and audience favourite, ‘Staring At The Sun.’

TV On The Radio are a band to behold live.  A band so different from their studio efforts it’s like getting two great bands for the price of one. And if there is something the musical world could benefit from right now and that is more TV On The Radio.

Now pass me the painkillers, my ears are ringing like a school bell at the close of a school term.  God bless Rock and Roll.

Setlist:

Love Dog
The Wrong Way
Golden Age
Crying
Halfway Home
Wolf Like Me
Dirtywhirl
Province
Shout Me Out
Dancing Choose
Red Dress
Satellite

Encore:
Family Tree
A Method
Staring At The Sun