Hot Chip in Charge

Last night I went to see Hot Chip. I interviewed Al and Alexis about their next album before the show (interview MP3 will be posted next week) then ran home, threw down my computer and headed back out in time to sneak right up front and catch Shy Child's (pictured above) set from beginning to end.
They are hot. Both musically and otherwise. They're on Epic Man's 679 label Good and Evil and will soon be releasing music through a PIAS offshoot.
They sound and look kinda like Supersystem crossed with Copy crossed with the Presets. Take away all of Supersystem's science influenced lyrics, keep the keytar of Copy and only have two people on stage making a hell of a lot of dance inducing noise and you've got Shy Child.
About two songs into their set when everyone was applauding, this really drunk guy-of course standing next to me-started yelling at them about how much they suck. He then said by suck he meant they were good as they rolled into another tune.

Their set was SO GOOD. I decided I want to stalk them out when I go to NYC in February as they hail from Brooklyn. Maybe take polaroids of them. For the last song which thankfully went on FOREVER-it was crazy good-they brought out a saxaphonist which reminded me of the other show in Portland last night that I skipped in favor of all that is Hot Chip-the Presets with the Rapture. Since I've already seen the Rapture twice and the Presets once, it wasn't too hard of a decision.
People kept screaming at the lead singer for him to blow the whistle around his neck until he finally did.
Whistle Whistle Blow Blow
During the change over, Al from Hot Chip came out to help the other techies and their tour manager. The drunk guy, while Al adjusted a cord, reached out and untucked Al's shirt from his pants!!! It was mortifying in that watching-cable-access kind of way-where you're so embarrassed for the people involved but it's also funny.
Hot Chip strutted out to an unlit stage and played 'Shake a Fist' as their first track. Next they launched in 'Boy From School' which had a much more upbeat vibe when played live-but that didn't interfer at all with the song's lyrical meaning.

I'd say their best songs of the night and the one's with most audience appreciation would have to be 'No Fit State' (one of my personal favorites both on record and in person) and 'Keep Fallin''. They also played 'Colours', 'Beach Party', and 'Out of the Picture' among others.

Drunk guy, aside from swinging into me non-stop also continued to annoy and harass the band. He went grabbing for set lists, then started pulling and shaking the mic base. At that point their tour manager Ian came into the crowd and told him he'd be thrown out if he did it again. Only a few seongs later, he picked something up off the stage and threw it at one of them. The guy asks in the mic "Did you just throw that at me?" and drunk guy goes "Yeah." As for me-yes every one was dancing like crazy, me included, but he was going a little overboard. I asked him if he could swing the other way (literally haha) and he then started screaming in my ear about how stupid I was. I think he should live in Scotland instead of Portland-it might be more suited to him.
The drunk guy climax occured when they walked off the stage before their encore. He got on stage and grabbed a set list for him and this girl standing next to him. The tour manager Ian came out and ripped it from her hands and put it back on stage, not having seen it was drunk guy who got it for her. Ian angrily walked back off stage, and drunk guy again got on stage and snatched back the set list! Security came out and removed him and everyone in the front row was relieved and laughing.

There was an audience call for 'Sexual Healing', but they laughed it off and stuck to the set list. Their final song for the sold-out night was an extended version of 'Over and Over' and if anyone needed any confirmation as to why to skip the Rapture for Hot Chip, they got it in that song. It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Afterwards I hustled into a cab as the concert got out at 12:30am, headed across the river and caught my final bus of the night completely buzzed to hopefully see them again soon. Coachella anyone? (Don't they seem like they were born to play there?)
I have been trying to see them FOREVER and thankfully I finally did!

'Technicrats' Shy Child MP3
(if you wanna hear Shy Child's tunes that sound more as how I described them in the second paragraph, listen here and here (html pages))

'Over and Over' Hot Chip MP3

(And if you know me, you know this post's title is an Uffie reference :)

Comments

[joe]

"I think he should live in Scotland instead of Portland-it might be more suited to him."

What the hell is that supposed to mean??

[Johnny Rocket]

Great write-up to an excellent show. I was several feet from drunk guy. I added to the chorus of laughter, I guess. Can't wait to see your polaroids from Brooklyn. My first time checking your blog. Nice to know there's finally one for PDX. I just started my own, but its in its infancy. Maybe I'll see you at some shows!

[Nilina]

At Joe-I take it you haven't lived in Glasgow? Well I have-for two years-and they are CRAZY drunk over there and constantly throw stuff at whoever is on stage-he'd blend right in! :)

And Johnny Rocket- I will be emailing you! Certainly hope to run into you at shows!!

[Jacque]

got a link to that al and alexis interview?