I Heart Me My Robots

First things first, Daft Punk made ALL the rock kids dance in Seattle!!!!!!!  Did they ever!!
Was there any verbal communication with the audience?  Between song banter?  Even a set closing thank you?  Nope, nope, and nope.  Did it matter? NO WAY!!!  Robots aren't that well known for talking are they anyway?  At least not French ones that make silent films.  Robots that can make you rock can do whatever they want!
Daft Punk opened with 'Robot Rock' from atop their pyramid - one outfitted in silver, the other in gold as per usual - do you think they ever change it up and switch colors with eachother?  Everyone was going CRAZY!  Even though there was no room what-so-ever to dance for those packed in in the front, they danced.  There was crowd surfing.  Their light show was as uber-impressive as it's been billed - the pyramid lit up, there was lighting in the construction around them, and on the screen behind them. 

For 'Technologic' the screen behind them lit up in red, while the lyrics read out in black across it.

The silhouettes of everyone's outstretched arms was sometimes cast on the pyramid when the lights went down at the right angle.
Their set was like one of live mash-ups - of their own songs! - all their songs blending into one another and back again - "Brainwasher" with "Prime Time of Your Life", "Face to Face" with "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger."
"Oh Yeah" and "Around the World" snuck their way in multiple times.
The last song of their set was 'Human After All' and the pyramid changed from showcases various light designs to showing images of human faces.  Clever :)

They left the stage flashing diamond symbols, which the audience threw right back at them. 

Do you think Kanye West is 'The Brainwasher'?
 
For their encore their suits were lit up in red - something they apparently didn't do when they did Coachella in 2006. 

They left the stage to 'One More Time' - very appropriate as they'd already played it as apart of their regular set, then turned to reveal that "Daft Punk" was written in red lights on the backs of their robot suits.

Some more of my photos can be seen over at Pitchfork.
 
Seattle's Daft Punk show was a testament to the sidebar on this site - finding a way in anyways.
Getting in was an adventure.  First I pitched it to Pitchfork, but by the time I had earlier this month, they'd just assigned it to another photographer, so I then tried for this blog and heard nothing until a week before the show that my request of two tickets and a photopass had been received.  Then I got word from Pitchfork that Capitol wouldn't be getting them into the LA show due it being packed, packed, packed [Seriously - they couldn't even fit Pitchfork in for LA?  Seriously?] so was I still up for shooting Seattle?  Um. . . YEAH!  Tyler, one of my editors joked/wasn't joking saying if I couldn't do it, he'd fly in from Chicago to be there.  Everyone's excitement for seeing Daft Punk is so intense - I love it!
So I offered Aaron my plus one, and told him not to buy a ticket as he was previously planning to do.  Only when I got confirmation, I didn't have a plus one.  Of course the publicist at Capitol didn't tell me this until Thursday by which time the show was already sold out.  Eeek!  You can't take the Daft Punk live experience away from someone!  They NEVER tour!  So the plan was to give him my ticket, and since for the first time like ever in my concert photography experience the guidelines specified that photographers could be in the pit the entire show, just make Wamu Theatre let me in on just a photopass which works in smaller venues, since I wouldn't be standing in the ticketed area anyway.
While that plan works, this was kind of too big of a show for it not to work seeing as I was on assignment and it's freaking Daft Punk, so there was a little (read:semi-major) stress in regards to getting in.
So my plan was for us to approach the box office together with the part of my email that shows my request for two tickets and her reply saying I was on the list and conveniently not the follow up that clarified it was only one ticket, so it'd be easier to argue - 'hey there are two of us up from Portland for this show and there's supposed to be two tickets', but alas Aaron was still in between Olympia and Tacoma at the time I stepped up at 8 o'clock. 
When I got to the window I was handed an envelope with my name and writing on the outside saying "one ticket," which it contained, but when I opened the envelope with my pass - it has a comp ticket stapled to it!  Score!!
So I stood in line for the ATM before entering, getting cash to buy merch only to notice I had forgotten my lens!  So... yeah, I missed the Rapture's set.
I took a bus back to my mom's apartment and then began to bus it back, but started getting ancy, so I got off (oh - and look what I found when I did) and took a cab and when I got there SebastiAn was overhead and for a couple minutes I was like - 'Why did I just spend money on a cab when nothing is happening?  I could've bussed it all the way' - not knowing the Rapture had already taken the stage.  3 minutes later lights go down and the pyramid is lit.  SO GLAD I took a cab!!!!
In it, the cab driver asked if I was going to the show and when I replied yes, he asked who it was.  he didn't know who Daft Punk were, but I kinda knew he did if I mentioned the right thing:
"You know that Victoria's Secret commercial a few years ago with Giselle dancing on a chair?"
"Yeah!"
"That song - "One More Time," was by Daft Punk."
 
I just remember buying Discovery in HMV in London in 2002.  I didn't really get it at first, but when I realized all the songs were supposed to sound the same, I got it.  I really got it.  I got into Homework from there, and then Human After All when it was released, which I thought sounded like a prequel to Discovery as opposed to post-Discovery.  Love love loved it!
I'll also never forget the James Murphy interview quote of when he met them they said, "That's the first song that's been written about us," in regards to 'Daft Punk is Playing at my House' and he was like "First song?  Are they expecting more?" hahahaha
And I really think a part of why their coolness factor hasn't diminished throughout the years has a lot to do with their helmets if not their skills as one Seattle newspaper noted in their preview - with the helmets, we've never seen them physically age as we have with other acts.

Their work is never over.  May that always hold true!

'Digitial Love' Daft Punk MP3

'Face to Face' Daft Punk MP3

Kanye West 'Stronger' music video:

Giselle getting her dance on in that Victoria's Secret commercial:

Daft Punk rock Gap with Juliette Lewis:

Comments

[kat]

Fuck, I'm going to erupt. THREE MORE SLEEPS TILL I SEE DAFT PUNK!!!!!!

[Joee Irwin]

i like how you got in...i jumped over a fence

[me]

www.theworldisdaft.com