Hot Chip Brings Down The Haus

Electro nerds Hot Chip got the kids dancing last night. Kool Haus shows have never impressed me and so I wearily approached the evening. My fears were unfounded, the show was sweaty dance floor perfection. My previous encounter with Hot Chip was on the West Coast and was a show that I doubt could be rivaled. Evidently I was mistaken, as new hits, old hits and remixed tracks made for quite the night.

Although their most recent record, One Life Stand, is easy on the instant hits, Hot Chip crafted a brilliant set list that pulled the audience in tow. Indie darlings The XX opened the night with a mellow show. I am a quite the fan, however as an opener for such an upbeat band I found the mood deflated post-set. Yet as roadies changed instruments, tested mics and brought a trumpet on stage, the excitement rose. The crowd condensed. The anticipation was palpable. Before the vibe reached critical mass, the band took the stage and at once hit us with Hand Me Down Your Love. The crowd roared, feet flew, sweat spilled. Audiences such is this are why I so feverishly thirst for live shows. The venue was sold out, Hot Chip was privy to true fans.

Few words were spoken to the crowd. Joe Goddard meekly commented how he liked this crowd before launching into Over and Over. Electropop heaven, Kool Haus rose 20 degrees, steam lifted off the sheer friction of hipster on hipster. Clearly a fan favourite, everyone in sight belted out the lyrics. My voice is still raw.

Hot Chip feels like a band of remarkably talented backup artists. The ubiquity of their skill astounds, like a record they rotate vocals and instruments. These kids learned to share, the spotlight belongs to them all. Felix Martin rose from the drums, approached the microphone and took over for Alley Cats. With notable exception, drummers tend to draw little attention. For Hot Chip, the drummer’s talent is wasted on percussion alone.

Boy From School was lent a whole new sound. Normally a down tempo take on fleeting young love. Last night it was a pounding electronic hit. Hardly recognizable in this new form. I was soaking up the beat, believing it to be a new track before my ear caught the lyrics. The song is perfection in both incarnations but was aptly chosen to be an incendiary dance floor hit.

Like all concerts of worth, the end came too soon. There was no mistaking the crowd’s demand, Hot Chip was returning for an encore.

Three more songs came. No Fit State was a game changer, there wasn’t a still body in the house. But the culmination was the conclusion. Ready for the Floor’s reception was wild. Clearly I am not alone in my love for it. Alexis Taylor, in all his subdued geekyness took the lead. The build up was unrecognizable, and so all the more impactful when Alexis commanded the crowd to “do it, do it, do it now.”

Flawless concert. My faith in Torontonian crowds has been restored. Beyond musical fresh air, Hot Chip continues to command the electropop scene with pulsating beats and bizarre lyrics. All from a band one wouldn’t expect. No doubt in my mind, coolest nerds around.