Saturday 8th June 2019
Kevin Parker, take a bow.
It’s hard to imagine how his incomprehensible genius will translate to a live audience; his dream-pop beats and tranquil vocal may have seemed lost when taken out of their comfort zone of needle hitting groove.
But in the arena setting, Parker was awe-inspiring. Mountains of confetti, a staggering laser display and plenty of sonic impact made waves at London’s iconic O2 venue, his presence simplistically stunning.
Opening with ‘Let It Happen’, the set was predominantly Currents tracks, the first choice setting a fantastical precedent for a night sonically mirroring the brilliance of the 2015 album, with the added bonus of Parker’s crystal clear delivery and spine-tingling tone.
New tracks ‘Patience’ and ‘Borderline’ were warmly received as they matched the psychedelia of older material, while adding a zesty freshness to the setlist. They also worked beautifully in contrast to stomping ‘Elephant’, adding texture and emotion to the seamless run of trippy records.
Naturally, encore choices ‘Feels Like We Only Go Backwards’ and ‘New Person, Same Old Mistakes’ were highlights, as the venue erupted into a celebratory buzz at Parker’s announcement that they would be “back soon, with much more music for you.”
His charming Australia wit shone through on an evening of undulating dream sequences and riffs, and I can’t wait to hear what graces our eardrums next.
Simply sublime.
9/10
Cosmic Jive 