Allright, I promised to write a review, so here we go!
After last year's amazing Ally Pally gig, I knew that I definitely wanted to see them again this year, the UK gigs provided a great opportunity. Originally, I wanted to go to the Glasgow, as I could combine this with a trip around Scotland, but I hesitated too long and then the standing tickets were already gone. Since no London gig was announced that time, I then bought tickets for Birmingham, the most convenient one to get to from London. Lucky for me, before I booked any hotels or flights, the show in London was announced and so there was a chance to see the Chems two days in a row!
When I arrived in Birmingham, on the way to the hotel I walked by a Christmas Market and read labels like "Glühwein", "Bratwurst", "Knoblauchbrot" and so on, it hit me after a few seconds, wait, why do all stands have their labels in German when I'm in the UK? Turns out that Birmingham hosts the largest German Christmas Market outside of Germany and Austria
After I spent Friday walking Birminghams lovely canals and visiting the Museum and Art Gallery (I just love that many museums in the UK are admission free), it was time for the main act, round one.
Upon entring the Arena, the tunes of the 2manydjs set could be heard, but the stage was completely covered in smoke, thick enough not to see anything, so I actually ended up a little bit further from the stage than I usually prefer. I think that both 2manydjsand James Holroyd were great support acts!
Finally, Tom and Ed entered the stage and the venue erupted in cheers!
I have to say that the first few songs are the weakest part of the show, Go somehow just doesn't work live, which is surprising to me as I really like the track. However I prefer the studio version to the Edge of Control mix. There are also barely any transitions between the first three songs, unusual compared with the magic they often work when changing from one song to another. The intro feels a little bit serrated and unsettled compared to previous setlists.
Nevertheless, this did not hinder me enjoying the show, and the energy picked up soon with MAH, which are the most brutal, in-your-face beats second to probably only Don't Think. It pairs well with EML Ritual, hopefully Bango gets it own space next year (The visuals are probably a teaser). The mellow duo of Swoon and Star Guitar offer a space to breathe before Got To Keep On, the grooviest track they've ever played, comes on. Oh what fun this is to dance to!
The seque into Hey Boy Hey Girl is perfect, here I really like the new added elements. Eve Of Destruction is as amazing as I expected it to be live. Saturate is as lovely as ever and with the Balloons fully immerses the crowd in the visuals. The crowd just loves to watch them bounce around and push them back in the air if they happen to fall anywhere near.
No Geography is waaaayyy to short. Escape Velocity feels a bit toned down compared to previous years? Next on are the Robots, and it still gives me goosebumps when they appear out of the mist. After a song like Under The Influence, it might be difficult to kick up the pace but the energetic Get Up On It Like This/Dig Your Own Hole with their new Chemathlon visuals achieves that. Wide Open now brings you down to Earth a little bit with it's gentle and cozy rave. I want to hug that song. The last part before the break is probably the oldest part of the show (in that it is pretty much unchanged since 2015?), but it's still very enjoyable and I understand that Galvanize and Block Rocking Beats are (together with Hey Boy Hey Girl) the biggest crowd-pleasers in the Chems catalogue. There's a fun new acid-ish synth added to Galvanize which I haven't heard before.
At this point I'm already exhausted (in a good way) and quite thankful for the break.
Not for long though, and the wormhole visuals and catchy synths and beats of Got Glint draw you right back into the music. Catch Me I'm Falling is similar to Wide Open, with the melancholy ghost dancers serving as a reminder that soon, all good things must come to an end. Which is, of course, the crazy psychedelic masterpiece of The Reel. Love is all.
On my way back to the hotel I could barely believe that just the next day, I will experiencing everything again. My muscles, sore from dancing, can go suck it.
Side note here: do not, I repeat, do not go into the central part of London on the first Christmas shopping weekend. It's more crowded than any arena dancefloor and the music is definitely not nearly as fun.
The setlist in London was, of course, the same, but it felt like there were small differences all over the place. Let me just tell you that it is absolutely worth it going to multiple gigs, if you ever have the chance to.
This time, I was further up the front, even though the Arena was packed, it did not feel suffocating. Maybe it was because of the sheer size of the venue, but the vibe throughout the whole gig was just breathtaking. The whole place just lit up along with the music, there was barely anybody not moving, even in the seating balconys.
I won't go into detail again, so here are just some pictures for you to enjoy:
Sorry for the long post. I always feel that my words are completely inadequate to describe the bliss this music brings me (especially when experienced live), so I hope it's not boring to read.
TL, DR: I absolutely loved the shows. Count me in again next year
