"We'll keep doing this if you guys keep showing up" James Murphy told the crowd early into night one of their now standing tradition of performing through the holiday season in New York. What began with runs of shows at Brooklyn Steel, briefly expanded to Terminal 5 and Knockdown Center for the Tri Boro Tour edition and has now settled in the Queens warehouse. It's been a long time since LCD Soundsystem put out a new album and now they're touring with a bit more regularity so if you've seen the band at all in the past four years, the band hasn't changed things up too much. For the most part, they stick to their biggest hits and weave in some other tracks throughout the set and they always close with one of the most epic finishes I've come to experience. It might sound repetitive and at this point no longer exciting to see almost the same show over and over, but if that's what you're thinking, you've clearly never seen LCD Soundsystem live. In the same way we watch the same holiday movies every year or celebrate other annual traditions that come at this time, seeing LCD in New York for the holidays is now one of my favorite events. Starting off strong, the band dove straight into "Tribulations" and immediately sent us into a tailspin with the throbbing beat echoing throughout the hall and the lights pulsing along to the incredible bass. "Movement" carried the momentum, the vintage hits crushing right in their sweet spot, the band's undeniable power coming through with fantastic form from the jump. One thing about the band being back on stage so much more often now is how they just continue to hit their stride, no more shows to shake off the dust, they're primed and ready from the get go. Dipping into a little bit of Kraftwerk, Murphy knocked out the opening of "The Model" before segueing perfectly into "I Can Change" which lit up the dance floor and sparkled with joy as the mirror ball got put to work. Really bringing out the vibes of Talking Heads' Fear of Music, "Other Voices" was an unexpected highlight of the night giving funky rhythms and delicious grooves. After the first set break, the band returned and for a brief moment, I thought they were hitting us with another Kraftwerk moment via "Autobahn," but it was just the lead in to "Oh Baby" and made realize how I'd never made the connection between those songs before. The song continues to be such a bright spot and a nice breather in their set which was instantly waved when they whipped up "new body rhumba" which quickly had things moving once again. The inclusion of the first two parts of "45:33" was a nice change-up and really let you get lost in the groove and of course it naturally transitioned into the glowing beat of "Someone Great," making for one of the most thrilling moments of the night as the room was overcome with emotions and states of total bliss. "I know what's coming next and I couldn't be more excited" my friend said to me at the end of the second set break as we geared up for the infamous finale that now concludes every LCD set. I agreed. I am not the fan who looks up the set list in advance and prefer to be surprised and delighted in the moment, but this doesn't impact my feelings towards the last few songs of their shows. I know exactly what to expect and every time I look forward to it like it's the first time. In a bit of a surprise, the band came back with "North American Scum," a song that finally seems to be getting included in more and more sets (thank you, James!) and really enhances the vibes. Sadly, it gets a bit stalled when the band insists on playing their latest, and worst, single "x-ray eyes," the slogging tune I wish they'd get over and replace with something like "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House" to really maximize the finish. Regardless, all is forgiven when the opening to "Dance Yrself Clean" kicks in and last ride of the show begins. The three song close out couldn't be more perfect and each time the magic holds. Nothing about the sequence of these songs ever loses its luster and each time the excitement comes through with unfiltered joy. The beat drop in "Dance Yrself Clean" remains one of the most thrilling experiences in live music and hearing "New York I Love You" in the city never misses. Of course its the generational anthem and best song of the 21st Century, "All My Friends" that forever brings the house down. It's the song I've seen performed the most by any band and it's something I can't wait to experience again. LCD Soundsystem remain timeless and the gift that keeps on giving.
Set list:
02 "Movement"
03 "Tonite"
04 "I Can Change"
05 "Other Voices"
06 "Get Innocuous!"
07 "Yr City's a Sucker"
08 "Time to Get Away"
09 "You Wanted a Hit"
10 "Home"
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11 "Oh Baby"
12 "new body rhumba"
13 "45:33 Part One"
14 "45:33 Part Two"
15 "Someone Great"
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16 "North American Scum"
17 "x-ray eyes"
18 "Dance Yrself Clean"
19 "New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down"
20 "All My Friends"
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