LCD Soundsystem at Brixton Academy
Intimacy is a currency that’s becoming obsolete in 2025, and beyond the parasocial relationships artists unwittingly enter into with their fans, there isn’t much out there that measures up to the bond forged during a concert. But it’s hard to do that on an arena stage, and LCD Soundsystem know that.
Returning to Brixton Academy for another of their now-legendary residencies, they are here to re-establish this intimacy over eight joyous nights. Night four, a Sunday, was no exception. It’s hard to take a band for granted when you know they are the greatest live band in the world, and a show like this – a two-hour, sweat-soaked, exuberant dance party – only affirms that claim.
The scene is set by Friedberg, who take on the enormously daunting task of warming up the crowd, and do so effortlessly. Anna F’s crystal-clear vocals cut through a sound laden with catchy riffs, syncopated krautrock rhythms, and enough cowbell to make James Murphy crack a smile. It’s hard to believe there are only four of them onstage, but with a tour with Hot Chip under their belt, it’s clear why they were chosen to open the first half of the residency. Their short set comprises mostly songs from their latest record, Hardcore Workout Queen, but what really shines is their cover of Grauzone’s Eisbär and their closing song, Midi 8, which are enough to stir up even the surliest audience members into a little boogie.
When LCD Soundsystem hit the stage for their two-hour set, the audience is asked to refrain from filming the show and be present instead, a welcome move that eliminates the usual sea of screens. The room erupts with cheers when the opening lines of Kraftwerk’s The Model morph into the intro of I Can Change. An early curfew means LCD have to lead this dance party while the sun blazes outside, but nobody is fazed, dancing with abandon to favourites You Wanted a Hit and Tribulations as if transported to a sweaty, late-night basement show.
Under their emblematic disco ball, the group are at home onstage, playful yet impeccably in tune with each other as they blaze through a setlist stacked with crowd-pleasers old and new. The audience tries to keep up with James Murphy’s signature ad-libs as he takes turns hitting cowbells, high kicking Pat Mahoney’s crash cymbal, and giving constant nods to Nancy Whang, whose impossibly cool presence is also a grounding force.
The encore starts with North American Scum, joined by Friedberg on backing vocals, ending on a high with Dance Yrself Clean, New York, I Love You… and All My Friends. When LCD play their hits, they don’t do it as a favour to their fans; it’s an exchange. It’s a recognition of the alchemic power of the moments where the band and the audience are one, the very moments that make every single one of their shows memorable.
Antigoni Pitta
Photos: Guifre de Peray
For further information and future events, visit LCD Soundsystem’s website here.
Watch the video for All My Friends here:
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