The Prodigy at Alexandra Palace

Pioneers of electronic music The Prodigy return for their second night at Alexandra Palace, performing their razor-sharp techno beats amidst a wild light show to rave fans.

As the glimmering silver curtain cascades, revealing black London buses, an array of lights flash on, backed by laser sounds, MC Maxim shouting the lyrics to Breathe, (Fat of the Land, 1997) alongside Keith Flint’s vocals, and co-founder Liam Howlett’s deep bass setting the night off. Resonate, off latest record No Tourists exemplifies The Prodigy as a band who are unafraid of extreme performance, showing the same frenzied energy after nearly three decades. The lyrics to Nasty (The Day Is My Enemy, 2015) are lost amidst the hard-core techno, but as with most Prodigy songs, the music is their essence. Second highlight of the night, Omen, is a win with the crowd; as Maxim shouts, “All my people who came to party tonight, let me hear ya”, everyone collectively chants the chorus. Champions of London gets a fan so enthused, we can see a shoe arcing over the stage – this is only a brief glimpse into a standard Prodigy show.

There are plenty of highlights, including Voodoo People (Music for the Jilted Generation, 1994) and Run with the Wolves (Invaders Must Die, 2009), the pulsing drumming reminiscent of 2009’s popular single Hot Ride. Shimmering samples on Roadblox provide a fresh-sounding element to the material, as the tracks have a formulaic drum and bass rhythm found across the group’s records. Smack My Bitch Up is another clear highlight, Maxim demanding everyone to get down, which is followed by the audience jumping with the ecstasy-fuelled chorus, and Sheila Chandra’s recorded vocals are haunting in the cavernous space.

Maxim declares confidently, “If you’re not sweating you’re in the wrong fucking place”, performing We Live Forever. 1992’s Out of Space, taken from innovative debut Experience ends suddenly, feeling incomplete, but leaves fans singing the refrain. The Prodigy tonight display a solid dynamism, just as in the 1990s, however, the downside with this show is the choice of venue. For those situated at the back, the stage is completely indiscernible, unaltered by the visual screens situated too low, rendering the event into a clubbing experience; yet it cannot be denied, the “Godfathers of Rave” put on a furious light show, displaying an ever-present method to their musical madness.

Selina Begum
Photos: Miguel de Melo

For further information and future events visit The Prodigy’s website here.

Watch the video for NeedSome1 here: