 being announced as the title music for this year’s BBC Olympic coverage and extensive play […] "'Pin It")
REVIEW: M83 AT BRISTOL TRINITY CENTRE (17/01/12)
M83 have endured a rapid rise to fame in the last few weeks thanks in no small part to having Midnight City being used as the theme tune to a TV show (who’s name I won’t sully my review with) being announced as the title music for this year’s BBC Olympic coverage and extensive play from the Radio 1 breakfast show to boot. This has of course in turn led to tonight’s sold out show being packed to the rafters which can only be a good thing for tonight’s support act Porcelain Raft.
Showcasing a brand of synth-pop not dissimilar to this evening’s headliners, clearly handpicked to provide ample support that ready’s the crowd for the main event. The duo made up of lead man Remiddi formerly of Sunny Day Sets Fire and his drummer lead us through an eclectic bunch of songs that are so full and effective and highly impressive for just a duo. For the last song Remiddi plays solo displaying both his piano and guitar skills and leaves the stage to a rapturous applause.
After a short break a lone masked figure enters the stage replicating the symbolic front cover of their new Midnight City EP; M83 create atmosphere and anticipation before smashing through it with Intro the first song from their latest album. The strobes and lighting only adding to the immense power this small band generate more like a symphonic pop orchestra than a band. Pitch black one second only for the room to be immediately submerged in waves of color and light once more it seems this old church is really being treated to a show of stadium proportions this evening.
As the set goes on the group only go on to build from the epic intro setting themselves a high bar the band only seem to go on and raise it even higher with every on going moment that’s so satisfying and rare to see. The heavily stomping bassist/keys/guitar player stomping ever more vigorously as the bass builds to boiling point until it is shaking your very septum. The 80’s retro vibe brought into the modern era has been attempted by many but M83 are the only band I’ve seen that really make the approach seem fresh, new and most of all relevant. It’s little wonder their publishers are probably sat licking their lips you get the feeling we’re going to be hearing a lot of M83 in visual media for years to come yet.
Midnight City comes near the end but not right at the end, a bold move not to play it as a closer but this only shows the confidence they have in all their material. playing the storming riff with only one hand it shows the best melodies really are the simplest ones. As I left The Trinity I got the feeling I wasn’t the only one leaving with a ringing in my ears, scorched retinas and a sense of overwhelming satisfaction that we’d all seen something pretty special.
Words and photo: Laura Palmer
Video: Yatin Amin
