Justice - Brixton Academy, London - 10th February 2012 (Live Review)
Monday, 13 February 2012
Written by Tim Cox
In the Beginning there was nothing but darkness. Then came Justice, who opened with ‘Genesis’; a solitary crucifix lights up the Academy, from high above Justice survey the crowd, and it is good. For French dance duo Justice, subtlety or controversy has never been much of a concern. They talk the talk, and tonight they crank up the volume, pick up the crowd and don’t let them go. The hour and a half that follows proves their borderline messianic complex to be entirely justified.
In June 2007, Justice changed the face of dance music with their dirty, rocky, ‘opera disco’ album ‘†’ (Cross) and in the process gained worldwide critical and commercial success. October 2011, sticking up a metaphorical middle finger to many of their existing fans, Justice release the 70’s prog rock style ‘Audio, Video, Disco.’ ; a radical departure from their previous funky robotic apocalypse sound.
Here, now, live; everything is harder and faster, all the songs are rocked out and sized up to anthemic proportions. Every beat reverberates through every single body that occupies the cavernous Brixton Academy, no sole is left unmoved. The pace is relentless; the track list, whilst undoubtedly meticulously planned, feels spontaneous and unpredictable. Halfway into ‘Genesis’ the epic vocals of ‘Civilisation’ are seamlessly introduced over the top, cue excited roars from the crowd. Any concern that the contrasting styles of the two albums would not gel together is dismissed instantly.
Tonight proves that being rooted behind decks and not saying a single word is no obstacle to putting on an astounding show. Gaspard and Xavier’s skill and showmanship is exuded via the speakers as they tirelessly chop up beats and build up tracks to mammoth crescendos. They tease the crowd by dropping vocal snippets of big hits ‘We Are Your Friends’ ‘D.A.N.C.E.’ and ‘Civilisation’ into neighbouring tracks before finally rewarding them with infinitely grittier alternate versions. The light and sound set up is nothing short of spectacular. Under a blinding wall of LEDs high and wide as a house, dwarfed by a stack of nine Marshall amps to either side of them; Gaspard and Xavier are only visible as shadows working around the incandescent crucifix that dominates centre stage. Words do little to describe the overwhelming scale at which the sound and light show comes together to such astounding effect. The twin towers of Amps light up in a spiral sequence perfectly in unison with ‘Canon’. For ‘Stress’, a thick mixture of smoke, sirens and beacons bathe The Academy in alarming red. In a rare, lighters in the air moment, a solo dark silhouette, back to the crowd; Gaspard, plays the extended melody to ‘D.A.N.C.E .’ beautifully on the piano. As the night progresses the light show intensifies, growing ever more complex and impressive. In its grand theatrical nature it is the closest Justice have come to realising their ideal of mixing Rock, Dance, Opera and Disco yet. The ever pulsating crucifix slowly burning into your retina cheekily nurtures the perverse idea that this is more than your average night out, and Justice are more than just DJs. It has to be seen to believed, it is a spectacle, a marvel, a pilgrimage, a sermon. Finishing with the angelic title track ‘Audio, Video, Disco.’, then returning for deafening encores of ‘On and On’ and ‘Phantom Part II’, Justice end as they began, all guns blazing.
Tonight sees a supreme slickness and unparalleled grand scale of performance that will - when fellow French electro duo Daft Punk finally hang up their robotic heads - prove Justice to be worthy successors to the dance thrown. The audience leave exhausted, but every single one would no doubt return to do it all again tomorrow if they had the chance.
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