Despite recently releasing their fifth album, French duo Air are probably most remembered for their 1998 debut ‘Moon Safari’, which included the hit singles ‘Sexy Boy’ and ‘Kelly Watch the Stars’ and has become known as one of the greatest ever chill-out albums.
Although their later releases have not quite reached the dizzying heights of that impressive first record, the Versailles-based group have continued to delight fans. Air’s twelve-year career has seen their sound evolve within the boundaries of electronic music and, while some of their songs can only be enjoyed whilst wandering around B&Q, they have managed to produce some praiseworthy examples on several occasions.
They have even joined forces with a number of well-known collaborators, including Jarvis Cocker and Beck.
For last year’s ‘Love 2’ album, the duo retreated back from their more recent work to the comfort zone of their own studio. ‘Love 2’, which is the band’s first self-produced record, has drawn a number of comparisons to ‘Moon Safari’ from reviewers and fans alike.
Previous live performances by Air have included the addition of a full band, but tonight’s show at the Forum in Kentish Town is a more modest affair that finds Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoit Dunckel playing together with only a drummer for assistance. Perhaps this is to mirror the exclusion of other contributors from the last album, to prove once and for all that Air are self-sufficient artists who can work alone or in collaboration depending on their own choosing.
Recent reviews have criticised concerts by the duo for this decision which, they say, has had a big impact on the energy levels of the performances. Critics have also noted the pair’s apparent lack of interest at the shows. However, it is a welcome surprise to find that this is clearly not the case tonight. Dunckel, in particular, rarely turns away from the crowd and both members are visibly humbled by the audience’s reaction throughout the gig.
One of the main praises that can be awarded to a live show by Air is the group’s ability to deliver a genuine performance. Other electronic acts are often guilty of struggling to create an actual live element to their concerts. However, in Air’s case, there is no sign of a DJ or backing track in sight. Every sound to be heard is coming from one or more of the many keyboards and synthesisers that either Dunckel or Godin are playing on stage. Also, despite the lack of other live musicians, Godin frequently switches from his electronic instruments to a guitar or bass.
Apart from the occasional “Merci beaucoup”, there is very little in the way of crowd interaction from Air. Whether this is down to the language barrier or a simple desire to depend solely on their musical abilities is unclear. At one point though, Godin asks if anyone can speak French, to which there is a slight positive response from the audience. However, as he goes on to admit: “It doesn’t matter for this next track.” He then starts the whistling intro to ‘Alpha Beta Gaga’, which immediately receives a warm response from the delighted fans.
This is one of several old favourites played towards the latter part of the show, including ‘Cherry Blossom Girl’ and ‘Kelly Watch the Stars’, which prove that Air don’t need to rely on cheap banter to entertain the crowd. The pair then leave the stage for a short interval before returning to play ‘Sexy Boy’ and an extended and lively rendition of ‘La Femme d’Argent’, both of which achieve an unsurprisingly welcoming reception.
Watching Air live can be an interesting if humble event and, at times, there is little more to do than nod your head like a dashboard dog to react. However, as previously mentioned, the duo put their musical talents to good use in order to engage the crowd and, in addition to this, the visual displays on offer provide excellent supplementary entertainment, which complements the music perfectly.
The future of Air’s music is unknown and it may well bring about further surprises as it has done before. But in terms of live performances, the crowd response from tonight’s gig in London has hopefully helped to prove that the poor reviews Air have received recently are, for now at least, a thing of the past.
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