All photos by Dakota Fine, full set here.
Arriving to/at 9:30 Club/pm, the floor was about 3/4th full. Due to some PF Changs with the visiting parents I missed the openers Heartbreak, and had gas.
Asking the young ladies next to me how they were, they replied with:
“um… they were ok”
“cool, check out our new BYT silver cobra stickers”
“sweet”
The Presets have a handful of amazing songs (Are You The One? still gets heavy rotation), and a bunch of filler. But when I had seen them play the Rock and Roll Hotel 2 years ago, they pulled out all the stops and it was a fantastic show… I think they may have even been the first actual band to play there. Earlier this year they cancelled their DC show due to eating at PF Changs, so I was looking forward to seeing them again. They opened with Talk Like That, one of the standouts from their latest album Apocalypso. The light show cranked into full effect, and it was like someone injected 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine directly into my cerebral cortex. The best lights I’ve seen since Cornelius.
A few songs went by and there seemed to be technical problems going on with some synthesizers, at times the band seemed a little frustrated and unsure. But once they got to Are You The One? everything seemed to gel. The venue was now full. I assumed everyone had come to see Cut Copy, and maybe they had, but there was no stopping the onslaught of dance music that The Presets were ejaculating all over the crowd. People began to pulse as the sticky man sauce of beats got in their hair. Fist pumping and pogoing started.
I was overlooking the spectacle from the balcony and (at 10pm mind you) the notoriously sterile DC crowd were losing their shit to an opening band, all the way from the first row to the soundboard. The kids in the balcony started buzzing as they went into an amazing rendition of Together, blowing the album version to pieces. This Boy’s In Love hit next and the balcony joined into the undulating river of bodies below so that the entire venue was moving at once. To the opening act. I had never quite seen anything like it. I turned to my show buddies/music dorks DJ William Alberque and DJ AutoRock and we exchanged silent glances to each other saying “something special is going on here”
They continued to crank out track after track - “People let me hear you scream if you’re with me!”
And they were with him.
It was an acid house revival.
They left the stage. During the lengthy set break William, AutoRock, and I had feverish conversations of throwing underground dance parties cranking out 808 State and KLF and playing 10 min builds while we took bathroom breaks. The kids wanted it, and we, the DJ Saviors would deliver. My girlfriend rolled her eyes.
Anyway - Cut Copy took the stage and had no problem whatsoever keeping the momentum going. Last time they played The Cat I had to ditch out early to DJ the after party, so I only caught a few songs, but I remember them coming out the gate a little shaky. Good, but shaky. This time around though it was solid, the opener was my favorite Cut Copy song Nobody Lost, Nobody Found. They melded it seamlessly into my favorite Cut Copy song Far Away. Then it was back to some older material with Time Stands Still, my favorite Cut Copy song. And then the “oh shit this is amazing” early teaser for In Ghost Colours, and my favorite Cut Copy song So Haunted. This was followed by my favorite Cut Copy song Unforgettable Season. Etc.
“Ready to get a disco party happening?!” Dan yelled to the audience.
The light show continued to melt minds and the crowd danced as hard as they could. Lights and Music (ok, that one really is my favorite) was the highlight of the night. It turned into The Matrix Reloaded sweaty dance party complete with crowd surfing. The frat boys and scenestersand chicks just there with their boyfriends and cynical bloggers all joined together to dance to some faggy Melbourne electrodisco. The economy was back on track for a hot second, the ground shook, I regretted not wearing underwear, and I felt sorry for everyone who wasn’t there.
Way to go DC. Seriously.
More:
Cut Copy interview
The Presets Interview
Cut Copy after party photos
My experience:
- It was raining and took nearly 2 hrs to drive down from Bmore.
- My ex was taunting me about how amazing they were over txts.
- I was stuck outside listening to the Presets play their last song, trying to get my guest list tickets but blocked by 2 sets of people who were STUPID ENOUGH to leave the obvi amazing set being delivered to buy tickets for FUTURE SHOWS! WTF!
- I had no point to this, I just needed to vent since I adore the Presets.
Cut Copy did a great job though. I was having waves of Depeche Mode wash over me. It was sweet.
September 30, 2008 at 2:26 pmI caught this show a couple weeks ago at The Fine Line in Minneapolis. The space was small and cramped and the acoustics sucked. The whole time I was wishing I was going to be able to see them at the 9:30 Club. I forget sometimes how great a venue that can be.
September 30, 2008 at 3:10 pmCale,
How many favorite Cut Copy songs do you have?
The Presets were feckin amazing. I thought they blew Cut Copy out of the water.
September 30, 2008 at 3:35 pmI’d say at least 7.
And this remix:
http://www.brightestyoungthings.com/downloads/byts-favorite-song-of-the-morning-3/
…I turned to my show buddies/music dorks DJ William Alberque and DJ AutoRock and we exchanged silent glances to each other saying “something special is going on here”…
During the set I noticed members of Cut Copy and their significant others wander onto the balcony that overlooks the stage. They peered at the crowd with undulating fascination — at times appearing amazed and at times appearing nervous. They realized the Presets had upped the ante so high that they might as well have cashed in their chips and gone back to the tour bus. The Presets could have gone on for hours, slathering the place with man milk in an all night bukkake.
September 30, 2008 at 3:44 pmmy favorite cut copy song is “out there on the ice”.
this should really be everyone’s favorite cut copy song.
am mortally afraid of sold out shows and general feeling of claustrophobia (i know, i know) but i kinda wish I went to this.
great photos. great story. great.
September 30, 2008 at 3:49 pmYour claustrophobia is well justified. There were assclowns galore, climbing over people into spaces not meant for additional persons. They ruined the night for some people that were looking forward to losing their shit close to the stage.
Who else saw the slammin’ chick in the silver dress on the balcony?
September 30, 2008 at 3:57 pmSvet - that’s my favorite song too, and they played it well.
A totally different version of Future was played - and while I love it when bands re-work songs for their live sets, this one should have stayed true to form, it was the only low point in the night for me.
George - it was quite spacious in the balcony - which I pretty much always do at sold out shows. You know what would make 9:30 Club the perfect venue? A slightly inclined floor or a second step up level with railing across the middle of the pit.
September 30, 2008 at 4:03 pmI was towards the right side of the stage and wasn’t really bothered by how many people there were. Everyone was real nice, and I was sufficiently drunk enough to not really care… So my opinion might be skewed…
September 30, 2008 at 6:55 pmGreat review, the presets are head and shoulders shampoo above the other early 90s fetishists. Live by the polka dot, die by the hi-top fade.
September 30, 2008 at 10:07 pmGreat pics. Gotta say the Presets killed it way more than Cut Copy this time though. Their May show was better and of course that after party made the night.
October 1, 2008 at 12:14 amI would have to agree with what seems to be the general consensus that the presets undoubtedly stole the night.
I never danced so hard in a concert before, and i’ve seen the presets two times before!
they were amazing. Cut Copy was good.
nice narrative. hope you dont return to PF Changs for your sake and the sake of others.
October 1, 2008 at 4:00 pmOh I’ll be back, can’t get enough of that spicy chang sauce.
October 1, 2008 at 4:02 pmit is rare indeed when i read a review of a show - one that i attended - where reading the review is an unmitigated pleasure. wonderful writing, and a marvelous summary of what occurred. while i would say the pleasure of seeing cut copy at the cat, from the side, with the WAGs, was enormous, the 930 club delivered.
October 7, 2008 at 9:15 am
Really well done in capturing the vibe of a room coming to life against the usual odds. I love that you included the aside between bands, tapping into the inspirational quality you can get off the high from a really amazing show. A performance that makes you want to create something - can’t be beat.
Well played.
September 30, 2008 at 2:10 pm