BrightestYoungThings: Cap'n Sass in Paris: Delphic

Gareth Moore, our dancing correspondent from the Paris musical front-lines: Delphic Live @ Maroquinerie-ed

Tonight, Delphic dominated. This is The Show To Beat In 2010.

Back in February I was fortunate enough to see Delphic at Nouveau Casino, a venue that resembles a disco cave. I had read that Delphic wanted their live shows to resemble a rave. I was impressed with how they were able to achieve their vision. Although it's not a proper rave, this individual loved experiencing elements of those beat parties alongside mighty guitars and uplifting melodies. I left that show smiling, wondering if seeing them a second time could prove to be more exciting. Considering how my entire body is suffering from massive groove ache, I think Delphic succeeded.

A big part of last night's achievement was due to the venue, La Maroquinerie. It is a close to perfect setting for a band; not too big, not too small, just right. There are three different levels for the audience to watch the show so, no matter where you stood, you would have a great view. Thankfully, I got their early enough to claim my spot, front and center, at singer James Cook's mic. From there I marveled at the stage and how it might have been the thinnest I've ever seen. It seemed like the band were up against the wall. I'm not sure why I liked that so much, but I did. The wall and the sides of the stage held long, thin strobe lights. I think I counted 26 in total. The lights, plus very heavy fog, added to their rave aspirations.

What I now love about Delphic is the fact that on stage they truly want to play. Their shows are not the kind where you just stand around and watch. Dancing is imperative. Although some will always remain motionless, it seems like most of the crowd savoured the band's luscious atmosphere. In between songs they surround you with thick beats and pulsating rhythms, almost as if they don't want the party to stop for one second. They morph This Momentary and Counterpoint into something much BIGGER, expanding the song with dramatic turns that threaten to cause bodily harm to anyone nearby.

One member of the band repeatedly stole the show: lead guitarist Matt Cocksedge. This man is talented. His riffs are strong, catchy, and inspire awe (at least in me). Watching him is a thrill. The crowd loved seeing him and multi-instrumentalist Richard Boardman do battle over electric drums. On opposing sides of the stage, the two of them would pick up drum sticks and smash their machines, always keeping the rhythm tight. I lost track of how many instruments Boardman played, while simultaneously giving the song the high-backing vocals they need.

It's great to see a band turn their show into a party via intelligence, creativity, and the desire to dance. Sadly, they may suffer a fate similar to New Order: if the machines fail, the show is fucked. One of the roadies was working in front of me and he was so confused he took out a piece of paper that said Delphic Channels May 2010 and below was the list of every cable, every pedal, every light, every instrument, every plug, and where they went. It was so long my eyes hurt just looking at it. However, if the machines are working and the band are ready, they really can put on a fun show.

As for the ultimate highlight of the show, I got the impression few in the audience would agree on their favorite part. The audience loved hearing the big singles, but they also delighted over the frantic nature of Red Lights and the sexy desperation of Submission. In my mind there is a clear winner: the 8-minute grand finale of Acolyte. The centerpiece of the album and the title-track, this instrumental is, simply put, awesome. I don't think I can adequately describe this section of the show. All I can say is that this is the kind of finale that has the potential to leave you on a high for days.