Photo Credit: Ronald Dick
If bringing a crowd of sodden Glaswegians into high octane spirits as soon as they enter the stage almost 20 years into their career is anything to go by, Hot Chip firmly remain Ready for The Floor.
Taking to the stage upstairs, in SWG3’s well-purposed Warehouse, Hot Chip announce their entrance with the mellow riding beat of Huarache Lights, anticipation rising with every layer of the track. There are flutters of engagement with the sell-out crowd, but for the most part, their stellar set of tunes does the talking. Akin to collecting musical gold coins, the group interweave strands of house, cascading synth-pop and a dabbling of funk offering a set that maintains the diversity of their discography. Firm favourites One Life Stand, and Flutes send the crowd into a reckless symphony, ranging from the humble two-step to an attempt to mimic the group’s well-orchestrated routine.
Though the forthcoming LP, A Bath Full of Ecstasy, has yet to make an appearance, the tours purpose becomes cemented as the set is littered with generous tastings of the new release. The first of which, Hungry Child, is on its second outing following its revelation at BBC 6 Music Festival, its deep-hitting classic house vibe blending seamlessly into the rest of their back catalogue. Melody of Love, the opening track of the new album, gets its live debut to rousing applaud.
There is a moment of chaos when there is a surprise birthday announcement, resulting in an enthusiastic reworking of The Beastie Boys seminal track, Sabotage. It’s not the Hot Chip cover we were waiting for; their mash up of Bruce Springsteen and LCD Soundsystem is echoed among members of the crowd, but by no means is it a disappointment. The track is purposefully sandwiched between the glittered classic Over and Over and showstopper, Ready for The Floor as the five-piece go out on an almighty high.
The set is short and sweet, coming to a halt after just over an hour but there is no sense of the fun being cut short. The group ride out on a high, planting the seeds for a night cemented to the dance-floor at their post-show DJ set at Sub Club because the Glasgow crowd “won’t let them down”. And Hot Chip certainly didn’t either.
By Charlotte Winspear
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