Chemical Brothers "Galvanize" Rockhal

By Patrick Cameron

The time had come for Chemical Brothers to open up their 2015 tour at the Rockhal on Wednesday night, in preparation for the release of their eighth studio album ‘Born In The Echoes’ on the 17th of July, their first in five years.

The new album boasts a stellar team of collaborators joining the big beat pair of Tom Rowlands & Ed Simons including, St. Vincent and Beck as well as long-time collaborator Q-Tip, who features on the new single ‘GO’, which is accompanied by a typically wonderful ‘Michel Gondry’ video.

The lights were dimmed and the keys/synths were backlit with blue lighting creating a silhouette you could barely make out through the smoke. Then an ever so subtle pulsating beat faintly emerged through the applause and built and built until it was apparent they were kicking off with ‘Hey Boys, Hey Girls’. Now that’s how you grab the crowds' attention!

“Now that’s how you grab the crowds' attention!

They are straight out the blocks here, kicking into ‘Do it Again’ shortly after, which was accompanied by an impressive visual backdrop. It’s the first time we’re really introduced to the massive screen behind the Chemical Brothers which, as ever, will be an integral part of the show. 

After starting with two Chemics classics, they introduced the latest single ‘Go’ off the new album. It’s typical Chemical Brothers, simple effective beat followed with a groove that you can’t help but move to.

As the night progresses the visuals get more involved and trippy, which linked in nicely with ‘I’ll See You There’, a more brain altering transcendent track from the new album.

They come back for an encore to the atmospheric ‘Sunshine Underground’, accompanied by two 20ft robots firing lasers out their eyes and smoke out their ears, fortunately this was more than impressive so it didn’t descend into Spinal Tap territory.

The energy shot back up with a bang with crowd favourite “Galvanize’, followed by one of the great bass intros of the '90s as they launched into ‘Block Rockin’ Beats’.

They’re also not done with the theatrics as a 15ft disco ball is lowered down from the roof with lasers bouncing off it, firing lights all over the Rockhal.

It’s full on entertainment tonight and with the back catalogue continuing to grow and one of the finest visual displays you will see live, it’s apparent that after 20 years Chemical Brothers still know how to bring the house down. 

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