Gig Watch: Cut Copy – Live at the Prince of Wales

By Chris Wood

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Pretty much everyone I know who likes The Presets is just as much a fan of Cut Copy. It’s just the way things are. So prominent is Cut Copy’s vigor and professionalism,they now hold the recognition as Australia’s premier Indie-electro outfit. 

So when the opportunity to see Cut Copy at possibly Melbourne’s best live music venue, the Prince of Wales, you can bet I did everything in my power to get my grubby little hands on tickets to one of the most eagerly anticipated Melbourne events since....well, people began comparing events to the most recent highly anticipated event.

On the back of their second studio LP (which, according to a variety of sources, was meant to be released earlier this year) Cut Copy founder Dan Whitford and his cohorts decided to hit the major sites of Australia. 

The tour, named after their delightfully not-so-daggy-anymore single Hearts On Fire, aimed to indulge Australia’s lingering appetites with a cavalcade of electro-pop madness before jetting off to take on the rest of the world.

Driving out to the esteemed Prince of Wales, which is now surely one of Melbourne’s premier live music venues (especially since the demise of The Palace), there was nothing but excitement and anticipation in the air. And in the midst of all this craziness, the only thing we could think about was grabbing a few moderately priced ales downstairs at the front bar. 

Needless to say, we stayed there longer than anticipated and consequently missed support act Damn Arms and half of Riot in Belgium’s set. What I saw of Riot In Belgium was enough to convince me that they are beyond the strength of that one annoyingly catchy song La Musicque. But someone really has to tell that guitarist that he’s not fooling anyone with his ‘I’m gonna do everything I possibly can to look like Robert Smith’ persona. At best, it could be said he resembled a gender-confused teenager who has obviously been moved by Johnny Depp’s most profound work, most notably Edward Scissor Hands. Other than Riot In Belgium’s exceedingly dangerous fascination with an accelerated goth-culture (stipulating that a man with scissors for hands should be held in high regard in the social hierarchy) they put on a pretty decent show.

It was then time for Cut Copy. There was a disturbingly loud-ish silence. By this, I mean, it was just quiet enough to hear the striking young blonde next to me telling her friend that Cut Copy were about to start - with the receiver well away from her ear speaking only into the mouthpiece...as if this were going to allow her friend to hear her much clearer.

Bursting onto the stage (Walking On Sunshine could have been playing over the PA no one would have batted an eyelid), the trio of likely lads opened with Future. The intensity was unrelenting as they wound their way through almost their entire back catalogue, even stopping along the way to test out a few new-ies on our all-to-willing-to-listen ears.

The set included the likes of dance floor favourite Saturdays, Bright Like Neon Love, Time Stands Still, the more traditional rock single Going Nowhere, and my personal favourite (which was hopelessly neglected by the musical director of The OC), Autobahn Music Box.

However the most sonically transcendental moment of the night had to be their set closer, Hearts On Fire, (which they played this as an encore after having left the stage for all but seventeen seconds). I am now quite a strong believer in the idea of songs being crafted for the specific purpose of being heard live. While somewhat unimpressed the first time I came across it on Triple J (I think they were a little too overtly uncool at the time, with the saxaphone solo), it wasn't until I heard it in a live setting that I completely made up my mind - their showmanship was simply mesmerizing.

Rarely have I been so impressed with a live-dance-electronica outfit as I was with Cut Copy. In the three times I have seen them, they have progressed both in song writing ability and live performance. Although the dance music contingent may have had a few issues with the lack of fluidity in their set, it's doubtful it affected the majorities enjoyment. If anything, it’s indicative of just how versatile Cut Copy are in terms of performing for different crowds. 

All they need to do now is hurry up and release this new album.

Overall: 80%