12:55am. I had ventured out to O2 Academy Brixton for the latest London live gig from electronic duo Gorgon City tagged ‘Gorgon City Presents Kingdom’. On stepping into the venue, I was hit with a wave of excitement, and a sea of people.
It wasn’t just a gig, it was a community united with their passion for the sweet combination of parties and music. It was the feeling of release for them, their Saturday night, worries washed away with drinks in hand, a bass line vibrating through the venue on anticipation for Gorgon city.
Starting on the dot at 1:15am, the lights rose with impact, the energy was electrifying and my mood was lifted instantly. The lads rigs were set to the left and right of the stage with their drummer placed central.
To hype the show further and work the audience, female powerhouse, Chenai, was welcomed onto the stage with soaring vocals to “Four Walls”. Accompanied by strobe lighting and hard-hitting synths to make your heart pulse faster, the intensity building as the vibrations caressed the audience.
The colourful mixture of strobing lifted into a bright white, revealing the whole crowd to those on stage. Chenai ran off stage and returned with her soulful vocal companion Josh Barry. Everyone was singing back as the lights were lifted again, to reveal the crowd.
Chenai and Josh Barry complimented each other perfectly, their on-stage energy and chemistry radiating as they worked the stage and lifted the mood for excitement further. Hands were raised among the crowd with their floor filler tunes banging. The lights transitioned to 3D visuals replicating something from a 1990’s arcade game.
It wouldn’t be a set complete without smoke cannons blasting from the front, just adding to the incredible buzz. The drummer showed no sign of exhaustion as his energy did not falter at any point, the show was powerful. Josh called into the microphone “Listen to the Sound of Gorgon city” an instrumental break of pure house, then contributing ad libs from Chenai and Josh.
Their huge track “Real Life” was next, joined on stage by the epic sound of Nat Dunn from Naations. It was a full stage with beams of lights and beams of energy scattering Brixton Academy.
It goes without saying, a great Live DJ set is nothing without an epic and memorable stage production and Gorgon City did not fail. They introduced their newly released bass-driven house track [that certainly had techno elements sprinkled throughout] “Motorola“, with relevant visuals on their backdrop that combined old school style digits and ringtones.
With the majority of their target market being a generation likely to have owned a Motorola or at least seen their older siblings with one, the 90’s throwback anthem was a popular addition. It had the crowd pulling out their iPhones [ironically] to capture a glimpse of the new track and the huge rise before a epically fun drop that had the crowd bopping.
It was a perfect venue as it gave an opportunity to enjoy live sounds as well as a chance to interact and party with your pals. For me, O2 Academy Brixton does almost give that outside feel to it, so it’s never surprising when a gig at this particular venue has you feeling all kind of festival fever, clambering onto each others shoulders to feel immersed in the music and see a clear view of their fellow fans.
With outstanding visual graphics aligning the show, it was relevant and smart. Gorgon City were bold and brilliant, so tastefully executed and there was certainly a sense of euphoria among the whole audience. I’m ready for Festival season and I hope you are too!
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Words by Jodie Brunning // Photo Credit: Amber O’Rourke
