It’s been three long years since Cut Copy have done a headline tour in Australia, but they’ve never strayed from the limelight. Tireless touring around the globe, Pitchfork praise, and chucking a “Kanye” via promoting a new single through projections around the world have all been the status quo for Australia’s dance-rock sons.
Although Cut Copy were recently in the country for Future Music Festival, it was with great excitement that an audience gathered to see the band in the intimate atmosphere of The Metro.
Warming up the evening was local up-and-comer Touch Sensitive. Although some might recognise Michael Di Francesco as a member of Van She, he’s been creating quite the name with his solo synth project. Despite the fact that he mightn’t have ignited the crowd’s attention with the same passion as some of his recent festival audiences, he nonetheless impressed. Armed with only a bass guitar, a computer, and a killer moustache, Di Francesco was an unstoppable force of sexy magic.
The artist’s music has a rigorous flair and overwhelming appeal, as recent hits like ‘Pizza Guy’ and ‘Real Talk’ have proved. He made his way through the set quickly and confidently, thrusting on his bass like it was an additional sexual organ. To be blunt, the man was on fire.
Just before Cut Copy arrived, the audience seemed too sparse for a band that has lapped up so much credibility. However, the mild attendance soon faded into overt excitement as the foursome took the stage.
Opening with recent single ‘We Are Explorers’, the group worked through their hits with a frantic and genuine energy. The audience responded thusly, with clapping, stomping, jumping, and smiling becoming constant fixtures on the dancefloor. In fact, the smaller numbers allowed for spacious dancing and complete involvement in the music. Strangers swung off each other and danced in harmony. People that had never met before that night were soon in each other’s embrace, laughing and jilting to ‘Hearts On Fire’ like they lost their virginity to the song.
The blame for all this fun can be placed squarely on the band. Cut Copy were pumped to be on stage, constantly moving, grooving, and invigorating themselves and the crowd to become more involved than was probably healthy.
Frontman Dan Whitford relentlessly had his fist raised in the air, arming the legions of fans in electronic tinged orgy after orgy. Special mention goes to guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Tim Hoey, a drum-banging whirlwind of self-enjoyment, jumping around like he was on a pogo stick made from the bones of the Energizer Bunny.
But, even with all the flashy lights, ecstatic performers both on stage and on the floor, and tribal atmosphere, it was the songs that prevailed and brought the concert to its peak. Tracks like ‘Take Me Over’, ‘Lights & Music’, and the encore of ‘Need You Now’ have an insanely unifying aspect to themselves, and in a live format, they have a chance to explode into something else. There’s no wonder that the Cut Copy boys are damn near national treasures; they’re bloody amazing all over.
