There are gigs where the setting adds something to the music, and then there are gigs where the music completely takes over the setting. On the second night of IMMA’s summer concert series, the grounds of Dublin’s Irish Museum of Modern Art became something altogether more electric, as Faithless and Moby delivered a night that felt like a full scale rave pilgrimage.
Faithless may have technically been the support act, but calling them an “opening act” hardly does justice to what they delivered. Given a full length set, the veteran electronic outfit seized the opportunity and absolutely demolished it. Their blend of driving beats, hypnotic grooves and euphoric dancefloor energy had the crowd locked in from the outset. By the time their set came to an end, it was clear this was no polite warm up for the headline act. Faithless had already set the bar somewhere near the ceiling.
Then came Moby.
Hitting the stage like a rocket, guitar in hand, he launched straight into ‘Bodyrock’ and the response from the crowd was immediate and deafening. Whatever energy Faithless had left behind, Moby grabbed it, amplified it and fired it straight back at the audience. From the opening notes, there was barely a moment to catch your breath.
The second song, ‘Go’, carried an extra significance. Moby dedicated it to the Irish rave scene and his memories of coming to Ireland to play during those formative years. It was a moment that connected the global electronic superstar onstage with a generation of Irish clubbers who remember when the rave culture here was still something raw, underground and thrillingly unpredictable.
From there, the set became a tour through Moby’s remarkable catalogue, mixing the huge hits with deeper cuts and unexpected moments. The familiar songs landed exactly as they should, transformed from recordings into enormous communal experiences as thousands of voices and bodies moved as one.
And then came perhaps the night’s most wonderfully bizarre surprise, a cover of ‘My Lovely Horse’ by The Divine Comedy. In the middle of a set built around electronic music, rave history and stadium sized anthems, the unexpected Irish detour was met with delighted disbelief. It was funny, affectionate and unmistakably suited to the occasion.
By the end, Moby had left nothing in reserve. The combination of Faithless’ triumphant opening salvo and his own relentless, high energy performance made for a second night of IMMA’s summer series that will be difficult to top.
This wasn’t simply a night of electronic music. It was a celebration of rave culture, memory and the enduring power of a great beat, with Dublin providing the perfect backdrop.
Faithless photos:
Moby photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Bodyrock
Go
Next Is the E
In This World
In My Heart
We Are All Made of Stars
Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?
Find My Baby
Flower
Lift Me Up
Honey
My Lovely Horse (The Divine Comedy cover)
Extreme Ways
Porcelain
When It’s Cold I’d Like to Die
Natural Blues
Feeling So Real
Photos & words – Ian Mc Donnell @mcgigmusic