It’s 2005, the era of Lime Wire and burning CD’s. I’m in Secondary school and a friend is handing me what looks like a love letter of some sort. Which it is, but in the best possible way. It’s an illegally downloaded and burned copy of LCD Sound System’s self titled debut album.
It’s a language, a love language, a musical language. A language that says “Hey!, you are cool in my books and I believe my taste matches your taste, so take this and go home and listen”. And I am pretty sure I done just that.
Fast forward 18 years and I am right up the front of Malahide Castle, directly under James Murphy’s nose and being told not to shoot from a low angle, assumably as he knows his good angles. The world knows all too well about LCD Sound System at this stage, and Lime Wire is no longer a thing lol.
Blasting out hit after hit, The Brooklyn based rock, dance, disco-punk legends performed to a massive crowd on Wednesday night. Something in the range of 20 thousand fans.
The sky even greeted us with a fantastic show of colour with double rainbows popping up all over the place. A fantastic beginning to a European tour, with Glastonbury having the privilege next.
“This is the best, we should do this next year. Except at the weekend” says James. But I really don’t think any body gave two shits what day of the week it was, and we would have went all night if it meant we could just stay within this bubble of nostalgia, good vibes and rainbows.
That wasn’t the only dream like moment we were greeted with though. Oh no!
We were truly warmed up in style starting off with Shit Robot, Young Fathers, and the crowds favourite (Well certainly mine) IDLES. Opening up the set with a scream we all wanted to hear VIVA PALESTINA!
Joe Talbot is no shy man when it comes to speaking his mind and he will scream his thoughts at any opportunity he gets. In true punk like fashion. Joe Strummer Like fashion, Talbot is true to himself and true to his fans and an absolute legend in my eyes. The energy was pipping and the crowds were screaming along with the band.
An epic opener and just an epic and beautiful night all round. With a crowd that might as well have been all best mates, there wasn’t a single negative vibe in the place.
And the the rainbow says it all! Colour, beauty, incredible Music, and good vibes.
A bucket list ticked off for a lot of people no doubt.
Young Fathers photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Queen Is Dead
I Heard
Wow
Get Up
Rain or Shine
Old Rock n Roll
Rice
I Saw
Toy
Idles photos & set-list:
Set-list:
IDEA 01
Colossus
Gift Horse
Mr. Motivator
Mother
Car Crash
Gratitude
POP POP POP (Bowen’s synth rig failed)
Never Fight a Man With a Perm
Dancer
Danny Nedelko
Rottweiler
LCD Soundsystem photos & set-list:
Set-list:
Us v Them
I Can Change (with Kraftwerk’s Computer Love intro)
You Wanted a Hit
Tribulations
Movement
Yr City’s a Sucker
Tonite
Someone Great
Losing My Edge (with Suicide’s Ghost Rider and Daft Punk’s Robot Rock sample)
Home
Dance Yrself Clean
New York, I Love You but You’re Bringing Me Down (with Dirty Old Town intro)
All My Friends
Nothing Compares to You (Tape Outro)
Words & Photos Carl Foran – @carlforanphotography