Given the reliable quality and following of their work over the past decade, it would be a disservice to the band to call Hot Chip’s last few months a comeback. However, with the inescapable word of mouth surrounding their excellent new album, Why Make Sense?, their show at House of Blues certainly had the aire of a triumphant return. Throwing down a set steeped in nostalgia but never overwhelmed by it, Hot Chip’s set was absolutely groovy and immensely satisfying.
Opener Sinkane and his 3-piece backing band started the night off with a lively performance. Blending psychedelic rock with hints of funk, jazz and even Krautrock, the Sudanese musician kept energy high through both extended grooves and impressive solos. The set was incredibly danceable, not much surprise given his slot on James Murphy’s DFA Records, and functioned great as a companion to the headliner.
Also of note was the band’s excellent stage presence. Their was a palpable sense that everyone onstage was incredibly happy to be there, with all displaying pretty magnetic personalities as they played away. Sinkane memorably introduced a song by telling us that the band “love this town! Here’s a song just for you!” It was the kind of thing that would usually sound cheesy, but said with just obvious earnestness was very endearing.
As Hot Chip took the stage, it was hard not to notice how, well, old they looked. This is a band in their mid-30s but there was a certain disheveled chic to their dress (with the exception of their stunning drummer, Sarah Jones of New Young Pony Club). While at first it was startling to see such a famed act come out looking like a bunch of late-40s middle school teachers, it worked really well with the performance- by making no effort to be cool and letting the music speak for itself, their performance was that much cooler.
And what a performance it was. Hot Chip’s seven (!) members used a variety of digital and analog synths, guitars, drum sets and assorted other percussion to craft the many-layered but consistently approachable sounds. Frontman Alexis Taylor’s voice held up very well, giving a soulful heart to the performance, while Joe Goddard’s bravura synth work made for an awesome overline melody. Ex-LCD Soundsystem member Al Doyle threw down driving guitar riffs while new members Jones and Rob Smoughton (aka Grovesnor) laid down awesome, outside- the-box percussion.
Top dance marks go to Owen Clarke (who we recently chatted to) who would set up loops and then groove around the stage like his life depended on it. The band even joked that their encore was actually them trying to find him after he wandered off.
Setlist-wise Hot Chip focused on new material, a smart decision given the excellent quality of the new album, Why Make Sense?. While singles “Huarache Lights” and “Need You Now” drew the biggest reaction, the band adjusted deeper cuts like “Started Right” and “Easy to Get” to the live setting, lengthening their riffs and adding a jammy edge. Even fans not yet familiar with this material clearly dug it, with the band shrugging the apathy that often follows saying “we’re gonna play some stuff from the new album.”
The band also had a great choice of old tracks, including “One Life Stand,” “Look at Where We Are,” and early hit “Over N’ Over.” With the current live set-up put together in service of Why Make Sense?, a lot of the songs sounded noticeably different from the studio versions, particularly “I Feel Better,” which sported completely different synth tones. This ended up working very well, however, with the new sounds generally working as able substitutes and sometimes even breathing new life into tracks.
Perhaps the only disappointment with the set was that it lacked “Boy From School,” easily Hot Chip’s most enduring track. Given it’s popularity and resonance, this seemed like an odd omission in an otherwise excellent setlist, and certainly disappointed a few in attendance.
However, this could easily be forgiven by the band’s closing number. Bringing out all of Sinkane’s band (which brought the stage’s musician count to a glorious 11) they blasted into a surprise rendition of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” Beyond the fact that it sounded awesome, seeing so many great musicians playing a song that clearly adored was a perfect way to end such an enjoyable set. Seriously, check out the recording below.
Flanked by Sinkane’s amiable performance, Hot Chip’s show had the energy of a DJ set with a striking musicality and awesomely off-kilter aesthetic. Between the great new album and this immensely satisfying new show, the synthpoppers showed that their best days may indeed be ahead of them.