For almost a decade, The Glitch Mob have been on a mission to bring their unique brand of electronic music to life on stage, on their own terms, in a way that seems to reach out to a wide variety of music fans. Sunday, Oct. 19, they brought their new live show to the Orpheum Theater. The moment I entered the Orpheum, after walking past the monochromatic display of black clothing at The Glitch Mob’s merch table, I was greeted by an audience that was as eclectic as it was energized. Neon and tie-dye-clad EDM fans shared a dance floor with mohawk-sporting punks in black leather jackets, everybody equally excited for a show that had been preceded by months of anticipation.
First on the bill was Chrome Sparks, a synth-savvy electronic musician from Brooklyn, otherwise known as Jeremy Malvin, who performed alongside live drummer Aaron Steele. As an instrumentalist, I have a soft spot for electronic artists who add an extra touch of personality and musicianship to their shows with live percussion. But while groups like Big Gigantic use the sheer power of a live drum kit to build upon an energized “wall-of-sound,” the purpose of Chrome Sparks’ music was not to melt faces or keep the crowd’s fists pumping. Steele played with a tight sound and well-practiced restraint that complemented Malvin’s melodic, laid-back music without overpowering it. Overall, with Malvin toggling between the role of a DJ/producer and live keyboardist, Chrome Sparks’ set was well balanced and had a lot of personality. As an eager crowd gradually filled the Orpheum dance floor, Chrome Sparks played with a refined energy that had heads bobbing and feet tapping throughout the venue.
The M Machine, a San Francisco electronic duo that has been releasing music on Skrillex’s OWSLA label since 2011, brought the fists-in-the-air sort of energy forgone by Chrome Sparks’ set. As I’ve written before, the job of an opening act is to get people excited and ready for the headliner, and the floor was on fire during The M Machine’s set.
But despite their contagious energy, their music didn’t necessarily exceed my expectations. They played remixes of dance anthems that got EDM fans in the crowd singing along, such as Madeon’s “The City,” amid other songs that had me singing along to every word, even though I only recognized them from hearing them played in other DJs' sets. That being said, their original songs were catchy and powerful, and their cycle of builds and bass drops made sense in the context of the show. To me, the contrast between their high-octane dance music and Chrome Sparks’ laid-back grooves provided fitting support for The Glitch Mob, whose music presents a balanced union of these two approaches.
The curtain dropped in preparation for The Glitch Mob’s set, as the stage became home to their brainchild: a behemoth setup dubbed “The Blade.” The Blade is the culmination of years of effort on the part of the band, who see their DIY electronic instruments as the only way to bring their music to life exactly as they feel it should be played. The display features custom synth pads, operating on an array of jailbroken iPads running programs written by the band members themselves, all alongside electronic drums the size of tractor tires, which lined the back of the stage. After the house lights were cut, the curtain rose and the band took the stage, but only after a couple minutes of ominous darkness, ambient bass sounds and a roaring applause of anticipation from the crowd. When Boreta, Ooah and edIT (the three musicians who make up The Glitch Mob) finally assumed their positions behind the Blade, they opened with an insane live rendition of “Animus Vox” from their 2010 album Drink the Sea.
What followed was a well thought-out set comprised of both old and new songs. While the band’s goal on this tour may have been to bring their recent album Love Death Immortality to life, I was happy to see them play plenty of songs from Drink the Sea, the album that helped them to find their creative direction along with the intrigue of many fans who have since remained loyal to the band.
“Can’t Kill Us” was the most sonically massive and emotional performance by the band out of any of their new songs. Among others, “Drive it Like You Stole it” and “Bad Wings” were two crowd favorites from Drink the Sea to make it into the band’s set before it came to a high-energy close. The band’s performance of “Skullclub” brought an ever-rising hype to the crowd that fed directly into their last song—a chaotic, ear-splitting rendition of The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army."
The Glitch Mob’s encore was inevitable and welcomed, but far from surprising, as the band had made it through their set without playing two of their most popular and sonically powerful songs. They spoke to the crowd, expressing their gratitude. Having achieved their success on their own independent label, Justin Boreta reminded the fans that there would be no Glitch Mob without their support. He then made a specific request that everyone put away their cell phones to truly engage in the music one last time as the band encored with their hit song “We Can Make The World Stop,” followed by “Fortune Days.”
The floor shook with celebration as the crowd bid a proper farewell to one of the most hardworking and honest groups I have ever seen. As a fan, I respect The Glitch Mob, I respect their music and I respect their live show. But after the show, The Glitch Mob stuck around in front of the stage until every fan who wanted an autograph, high five or photo had gotten their chance. They made it clear that the respect is mutual, a lesson to be learned by artists and fans alike.
