Ventured up to the Vic last night to check out England’s Hot Chip throw the dance music all over the place, and it was a damn good time. Opener was Free Blood, and they were pretty solid, and they even came out and joined Hot Chip on stage for a few of their songs later on. Hot Chip came out to thunderous excitement from the crowd, as the sound check/setup for them took quite a long time and everyone was a little on edge.

Once they came out and fired it up however, the house was jumping and it was a straight up dance party from start to finish. As you may know, Hot Chip is a mostly electronic/new wave-ish sounding kind of band so there is no drummer, just a drum machine and 3 synthesizers, with the guitars and basses making appearances as well. Despite the music being predominantly electronic however, they do an excellent job giving their music a very live “feel”. It never feels prerecorded or pre-produced or anything and really has a great energy to it and really sounds really cool. And of course the kids on the floor were fucking dancing up a storm. I staked out a spot on the balcony because everytime I’m on the floor at the Vic my view sucks and I get really irritated, and I got a great seat upstairs. But even upstairs people were dancing in the aisles as Hot Chip just turned the Vic into a club for a night. They played a lot of stuff off the new record “Made In the Dark“, with many of the songs getting expanded live show treatment that made them sound even better. Certainly “One Pure Thought” is one of the best songs put out so far this year, and it didn’t disappoint live, it sounded incredible. Also, “No Fit State” from “The Warning” sounded awesome live, and certainly had the kids bouncing.

Certainly check these guys out on tour if you can, and they are also one of the bands playing ACL so make sure to check them out if you are going to ACL. Further tour dates thusly:

Apr 18 2008 8:00P First Avenue Minneapolis, Minnesota
Apr 21 2008 8:00P Commodore Vancouver, British Columbia
Apr 22 2008 8:00P Showbox Seattle, Washington
Apr 23 2008 8:00P Crystal Ballroom Portland, Oregon
Apr 24 2008 8:00P The Fillmore San Francisco, California
Apr 26 2008 8:00P Coachella Festival Indio, California
Apr 26 2008 8:00P Coachella Indio, California
May 10 2008 8:00P Pontins Camber Sands Holiday Centre Rye, South
May 25 2008 8:00P A field in the country, South
Jun 6 2008 8:00P Nurgburgring racetrack Nurburg, Rheinland-Pfalz
Jun 7 2008 8:00P Frankenstadion Nuremburg, Bayern
Jul 3 2008 8:00P Hyde Park London, London and South East
Jul 4 2008 8:00P Werchter Werchter
Jul 5 2008 8:00P Arvika Arvika, Värmlands län
Jul 6 2008 8:00P South of Roskilde Roskilde, Sjælland
Jul 12 2008 8:00P Punchestown Racecourse Naas, Kildare
Jul 13 2008 8:00P an airfield Balado, Scotland
Jul 18 2008 8:00P Benicassim Barcelona, Barcelona
Jul 19 2008 8:00P Madrid Madrid, Madrid
Aug 16 2008 8:00P Weston Park Stafford, Midlands
Aug 17 2008 8:00P Hylands Park Chelmsford, East
Sep 6 2008 8:00P Robin Hill near Arreton, London and South East

Hot Chip – One Pure Thought – From Made In the Dark
Hot Chip – No Fit State – From The Warning