Justice Tour Promoters and Organizers Brutally Attack Concertgoers with Lack of Effort
Justice was a disappointment.
First, their set was strong; perhaps, stronger than when I saw them in Philly. But although the set was strong the presentation was horribly weak – crippled even.
Justice’s live show has become famous for the bands giant glowing cross positioned at the front of their DJ table, which is set up in front of a massive wall of speakers. The giant cross and wall of sound was replaced by a table with a black table cloth and two large amps on blocks. The lack of speakers is acceptable because the sound was fine, but the omission of the glow-cross is inexcusable. Here’s why:
A live act is not only about music – Music as well as the presentation of said music are both vital to an effective live performance. When the music is lacking the presentation must step up and vice versa. DJs must largely depend on the music and the crowd energy to support their minimal visual output. Watching spinning can be entertaining, but for the most part it is rather dull. A quick flick of the wrist sending a record against the needle will never be as entertaining as someone playing a guitar with their teeth. Spinning CDs is almost guaranteed to be dull (see: Busy P). Thus, the electronic community has witnessed the rise in popularity of video in conjunction with the music that adds a visual element to the music (see: Hearthrob). Other groups (see: Daft Punk, or Justice) have added another element such as the cross, or dressing like robots while standing in a huge pyramid in addition to having video. The added focus on visual elements and style is not necessary, but can make a large difference in creating a more entertaining live act.
Without the cross Justice lost a large portion of that visual appeal and their set suffered because of it. And, it’s not as if a glowing cross is necessarily all that interesting, but it adds an appeal that is more than the sum of its parts. Watching a cross pulse to the beat is somehow mesmerizing and at the same time gets people more excited. For some reason (divine intervention?) the cross helps works people into the kind of frenzy that makes a Justice show a brutal attack on the audience as Dave Hughes of NY Magazine wrote.
Furthermore, if every other stop on the tour features an element that was missing from the Boston show than we received a crippled set. We bought a product with a component missing, but still paid full price for it (justifiable of a return or refund?). If the band never uses the cross again than it’s just a change in direction, but if they do, which I’m sure they already have been had/given the business.
I guess the argument could be made that Paradise cannot facilitate their normal set up. Perhaps not the wall of speakers, but the cross should have been no problem. Their set up was a table on concrete blocks on a raised platform on the stage. Or, in other words, there was plenty of room. If my dimension estimations are off then the tour organizers are at fault for a poor choice of venues, which makes for more than one lame decision (see: MSG).
Maybe I’m complaining too much about a big cross, but I hope I’ve made the case that it’s not just about the cross – it’s about an entire package. A live show requires music, musicians/performers and whatever aids that need to be used to make it the best live show possible. And since that cross is part of their night in and night out set up Boston was given a sub par performance.
In addition, fuck you Myspace, Discover Card, Ed Banger Records, and whoever else decided that flash photography would not be allowed in order to privatize photography from the event. If there was no flash photography in order to allow the artist the necessary concentration to perform to the best of their ability (see: Neil Young circa Massey Hall) then I understand. But spinning CDs is not hampered by a flash and pro photographers’ flashes are larger and brighter than anyone’s digital camera. So, whoever made that decision – go fuck yourself for alienating the crowd, or, at least me.
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