Moderat
– ALBERT HALL, MANCHESTER –
Another great electronic night organised by the lads of The Warehouse Project hosting Moderat, one of the biggest names from the last few years in the European dance movement. WHP may not need much presentation, but they have now been programming shows like this one since 2006 when they started in the old Boddington’s Brewery building, and later on in different venues around Greater Manchester.
The event marks a new series of club sessions taking place at the Albert Hall, the latest addition to the Trof family (Gorilla, Deaf Institute), and this Moderat’s headlining gig is one of the venue’s biggest shows to date.
It was originally built as the Methodist Central Hall in 1910. Since it was closed for that purpose, the venue has been used for a variety of events (the lower two floors were converted to a nightclub during the 90’s) until it was renovated in 2012 for music concerts. The third floor chapel was restored with its imposing stage and it kept another upper level of graded seating for the listeners with great acoustics, and has become one of the best places for shows.
Moderat are making one of their first headline shows in the UK since the release of their most recent album ‘II’. Originated in Berlin, Germany, the electronic trio started as a collaboration between Sascha Ring from Apparat, and Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary also known as Modeselektor back in 2002. Since the release of their first album they became one of the most influential IDM projects in the scene, playing the most prestigious clubs all around the world.
As I see it, it is hard to define what makes a good electronic show from a bad one, but I really thought that this one was the former. They present themselves as three smiley guys ready to rock the house and drive people crazy with their sounds and visuals. Surrounded by a four-piece screen behind them, which creates a 3D effect, Moderat succeed in making the crowd dance madly.
‘A New Error’ and ‘Rusty Nails’, two of the most acclaimed songs from their first release, are played out at the beginning of the show, which in my humble opinion, is a mistake because their final part of the exhibition turns out to be a bit dull.
Mr. Apparat on the vocals and, in songs like ‘Milk’ or ‘Les Grandes Marches’, playing the guitar, coupled with Modeselektor providing the savage beats and synth melodies, complete a 90 minute mind-blowing show, finishing off with the slow rhythm of ‘Therapy’. “Best live show I’ve ever seen in my life” is heard when leaving the venue, and even if I don’t feel the same way, without a doubt it was a unique night which we were lucky to be a part of.
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Biken is a Spanish music blogger based in Manchester trying to discover the marvellous culture of the city and to get lost in its endless gigs agenda. By the age of 22 he parked his guitar and started to write about music instead of making it.
