Hot Chip - Bestival 2012 review

'An eye-grabbing and ear-seducing set'

Chris Swindells - 07 September 2012

In a Big Top tent bursting at the seams, Hot Chip enter at thirty minutes past midnight. Finally they can 'Shake A Fist' and kick into the groove, with a punchy, synth and sample driven intro.

Kitted out with a bandana around his head, and plaits of hair plastered on the side of it, Alexis Taylor is running with the Bestival spirit.

'One Life Stand' segues neatly into 'Night & Day', both apropos examples of how this band has broken from the obscure sidelines of house and indie-pop into an established, sharply polished musical spectacle.

"This is the first time we've played 'The Warning' since 2007." Guitar player Al Doyle announces, before leading into the title track from their sophomore record. As dark and sinisterly detailed as the first time you heard it, the true skill Hot Chip possess is in exploring the multiple shades and caveats of electronic music. Topping the Big Top on Thursday it's big numbers that do the business, but the rework of 'Over And Over' proves established hits can still surprise.

Latest single 'How Do You Do' is a soul-dance rhapsody commanding total concentration. It certainly is needed for 'I Feel Better', which takes a low key cameo late in the set, they tone down the falsetto parts but the steel drums remain.

Joining 'Ready For The Floor' with Fleetwood Mac's 'Everywhere' is an inspired finale as "aah woo" rings round the tent. An eye-grabbing and ear seducing set to see the weekend start in style.

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Click here for all our Bestival coverage, with reviews, photos and videos coming in across the weekend, plus the chance to stream full sets from the festival - this Hot Chip set from the Big Top will air tonight (Friday 7 September) at 9:25pm (GMT). 

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