- The Brixton Academy is a strange venue. On the one hand the mammoth auditorium is the perfect place for bands to hold visually impressive shows without becoming lost in the expanse of an arena. On the other hand, the Academy can suffer from truly atrocious acoustics unless the engineers get the set-up just right. Unfortunately Underworld's sold out late show at the Academy was a severe casualty of the latter. In fact the sound was so bad, it was nigh-on impossible to discern a single lyric coming out of Karl Hyde's mouth. The duo's latest and greatest songs were audible, but there was no depth, no throbbing beat and nary a clear synth to stimulate the mind.
The duo arrived on stage close to midnight. Hyde wore a shiny silver jacket and Rick Smith set himself up behind an expanse of technology that was set-up in a way that allowed the crowd to see his every movement. Behind them a huge screen rifled through a series of graphics interspersed with live footage. Unfortunately the onscreen visuals weren't particularly inspiring—surprising considering the band also have a hand in a graphic design agency. Random words and numbers scrolling across a screen just don't cut it anymore, especially when you consider the live shows the likes of the Chemical Brothers and Massive Attack have been delivering lately.
On the music front, the band played a suitably full-on set which included old favourites like "Jumbo," "King of Snake" and "Two Months Off," as well material from Oblivion With Bells, including "Beautiful Burnout." The inevitable eruption that greeted "Born Slippy" suggested that some of the crowd were only really interested in one song, but you can hardly argue with a band giving the crowd what it wants. For me, at least, though, the climax came when a wide row of air-filled tubes rose to the top of the stage, each one radiating with alternating fluorescent colours, before being thrown down into a random structure that surrounded the band. This was a standout moment in a gig that could have done with a few more.
This gig reminded anyone that was listening that Underworld have a fantastic library of songs to get stuck into. And a show that doesn't up to the challenge of delivering them properly. Underworld are undoubtedly one of the biggest electronic acts in the business. Hopefully by the time their next tour rolls around, they'll be able to sound like it at Brixton Academy.