Music’s Got Me Feeling So Free

Daft Punk @ Keyspan Park 8/9/2007
Robot Rock + Oh Yeah + Technologic / Television Rules The Nation + Around The World + Cresdendolls / Steam Machine / Harder Better Faster Stronger + Around The World / Burnin’ / Too Long / Face To Face + Harder Better Faster Stronger / One More Time + Aerodynamic / The Prime Time Of Your Life / Alive / Brainwasher / Da Funk + Daftendirekt / Superheroes + Human After All // Together + One More Time (approximate setlist, may be slightly inaccurate)

Daft Punk “Face To Face” – How do you talk about a show like this without gushing with hyperbole, or inadvertently making it sound dull by translating an immersive visceral, physical experience into a bunch of stupid words? Daft Punk’s show is the opposite of words, basically. If you want to get an idea of what the performance was like, watch these YouTube clips, but keep in mind that they really don’t capture the full sensation, and I can’t seem to find examples of some of the most stunning bits of the light show:

Daft Punk’s show is essentially a fusion of crowd-pleasing, disco dancing spectacle and high concept installation art. Every moment is precisely calculated to maximize the audience’s pleasure, and their submission to the moment. Though the set was mostly high energy, they allowed for several cool-down moments in which the duo gave the audience permission to slow down and get lost in the visuals before pulling them back with another round of intense beats.

It’s kinda amazing how incredibly thrilling it can be to see guys dressed like robots dancing around in a giant glowing pyramid. It’s a simple pleasure, really.

Though it seemed that everyone was most excited to hear the classic songs from Discovery, the tracks from Human After All were a revelation in the context of a large scale performance. It’s not too much of a surprise that their “rock” songs would go over well in an arena setting, but the raw excitement triggered by the likes of “Technologic” and “Television Rules The Nation” was enough to question why that album received such poor reviews a few years ago. (Click here to buy it from Amazon.)

Elsewhere & Related: Take a look inside Daft Punk’s pyramid, learn how to make your own customized LED robot helmet, and behold the ecstatic comments thread on Brooklyn Vegan.

The Rapture @ Keyspan Park 8/9/2007
Down For So Long / Get Myself Into It / Sister Savior / The Devil / Pieces of the People We Love / Whoo! Alright – Yeah…Uh Huh / House of Jealous Lovers / Don Gon Do It / First Gear (aborted midway after keyboard failure) / Olio

The Rapture “First Gear” – I’d been really hoping to see the Rapture do “First Gear,” and until some damnable keyboard gave out in the second minute, my wish had been granted. On an album of instantly ingratiating songs, “First Gear” is a slow burner, the one that pulls you deeper and deeper if you just let go. (Weirdly, even though I’ve heard the song a few dozen times now, I always seem to expect Matty to start singing the chorus of “Warning Siren” when he shifts into the “can I ask you a question?” section.)

The Rapture were fantastic — they always are — but their songs work better in smaller places, and situations in which everyone there is there to see them. As it was, there were plenty of folks on the floor flipping out to their songs, along with pockets of people who were just waiting around for the robots. Fair enough, fun enough, but it wasn’t anything near as intense as their show at Webster Hall last year. (Click here to buy it from Amazon.)