Bearded Magazine / Live Reviews / Cut Copy

Cut Copy @ Manchester Academy 2 26.10.11

Whilst this small, dark Academy venue is a far cry from the damp, spacious surroundings of the Warehouse Project’s habitual location, Australia’s Cut Copy manage to get the crowd raving as if they were partying at 4am under Manchester Piccadilly Station. Perhaps it’s the excitement from their latest LP Zonoscope. Or perhaps it’s the fact that us Brits haven’t seen them for three years since they toured In Ghost Colours. Whatever it is, we’re quite happy to welcome the boys from down under with open arms.

Oct 26th, 2011 at Manchester Academy 2 / By Alex Yau
Cut Copy Amidst sparkly synths and bubbling synths, opener ‘Take Me Over’ evokes the spirits of Men at Work via its ‘Land Down Under’ bass line and captures some sunshine that we’ve all been missing. Tim Hoey dances around with a cool charm, and whilst we’re sat anticipating a power fist from Dan Whitford, the band’s charismatic energy is enough to show us they’re on top of their game and loving it.

Unsurprisingly it’s the older hits that really get a reaction. On top of ghostly sighs and an icy build-up, a lively disco beat grabs us in wait. It’s the moment where we all hold our breaths, and then chant back in joy as ‘Lights and Music’ explodes in eighties synth pop charm. Whitford sings confidently about a romantic one off under the dance floor. Later on ‘Hearts on Fire’ takes us a decade further with its 90’s dance floor chant which sees everyone chant “WoOoOoh” loudly. They’re confident and can still pull off the oldies with a storm. Tonight they end of ‘Out There on The Ice,’ a ghostly wall of New Order-ish bubbling bass lines, spiritual sighs and shiny pads. They leave with a big massive bang which’ll leave a massive mark on Manchester for a long time.

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