Basement Jaxx @ The Enmore Review

Okay, ill try to keep this as brief as possible because theres ALOT that could be said but I dont want to bore you all. Went to the Enmore last night as I'm sure some of you are aware to go and see Basement Jaxx live for the second time in my life - the first being back in England in '07.

Didn't know until the day that they'd be receiving support from Australias own 'The Potbelleez'. I've never seen them live and never taken a particular interest. I know who they are and what their one hit is. Started off with two DJ's basically playing through 'Dont Hold Back' before that ugly dude and skanky chick came out as well. This is unabashed pop music and it is hilarious. Unfortunately it isnt their intention. Watching the backing vocalists 'sing' is hilarious as when they dont the vocals are still there. The chick looked pretty wasted and despite the fact she'd been singing her heart out for the first song, when it came time for her to do some lead vocal in the second song she started singing and words didnt come out - her mic wasnt even up! The frontman got a guitar out at random times which was an insult because he plays it about as well as most drunk people do at backyard parties. Come to think of it, much worse than some of the people I've seen play. When he cracked out the acoustic for a reprise of 'Dont Hold Back' at the end I nearly cried but chose to laugh instead. *The Potbelleez are absolutely shit. What they were even doing on the same stage as Basement Jaxx is beyond belief and I'm sure that if any of them stayed and watched Basement Jaxx put on the show they did they might have gone home for a bath in Hydrochloric acid. I can dream anyway.* That being said they were very humble towards their hosts and I have to give them points for entertainment. Even if for me it was a laugh.

Not long after they left Basement Jaxx emerged exactly as I remember them, crass, jovial, extravagant. The costumes were amazing, from the wedding dress for opening number 'Good Luck' to massive booty-covering Basement Jaxx undies to retro 80's dress to a cape combining the Australian, UK and Jamaican flags. To see it from up close this time really brought home the quality of thought that has gone into this stage show.

Alot of new songs were played, as well as the ones I was praying to hear like Red Alert and as long as someone was at the front of the stage it was constantly engaging. If anything the only time I lost attention or wasn't overly amazed were during the electro grooves. But two percussionists still gave me plenty to watch. Everyone on stage was going absolutely nuts and the crowd was reciprocating gratefully. I can't say I've ever actually been to a show that could be considered entirely electro (apart from Daft Punk) and the crowd was certainly different. You could tell who'd taken their pills on a Tuesday but generally everyone was good. The dickheads kept away.

The light show was brilliant, the crowd interaction was fun and throughout the night there were eleven different people on stage. Every one of them such a distinct personality. I dont know names so Im not going to try but from the two big sassy mamas, to the younger one who could dance absolutely amazingly (although they all could), to the rasta MC to the not so rasta MC to the guy with the mo in the singlet during the encore (who turned out to be Sam Sparro) to the Timberlake-esque dude to the drummers to the tuba/trumpet guy and the list goes on. The night ended with the obligatory 'Wheres Your Head At?' which got the whole place moving and as they all left the stage I couldnt have asked for anything more. Needless to say that when they played the encore featuring 'Do Your Thing' and 'Bingo Bango' and absolutely everyone on stage I lost my junk.

So what can be said of my night with Basement Jaxx? Its hard to properly convey it to people that werent there. In the lead up I was trying to get people to come to the show, letting them know what they were in for and so many were nonplussed. Now that its been and gone I could tell them (and you) how much you missed but you really wont understand. You'll just think you missed a gig that someone else really enjoyed but all I can say is you missed a hell of a lot more than that. Its only the start of March but I can pretty safely say that unless Rammstein come out I've witnessed the gig of the year in my books. They're still in the country so go and see them if you can.

*The views expressed in this rant are entirely my own. I know it and so should you. Sure I thought they were crap but that doesnt mean you will. Go and check them out live and make your own mind up.