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2nd May '08 at Liverpool Guild of Students
Commercial. Over-produced. Not “real” drum and bass. Yeah, we've all heard the accusations leveled against Pendulum. But really, who wants to pontificate on the finer points of authenticity in electronic music when they're off their face, down the front, havin' it? At least, that's what you'd think before experiencing the Aussies' live show. Because while one of their singles might sound monstrously powerful as part of a DJ set, a whole evening of those same formulaic wait-for-the-catchy-synth-riff-to-kick-in moments quickly becomes a junglist Groundhog Day.
Not that it matters to the Guild's student crowd – they seem to be loving the change from carpet-and-chrome cheese clubs. But for anyone who doesn't think Grooverider is a brand of condom, Pendulum are almost the dance equivalent of Linkin Park: plenty of lights and dry ice, with enthusiastic calls to “completely lose it!", but little substance to be enjoyed by those for whom getting twatted at a gig isn't a novelty in itself.
Aside from awing at the stadium-extravaganza production values though, it's telling that “the kids” respond more rapturously to the famed remix of Voodoo People than any of the band's original material. And while only the most ardent purist could deny Pendulum's occasional brilliance in mixing dance and rock, previews of tracks from guitar-heavy new album In Silico are less Prodigy, more watered-down Pitchshifter.
Which just goes to prove: although being inauthentic may not matter, being average really does.