After standing in a crowded Marquee Theatre for two hours, glancing around at the rest of the crowd as the atrocious opening artist droned on for what felt like an eon, I realize that the throbbing in my ears began to match the throbbing of my feet. Inside those $30 Vans, I could hear my feet screaming at me, demanding that I answer the question of why I was there. As I scanned the crowd, waiting for Melbourne-based synth-pop group Cut Copy to come on, I realized the crowd was as nonplussed as I was.
Finally, the dissonant and fractured noise coming from the opener, Larry Gus, ended. The time was near, and Dan Whitford of Cut Copy would soon take the stage along with his dancing compatriots.
The lights hit the stage and Whitford towered over his microphone, donning his signature scruffy haircut, his scarecrow-like arms outstretched to the crowd as the band performed "Free Your Mind" from its newest album.
The crowd was immediately enthralled, but it wasn’t until Cut Copy performed "So Haunted" from its hit album "In Ghost Colours" that the sound of the show reached a crescendo. During the set, Tim Hoey frequently turned his guitar string-side-down and dragged it across the floor, creating a sound so dissonant yet satisfying that the crowd could do nothing but scream louder and stomp harder.
After playing a few tracks from its newest album "Free Your Mind," the band got back into the hits, performing "Take Me Over" from the album "Zonoscope," as well as playing tracks from "Bright Like Neon Love."
The band spanned the sound of its musical career in a matter of hours, taking onlookers on an unforgettable electronic journey as Cut Copy played tracks from each of its four studio albums.
Yet, the show was not without its flaws. Hoey seemed to be confused, on more than one occasion, as to when his cue was in terms of hitting the tom drums; often he would bang them on his own accord, warranting a confused look from Whitford and the rest of the band. But, what’s a show without flaws? And after all, Hoey was flawless on the guitar throughout the night.
Cut Copy was the epitome of a crowd-pleaser, often running to the front row of the theater and letting fans sing songs. After the show, each band member thanked the crowd, with Hoey and drummer Mitchell Scott walking along the front row and shaking fans’ hands, adding to the already satisfying and satiating experience of the show.
Reach the reporter at Dvalente@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @Domjvalent