Massive Attack/Thievery Corporation

It was very fortunate that Massive Attack brought their US tour through to Atlanta.  It was their first show here since 1997.  I didn't even know about the show back then and obviously missed it.  Massive Attack have been one of my favorite bands ever since they came out, and I was determined not to miss this show.  Kurt went with me, and for some reason I thought he was a fan, but turned out he really wasn't.  He just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to the show by myself.  I think, based on some of the crowd, he likely wished he had stayed home.

It was Halloween weekend, so things were already a bit out of joint, what with half of the concert goers in costumes.  It felt like an odd evening to play the show.  Thievery Corporation opened for Massive Attack, however, both bands performed full sets.  In this instance I wished Thievery Corporation was relegated to a true opening band, 45 minute set.  I had heard some of their music a long time ago when they first came out, and it only struck me then as being passable, downtempo, after-hours club electronica.  Basically meaning that the music was pleasant enough, but faded from memory easily.

They had the two "band" members in the middle of the stage on a variety of keyboards and samplers, no real drummer though, a percussionist, sitar player, guitarist and bassist, a small horn section, and a revolving door of generic singers that came on and off the stage.  We lasted about three songs before giving in to the tedium.  As Kurt said, "They sound like Major Lazer, if Major Lazer sucked."  I was of the point of view that they sounded like a much worse Black Eyed Peas.  Strangely, it seemed like a lot of people at the show came to see them moreso than Massive Attack.  Which leads me to my one caveat about the Massive Attack show....

I really loved the show, however, my enjoyment of it was almost completely ruined by a group of the most ill-behaved people I have ever been around at a concert.  It was a group of abouy 10 people who were either in college still or were recently out of college.  They were clearly there for the Thievery Corporation show because they were relatively calm and quiet throughout their extremely boring set.  Once Massive Attack came on, we realized that they were now all drunk, high on ecstacy, huffing Vick's vaporub (which apparently increases the effects of ecstacy), and talking (well, actually screaming) at one another at full volume throughout the entire show.  It was ridiculous.  Their parents should be ashamed of themselves.  It is one thing if someone is dancing and having a good time at a show and is perhaps bumping into you a little, that I can handle, because then at least I know they enjoy the band.  These morons kept commenting how they didn't know anything about Massive Attack.  They should have either left after Thievery Corporation, or had gone up to the back of the house.

Ok, rant over.  Massive Attack played a great set, focusing heavily on Mezzanine and their latest album Heligoland.  But luckily they played tracks off all their albums, and two new numbers "United Snakes," and "You Were Just Leaving."  Martina Topley-Bird had been touring with them, but had a family emergency and was not at the show.  Her replacement was a local woman who had an excellent voice.  She nailed "Safe From Harm" and "Unfinished Sympathy."  For some reason though, they did not play "Teardrop," which is probably their most well-known song, as it is the theme song to the television show House.  They even played "Karmacoma" off of Protection which was a huge rarity, indeed, they have rarely played anything off that cd this tour.

The light show and visuals were amazing.  Very moody and intense, with lots of strobes and effects.  Behind the band was a huge light board of about 20 horizontal pieces that broadcasted bits and pieces of propoganda and other types of slogans.  Sometimes, the information coming across was so interesting it took away from the music.  But all in all, the lights, visuals, and music were completely in harmony and enhanced the experience.

Here is clip I was able to find off Youtube, which is basically the entire concert in miniature.



The setlist:

United Snakes
Risingson
Girl I Love You
Future Proof
Mezzanine
Safe From Harm
Angel
Inertia Creeps
Splitting The Atom
You Were Just Leaving

Encore:

Unfinished Sympathy
Atlas Air
Karmacoma