Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Concert review: Cut Copy and The Presets at the Granada

By Treavor Knox

Treavor Knox

The Presets

Following the heels of notable electronic acts, Ratatat (Sept. 16 at the Granada Theater) and Hot Chip (Sept. 25 at the Palladium Ballroom), Cut Copy and The Presets made a stop in Dallas Tuesday night as part of their North American tour. The event was one of the last highly anticipated events of the year at the Granada Theater with ticket sales that reached near sell out status.

Australia has experienced a surge in the revived sounds of new wave, disco and dance music through the electronic genre. Contributing to this revival are the Sydney-based duo, The Presets, and Melbourne-based trio, Cut Copy (lead by DJ and graphic designer, Dan Whitford).

With songs that suggest lust with rhythmic pulsing beats and menacing soundscapes, The Presets led the show with a solid performance that both engaged the audience and enticed them. The group performed songs like the tremendous “Are You The One?,” which was treated with a booming intro; the blazing opus of “Together”; and “Aeons,” an atmospheric, dreamy instrumental, which led into the fan favorite, “This Boy’s in Love”. The Presets are an act that don’t have to be graphic or explicit with their lyrics, but have found a way to diffuse sexy through synthesizers and percussive instruments.

Treavor Knox

Cut Copy

If the Presets provided the sonically raunchy aspect, Cut Copy was its sappy and romantic counterpart. Regardless of some sound issues (i.e. guitars drowning out vocals, backing vocals overpowering lead vocals), the dance/electronic 80s revival band gave a thrilling performance. Cut Copy performed many favorites from their debut and sophomore albums like the rock candy-flavored “Unforgettable Season”, the calming and Fleetwood Mac-inspired “Strangers in the Wind”, and of course, their newest single and ready-for-the-floor favorite, “Lights and Music”. At the end of their set, the Aussies waved and abruptly left the stage, leaving the entire Granada audience roaring and demanding more. They returned shortly to perform the first single to their latest album, In Ghost Colours, entitled “Hearts on Fire”.

Cut Copy makes their first American television appearance on the Carson Daly show tonight, October 1, on NBC.

(Editor's note: Check out more pictures from this concert on Treavor's Flickr page.

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