This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/12/underworld-live-review-royal-festival-hall-london

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Underworld review – deep and impressively profound Underworld review – deep and impressively profound
(35 minutes later)
The 1990s rave scene may have been reliably hedonistic and life-affirming, but the suspicion lingered for many that its thrills were essentially hollow and superficial. Underworld were one of the few artists who emerged from acid house to imply that its pleasures could be both deep and impressively profound.The 1990s rave scene may have been reliably hedonistic and life-affirming, but the suspicion lingered for many that its thrills were essentially hollow and superficial. Underworld were one of the few artists who emerged from acid house to imply that its pleasures could be both deep and impressively profound.
Together with long-departed DJ Darren Emerson, the duo of Rick Smith and Karl Hyde’s high water mark was their 1994 album, dubnobassdwithmyheadman, which they perform in full here to mark the 20th anniversary of its release. It’s a testament to its enduring appeal that not one member of the audience of 40-somethings appears to contemplate sitting down all night. Together with long-departed DJ Darren Emerson, the duo of Rick Smith and Karl Hyde’s high water mark was their 1994 album, dubnobassdwithmyheadman, which they perform in full here to mark the 20th anniversary of its release. It’s a testament to its enduring appeal that not one member of the audience of fortysomethings appears to contemplate sitting down all night.
Underworld’s vivacious techno beats always hit home hard but the ace in their pack is twitchy vocalist Hyde, whose stream-of-consciousness lyrics fall between Kerouac-style beat poetry and the ramblings of a stranger on a bus. On the pulsing, sexualised Dark & Long and Dirty Epic, he captures brilliantly the yearning anxiety that can kick in even at the heart of the most abandoned, euphoric dance floor.Underworld’s vivacious techno beats always hit home hard but the ace in their pack is twitchy vocalist Hyde, whose stream-of-consciousness lyrics fall between Kerouac-style beat poetry and the ramblings of a stranger on a bus. On the pulsing, sexualised Dark & Long and Dirty Epic, he captures brilliantly the yearning anxiety that can kick in even at the heart of the most abandoned, euphoric dance floor.
Listening to this humane, expansive music, it’s easy to see why Danny Boyle appointed Smith to supply the soundtrack to his Olympic opening ceremony. Mmm Skyscraper I Love You finds the Breton-shirted Hyde spitting scattergun words that magnificently evoke the post-club feeling of prowling a night-time city in a delirious narcotic haze, convinced that it is there for you and you alone.Listening to this humane, expansive music, it’s easy to see why Danny Boyle appointed Smith to supply the soundtrack to his Olympic opening ceremony. Mmm Skyscraper I Love You finds the Breton-shirted Hyde spitting scattergun words that magnificently evoke the post-club feeling of prowling a night-time city in a delirious narcotic haze, convinced that it is there for you and you alone.
For the encore they fire into their huge 1996 Trainspotting-fuelled hit Born Slippy, and the raving Royal Festival Hall as one hymns the merits of lager, lager, lager and going back to Romford. A superb band 20 years ago, Underworld’s fierce potency has not dimmed.For the encore they fire into their huge 1996 Trainspotting-fuelled hit Born Slippy, and the raving Royal Festival Hall as one hymns the merits of lager, lager, lager and going back to Romford. A superb band 20 years ago, Underworld’s fierce potency has not dimmed.