Review: Andy C Alive @ Electric Brixton

Half way through the “Alive” schedule, the show found itself at a packed out and bubbling Brixton Electric, with the likes of Lenzman, Culture Shock and 16bit providing support.

Jayne Robinson

Date published: 28th Nov 2011

Date: 18th November 2011

Words: Tom Mullett

Andy C. We all know the name, but most importantly, we all know just how bloody amazing the man is at mixing Drum and Bass.

Since breaking through in the mid-90s, Mr C has grown to become one of the biggest and most prolific names in club music, head honcho of the ever-expanding RAM recordings, and a key ambassador of almost everything to do with underground music from the UK.

Now in 2011, an era of music dominated by technological wizardry and meticulous production, the need to further his already untouchable reputation has inspired him to collaborate with a highly skilled and accomplished AV team to create a stage show that on paper appeared to be a mind blowing prospect.

In the run up to this month, promotion for the “Andy C Alive” tour has swamped online publications, with a handful of teaser videos and interviews released to create a sense of mystery and edgy anticipation ahead of the nine date tour of the UK.

Half way through the “Alive” schedule, the show found itself at a packed out and bubbling Brixton Electric, with the likes of Lenzman, Culture Shock and 16bit providing support. Lenzman’s set offered a comprehensive selection of rolling Drum and Bass, blended perfectly to build up the already excited crowd ahead of the eagerly awaited showcase.

Undoubtedly, the performance supplied by the legend in question was absolutely superb, with almost every favourable classic being worked into the mix. Timeless selections such as “Pulp Fiction” and “Body Rock” stood proudly next to more recent pieces from the likes of Chase & Status, and with the man’s captivating mixing skills on full display, it was rare to find a moment to take breath amongst a constant eruption of basslines and drum rolls.

Unfortunately, the AV display didn’t quite live up to expectations. Despite a handful of intriguing visuals synced appropriately to the music, a fair proportion of the visual performance lacked any real character. There is no way of mistaking the fact that the scale of such a project is more than impressive, however it is a shame that after such an effort had been made, time hadn’t been spent refining the final product.

Other AV shows from the likes of Amon Tobin have proved just how far reaching such a venture can be explored, but sadly in this case, team Andy C fell just short.

All in all, the whole thing was rather enjoyable and even though a few key areas needed tweaking, there was a clear sense of satisfaction in the room. Once again the man everyone was there to see proved exactly why he is regarded as the best, with a stupendous 90 minutes of DJ’ing.

Next up was 16bit, which appeared to be an odd to choice to follow the rolling, dance floor vibes of the Drum and Bass maestro, and it appeared that a large proportion of the crowd shared this view. After about ten minutes of screeching Dubstep shrills, half of those in attendance vacated the dance floor and the occasion very quickly became rather lifeless. A combination of poor beat matching, odd track selection and over zealous hand gestures lead to a rather static dance floor that seemed almost in shock at what they were hearing. It is a shame that after such an energetic performance from Andy C that the event was reduced to a rather colourless stand still, suggesting a crucial mistake on behalf on the event organiser in positioning such contrasting acts so close to each other on the bill.

Regardless, the night will most definitely be remembered for the incredible performance offered by Andy C, and despite the AV show lacking any defining moments, it is without doubt that the man is still one of the greatest and most captivating entertainers in underground music.

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