Why The Chemical Brothers are (still) the must-see act of summer 2019

They might have been at the top for decades, but the Mancunian duo just keep getting better and better

Last updated: 16th Jul 2019

Originally published: 8th Jul 2019

It begins with an anxious anticipation, contributed to by the sound of Junior Parker's slow, sultry rendition of The Beatles' psychedelic anthem 'Tomorrow Never Knows'. Two darkened figures emerge on stage and set about unleashing the sound of searing synths and a gradual, deep, throbbing bass as human-like figures come cartwheeling and jumping out of the stage and onto the screen... and it's at this point that you know something extraordinary is about to happen.

The squelching bass sounds of 2017 anthem 'Go' rise as Q Tip's voice begins to boom: "Everybody jumping out their mind / Everybody going out of their skins." 

This is where it starts. Where it ends, only The Chemical Brothers know.

You're now at the mercy of Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons, being taken on a journey through both time and emotion, from '90s blockbusters like 'Chemical Beats', 'Hey Boy Hey Girl' and 'Dig Your Own Hole' to post-millennial bangers like 'Swoon' and 'Galvanize'.

Experiencing 'The Chems' live, your sensations soar to supersonic heights, the focus not just on the immense audio being pumped into the air but on the whole gigantic production: the LED screens, the lights, the strobes, the crazy 3D (and sometimes disturbing) characters.

Once on stage and delivering the full force of their work, there are no distractions, instead there is just the music, the show, and a feeling of sheer euphoria.

You might be ask: why would an act born in the nineties be the must see act of festival season 2019? And that's a fair point.

My answer would be this: watching The Chemical Brothers live is a timeless experience, and the whole production is the best it's ever been. While the frontman of a band may lose their ability to sing well or jump about the stage as freely after 25 years in the game, here the passing of time does not apply - it simply keeps getting more epic.

And their output and ability hasn't faded one bit, the release of ninth album No Geography earlier in 2019 a prime example of that.

From the robotic, pounding opening track, 'Eve of Destruction', via a soaring, all-encompassing title track, 'Got To Keep On', all the way through to the pent up rage of 'MAH', the Brothers' latest record is an emotional rollercoaster, further bolstering a live set that features some of the best known dance tracks of a generation.

As their headline show at Glastonbury 2019 proved, you're unlikely to ever experience anything as memorable as a Chemical Brothers festival show. Yes, an arena show is likely to be as good, perhaps more intimate, but there's nothing like going full throttle in the great outdoors.

Their last UK festival show of 2019 is on the Saturday at Creamfields - if you're quick you can grab one of the last remaining tickets below. 

Image: The Chemical Brothers