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This past Friday, September 19, Sound Academy (formerly known as - and still usually referred to as - The Docks) was abuzz with all things Australia, namely two southern electro buzz bands that go by the names Cut Copy (pictured above) and The Presets. Anticipation for the show was high on my part - May’s Cut Copy show at The Phoenix remains a top contender on my list of concerts of the year. I was fully prepared to engage in a sexy, sweaty dance party, and that’s exactly what was delivered.

Things started off with a bit of a surprise - unexpected opener Kordan, who ushered in The Presets set a little early at about 8:30pm. There was already a healthy-sized crowd by that point and everyone was enjoying the music. Kordan, aka Arthur Eisele, is currently based in Williamsburg, New York and got his break when the guys of Cut Copy heard one his songs on a radio station while in NYC. They asked him to open up for them on a few dates for their In Ghost Colours tour, most notably the Toronto, Montreal, Chicago and NYC gigs. Throughout the night I was asked by at least five different people who the opening act at the start of the night was, so Kordan definitely made an impression and likely earned some new fans that night!

Next, The Presets came out to an impressive lights show but the stage stayed darkened for the most part to allow us all to catch a glimpse of vocalist Julian Hamilton’s NEON orange (or at least, it appeared that colour!) blazer. He and drummer Kim Moyes remained stoic and perfectly for a 60 minute set of bangers that got everyone geared up for co-headliners Cut Copy. It was an impressive setlist that got more and more exciting as it progressed - the duo definitely knows how to build up a crowd and get them dancing frenetically. The last five songs in the set were bursting with energy.

The Presets Setlist:
Talk Like That
Down Down Down
Girl (You Chew My Mind Up)
Eucalyptus
A New Sky
Yippiyo-ay
Are You The One?
Together
Aeons
This Boy’s In Love
Beat Or Beat Off
Kicking And Screaming
My People
I Go Hard, I Go Home

Finally, Cut Copy took the stage at about 10:45, half an hour later than expected. I was worried that their set would get cut short due to The Docks’ strict noise curfew (I’m pretty sure it was 11:30pm at one point?) but apparently it wasn’t a problem, cause they played till midnight. Dan Whitford is just an animal at the microphone and behind the keys - he has so much energy and spent most of the set bouncing up and down, bopping his head and getting people excited about the performance. The crowd was definitely awake and ready to dance by the time Cut Copy got on stage - it was basically a 75 minute dance party as the band played hit after hit from their two albums Bright Like Neon Love and In Ghost Colours, including beloved tracks like Far Away (second song of the set!) and single Lights And Music, which was made the crowd go absolutely ballistic. There was some serious pogo-ing going on throughout that song. Dan fittingly dedicated Strangers In The Wind to Stevie Nicks (Fleetwood Mac) - the song sounds like it would fit right in on one of their albums. They finished with Future, their huge song from Bright Like Neon Love and then came back one last time for an encore of Hearts And Music, which they couldn’t possibly omit from their set.

Cut Copy Setlist:
Nobody Lost, Nobody Found
Far Away
Time Stands Still
So Haunted
Unforgettable Season
Strangers In The Wind
Zap Zap
That Was Just A Dream
Saturdays
Feel The Love
Out There On The Ice
Lights And Music
Future

Encore
Hearts On Fire

Links:
MySpace: Kordan
MySpace: The Presets
MySpace: Cut Copy

Posted on Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008 at 11:35 am by Kat and is filed under Concerts & Events.

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