CONCERT REVIEW: ODESZA PLAYED AND WE LISTENED - Sydney, Metro Theatre April 21/16
ODESZA returned for yet another Australian headline tour, performing one of their sold-out Grooving the Moo sideshows at Sydney’s Metro Theatre.
The Seattle based duo were joined by their full band last Thursday night in the midst of drowning applause as they dazzled fans with a set comprised of hits from In Return (2014) and Summer’s Gone (2012).
Against a lighting display that projected gorgeous imagery of glowing lanterns, they quickly set the standard for the show with How Did I Get Here, where it became clear that this show warranted a prior epilepsy warning label for all the sensory overload. Temporary blindness aside, if ODESZA was the last thing I would ever see, I'd take that as a blessing.
Like any concert, there were a few rowdy, not-so-sober Classic Concert-Goer Assholes. At times the sea of iPhones recording videos at sub-par quality got out of hand whilst obscuring everyone’s vision, but the crowd’s technoholic tendencies were tamed by Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight’s highly charged performance.
Photos: Hypothetical.
Sun Models' spherical light show was mesmerising and reminded everyone of how unnecessary viewing ODESZA à la shaky cam was. The images on the light display flashed before our eyes, perfectly timed with the intoxicating, wall-shaking bass. Mills’ and Knights’ silhouettes appeared and disappeared in the intermittent darkness, mirages that coalesced with scenes of lush forests and resplendent mountains. The ceremonial call of Bloom elicited a resounding cheer from the crowd. The green glow of an aurora borealis filled the theatre. What a delight for the senses.
Kusanagi got the live band treatment. The instrumentals were lush, rich in texture thanks to the addition of the glorious sounds owing to the trombone and trumpet. It was both an ethereal and incredibly mellow experience. Of course, we can’t go without mentioning ODESZA’s crowd-pleasing remixes of Zhu’s Faded and Hayden James’ Something About You featuring a surprise appearance by the man himself. There’s definitely something about this collaboration.
Arguably the best part of the show, ODESZA turned up the heat with their explosive staple Say My Name. The crowd was ecstatic, raising their arms to clap along to the beat and when the confetti (yes, CONFETTI) showered down on us, it was sublime. The smooth transition into IPlayYouListen transported us to another galaxy, where moshing on two-left feet was somehow socially acceptable and widely encouraged.
ODESZA’s return to Sydney was a euphoric escapade and as always, ODESZA played and we listened. The duo are currently working on a third studio album, which they teased during their terrific encore.
We can’t wait to discover what these guys have in store next.
