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Justice @ WaMu Theater - Madison Square Garden (review) :: Three thousand head-bobbing hipsters converged for Ed Banger, Chromeo and more

By Carl Noone Jr. Photography by Carl Noone Jr.

03/07/08 :: URB web

The Myspace Music Tour
featuring Busy P vs. DJ Mehdi, Chromeo, and Justice
WaMu Theater @ Madison Square Garden, NYC
March 11, 2008

“New York, New York, big city of dreams”, or so goes the lyrics to a classic rap song, exalting the instantly apparent draw of that city. But in that city of millions, one can be fooled into believing he has been teleported to another country, in another time, say, Paris, France for instance. And so was the case when over three thousand head-bobbing hipsters converged on the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden for the Myspace Music Tour. Complete with neon spandex, day-glo polyester track jackets, and graffiti-emblazoned airbrushed t-shirts, the French took over MSG like their ancestors storming the Bastille, making it literally explode and bounce for three hours.

Due to visa and work permit issues ala M.I.A., opener Fancy was unable to perform, with Diplo mysteriously missing from the lineup as well. This made way for a longer set by DJs Mehdi and Ed Banger Records head-honcho Busy P, who shared the reigns on a set of Pioneer CD turntables. Bathed in blue and awash in a sea of pink, the French-Tunisian Mehdi rocked a set of spiky, thudding electro while Busy P added junky blasts of vocals and crazy samples over top, creating an entire set that was filled with fresh beats that reflected their interest in American hip-hop producers Timbaland and The Neptunes, all the while undeniably blurring the borders between techno, house and hip-hop.

Busy P and Medhi

Sounding like a combination of all the best scenes from all your favorite ‘80s movies, Chromeo (aka “only successful Arab/Jewish collaboration since the beginning of time”) brought their electro-funk dance party to the fevered folks in NYC. Dave 1 (David Macklovitch), the Canadian Semite seen crooning behind the legged keyboard while slinging a funky axe, is also studying for his Ph.D in French Literature at Columbia University. His long time pal P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel), who looks a bit Lebanese, is the gold-chain wearing keyboard/synth master behind the beats and the sounds. And not since “Frampton Comes Alive!” has a talk box been so well received.

Chromeo

Chromeo looked like they were having fun, something that wasn't lost on the crowd who reciprocated the love with sing-along chants and plenty of cheers. Throughout the set, complete with “Tenderoni” and “Two Step”, the duo's stage presence was always full of lightheartedness and when they played Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” together, back to back, it was a sight to behold.

Marking their third trip to the U.S., Justice took the stage, again operating a handful of mixers and midis and a Mac laptop surrounded by 18 Marshall speaker cabinet shells and a bank of faux power amps, with a light-up white cross in the center of it all. But this time around they had just a little bit more. With a little more lights then before and a bit more sound, this show, overall, had a little more “Ooomph” then previous attempts, and it showed. A whole lot like Daft Punk in sound, but not so much in execution, Justice wore black leather motorcycle jackets and tight denim in place of robot helmets and spacesuits, for example, but pumped out plenty of juiced-up, banging electro.

Justice

However, on this night, it was a weirdly paced set that made Justice seem not meathead rockerish, but oddly progressive and arty, as if they wanted the dancers to stand there and listen in spots. Among the heaviest rock this side of Iron Maiden, the show was an amazingly fun and funky experience, and this was the best excuse EVER to party and dance hard on a Tuesday night.

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