Concorde 2, 14 January 2010
OK Go are one of those great things – a pop band with a sense of humour. They don’t take themselves too seriously – and neither should you.
“I have heard that Brighton is famous for its LOVERS!” shouts charismatic front man Damian Kulash. “So let me ask you Brighton – ARE. YOU. LOVERS?”
The band are having an absolute riot, and with an apparent lack of regard for any premeditated set list. As they launch into their hit single ‘Get Over It’, burst the confetti can and play one of their most famous songs half way through the set, it is not the normal structure for a band whose fame has been waning, but they really don’t care – and it works.
The Bee Gee-style falsetto works brilliantly to provide a disco feel and the band are saturated in influences from different decades. The result is a collage of new sound and nostalgia, from T-Rex guitar riffs to Beach Boys-y backing vocals.
One of the standout tracks is when the boys get on the hand bells and beautifully harmonise a version of ‘What To Do’. Introducing the slow song with the words “Now I’ll struggle not to be sarcastic for three minutes” does not seem the most secure road to heartfelt authenticity, but when lead singer Kulash gets serious and reflective with an acoustic it really is moving. Drummer Dan Konopka is pretty handy with a tambourine, managing to make it look like an electro instrument with his jerky dance moves.
The age range of the audience is roughly from fourteen to fifty. The kids at the front manage to mosh their way through the pop sounds; the crowd quickly morphing into a sea of flying skinny jeans and Converse as they begin to crowd surf.
The band’s humour, catchy songs and general attitude create a party atmosphere and by the end everybody is a part of their musical love in. The band turn around to reveal glowing letters on their backs spelling out their namesake, and the lighting is altered to reveal lasers on the ends of their guitars. This is highly coloured, brightly lit fun. It feels like a celebration. Of what we’re not sure – but lucky for us they have another couple of confetti cans up their sleeves.
Words by Lizzie Simner
okgo.net
What did you think of the gig?
Ross Young: 8/10 “It’s pure pop. I can imagine some people might be ashamed to like them, but I’m not! They are just too pop for their own good!”
Amy Clark: 8/10 “It was good, he spoke a lot and got their point of view across. They were very open and had a laugh, they interacted really well”
Anele Wyatt: 8/10 “I liked the venue, the group was good, they were very honest”
Julian Paszkiewitcz: 8/10 “I didn’t know what to expect, it was really fun”
