Austin – Playing as a part of Spin’s day time party, 80s English band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark(OMD) delighted the mob of old fans while surely attracting a new host if new fans. Introduced by super fan Moby, the band took the stage shortly after 3:00 pm. Playing what appears to be greatest hits set, OMD’s synth drenched tracks sounded surprisingly modern. I’m pretty sure if OMD was some new act from Brooklyn, Pitchfork would have them headlining some festivals.
Back to the afternoon show. Employing Moby as a guest bassist, the band made the crowd swoon with amazing renditions of If You Leave, Enola Gay and Electricity. I was shocked to find out that Electricity was one of the first songs they’ve ever written, and at just a tender age of 16 as well. Lead singer Andy McCluskey’s stage presence was great as well, featuring prototypical dry English humor and perfectly timed moves to accentuate certain parts of each track. It’s sometimes marvel to see how older performers are so comfortable on a big stage while the newer ones look so awkward. The only disappointment from this set was that they did not play with a full band, something Andy said would happen for their night time showcase.
Sadly for the rest of the fans, the official OMD showcase later that night was cut short when a three hundred pound camera boom stand collapsed and injured a bunch of people. However we were able to catch Enola Gay and Electricity again before it ended. Not bad for the last two tracks I’ll hear at SXSW.
