Cut Copy

SXSW Review: Cut Copy, March 17, Lustre Pearl

Posted on March 23, 2018 by Ricky in South By Southwest | Leave a comment

Cut Copy, March 17 2018

In my head, I have this dream that one day I’m asked to curate a festival. I know it’s implausible but maybe the multi-billion dollar corporation I work for decides to throw a festival for some reason and I’m asked to pick the bands. Anyways, it’s a fun exercise and I’m always like, what bands would I book? How would you make the ultimate showcase? In my mind, the audience would probably be a mixed bag of normal people and indie kids.

Anyways, Cut Copy would definitely be one of the bands on that imaginary festival, because they are amazing and super fun live.

It’s crazy to think that In Ghost Colours is ten years old now. I still remember discovering that record, putting it on at my friends place and just drunkenly dancing to it. It was so good and probably really pushed good clean electronic dance music to the forefront.

Of course Cut Copy has made a few records since, including last year’s Haiku From Zero, which is slowly growing on me.

Electronic acts are either really good or really bad live. Some acts you feel like, well I could just listen to this at home really really loud and it’s almost the same experience. The great acts leave you tired, exhausted and happy. This is Cut Copy. They play their tracks with energy and enthusiam and Dan Whitford does a good job getting the crowd involved with some well timed antics.

Even with a shitty sound system (Dan was visibly displeased), Cut Copy got a tired crowd dancing their asses off with a hit-filled 45 minute set. Much like their Toronto show, they started off with “Need You Now,” which is my favorite Cut Copy song. I would much prefer it to be the closer, as I think the epic buildup of that song is more suitable for closing, but I won’t complain about it as an opener.

The set consisted a lot of songs you would know but by far the two most popular tracks were the songs from In Ghost Colours. “Hearts on Fire” and “Lights & Music” are just magnificent pop songs, and frankly, when you have those two tracks in your arsenal, you can never go wrong with your show.

Cut Copy are great live. I now await the 10 year anniversary reissue of In Ghost Colours.

Concert Review: Cut Copy, November 15, Danforth Music Hall

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Ricky in Concerts | Leave a comment

cutcopy

Honestly I was so busy dancing at the Cut Copy show on Friday that I wasn’t entirely sure what they were really doing on stage. I did take the time to take that picture but it pretty much says it all – people were having a blast, there were pulsating lights and the four members of Cut Copy appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. I believe at one point the guitar player was using his guitar to hit the cymbals. FUN!

The Australian group was in town to promote their new album Free Your Mind, their new album which I am slowly absorbing. It doesn’t have the immediate catchiness of the first two albums but appears to follow in the line of Zonoscope which ditches the original formula for a more drawn out payoff. Nevertheless a sold out crowd was more then ready to experience Free Your Mind live as well as the rest of Cut Copy catalog.

And what a back catalog it is. It’s easy to forget how awesome those first two albums were since they are both a bit old (by internet standards) but the second the opening lines of Hearts On Fire hits, you are immediately transported back to that age when you discovered them and it’s magnificent. That Was Just a Dream and Strangers in the Wind soon followed and added to the crowd’s already ecstatic level of energy. For a sold out show, the crowd was exceptionally awesome – people were there to just dance and have fun. Seems like a rarity but should be noted.

The ninety minute show was a non stop dance party that had everyone moving. Even the people in the balcony were up and doing that awkward “dancing in my seating area” dance. For me it all led to their closer, the wonderful Need You Now. It’s essentially a 60’s pop song that has been transported into the world of electronics and given the good standard (but drawn out) buildup/payoff treatment. The slow build of the song coupled with everyone singing along to the lyrics followed by the gentle explosion will definitely be among my favorite concert moments of the year.

Top notch show, Cut Copy are now on my “never miss them live” list. They should be on yours as well.

Song of the Day: Architecture in Helsinki – Desert Island

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Ricky in Song of the Day | 1 Comment

Toronto – Australian band Architecture in Helsinki has had quite a spring. First off, the Melbourne five piece released an absolutely amazing cover of Cut Copy’s “Need You Now,” then they followed that up with releasing a lovely summertime album with Moment Bends. Now they are about to bring their sun kissed indie dance pop tunes over here to North America, where it seems to be perpetually raining (seriously, what is up with that?).

“Desert Island” is the first track off Moment Bends, the forth album from the group. Featuring synthesizers, pan flutes and a gentle dreamy 80s laid back vibe, it’s a great preview for the overall upbeat feeling that is the album. Definitely check it out.

Tour Dates:
06/01 Henry Fonda Theater – Los Angeles, CA
06/02 Great American Music Hall – San Francisco, CA
06/03 Slim’s – San Francisco, CA
06/04 Wonder Ballroom – Portland, OR
06/05 Venue – Vancouver, BC
06/06 Neumo’s – Seattle, WA
06/09 Varsity Theatre – Minneapolis, MN
06/10 Lincoln Hall – Chicago, IL
06/11 The Mod Club – Toronto, ON
06/12 La Tulipe – Montreal, QC
06/13 Paradise – Boston, MA
06/16 Webster Hall – New York, NY
06/17 Black Cat – Washington DC
06/18 World Cafe – Philadelphia, PA

Remix/Song of the Day: Cut Copy – Need You Now (Architecture in Helsinki Version)

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Ricky in Song of the Day | Leave a comment

Toronto – Rarely is a remix of a song better then the original. After listening to the mellow Roy Orbisonesque remix of Cut Copy‘s Need You Know by fellow Australians Architecture in Helsinki, I am compelled to tell you this might just be the case. The band takes the song and stripes it of the dance beats and replaces it with a laid back lo-fi sound. The results are stunning and takes this song to another level. Architecture in Helsinki has a new record coming out Moment Bends, which is out May 3rd. They’ll be at Toronto’s Mod Club on June 11th.

Here are some other tour dates
06/01: Los Angeles, CA @ Henry Fonda Theater
06/02: San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
06/03: San Francisco, CA @ Slims
06/04: Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
06/05: Vancouver, BC @ Venur
06/06: Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s
06/09: Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
06/10: Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
06/11: Toronto, ON @ Mod Club
06/12: Montreal, QC @ Le Tulipe
06/13: Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club
06/15: Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
06/16: New York, NY @ Webster Hall
06/17: Washington, DC @ Black Cat
06/18: Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live