Placebo : live in Glasgow 2006
Ah, Placebo, that trio of glam-influenced and subversive musical maestros who have seduced generations with their unique brand of goth-tinged, indie electro-rock sounds, breaking down barriers between thirtysomethings and goth-teens like no others.
[cut out paragraph about the support band, White Rose Movement]
It's of no surprise that the title track from current album 'Meds' opens; it goes from slow-burning to a scorching orgy of dark, twisted grooves that melt many an eyeliner. The extensive application of new material continues with the spacious 'Follow The Cops Back Home' totally captivating the audience, while the trademark repetitive lyrics and slow-fast dynamics of forthcoming single 'Song To Say Goodbye' are perfectly executed.
Regular chants for signature tune 'Nancy Boy' fall on deaf ears, not even sneered at. Vocalist Brian Molko lets rip bitchy, but wit-laced snipes at James Blunt and Green Day, and somehow even manages to diss Cardiff during his homage to the late Gene Pitney, to whom he dedicates a particularly poignant and unusually grandiose 'Twenty Years'.
The sensual overtones of 'Every You Every Me' trigger lanky bassist Stefan Olsdal to sway his hips and wave his arms like a wind-swept stick insect threatening to out camp the androgynous frontman. They tempt and tease, but eventually relent with a rare outing for the sleaze-induced 'Nancy Boy'. As the packed pit and balcony threaten to overspill, both Molko and Olsdal collapse mid-stage in a fittingly reverberating climax to a deafening and euphoric roar, confirming the tune's classic status. Deliciously decadent.
by Duncan Bryceland
© Rocksound June 2006
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