Moby @ Irving Plaza

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Saturday, 26 September 2009 10:47

For a rather quiet and humble person, Moby put on one of the most exuberant shows I have seen in a long time. It felt like the 1990s all over again, which is perfectly fine with me! But, that being said, Moby’s music is actually timeless, pertaining not only to moods and atmospheres but to untapped places that exists deep inside. On a personal note, it was funny how, when Moby did perform slightly older songs, such as “South Side," "The Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?" and “Bodyrock,” I came to realize that his music served as a sort background to my teenage years, in a way I hadn’t noticed before.

On stage, Moby absolutely shines, especially at Irving Plaza, which he noted has a special place in his heart because he frequented the venue to see bands such as Black Flag in the ’80s. The crowd may not have been the kind you’d find at a punk show like that, or the kind that you’d find at a rave, and maybe there were less drugs than expected too...but, then again, Moby has “grown up” and so have his fans. That’s not to say the crowd didn’t show their unrelenting love for Moby; his presence (wearing a Bard Brains teeshirt, a nod to those punk rock roots) and his music forces you to check all pretensions at the door, and this audience, or Moby fans in general, were a diverse group, mutually enthusiastic about his varied set.

Moby’s incredible band consisted of a (bald!) drummer, female violinist and bassist, gospel belter Joy Malcolm, whose voice literally sent chills along the spine, and torch singer/keyboardist Kelli Scarr. It was truly inspiring to witness the proximity of songwriter with muse; the mastermind who created the music and the soul that can belt out the sounds. Moby’s stage presence was also in line with his unpretentious and thoroughly engaging personality; speaking between songs and telling stories, he even asked for a show of hands for anyone who didn’t live in the US, then stating, “It’s like a mini UN in here!” Moby unabashedly returned to his “electronica” roots, and dedicated a song for everyone who used to be raver. He also played new songs from his quieter, ethereal record, Wait for Me, which was quite a different experience from the listening party for the same album. This listening party was held in the planetarium of the Museum of National History, where celestial and planetary images perfectly accompanied the album’s glistening swells of piano, strings, and synths. Here, brought to stage, songs like “Walk With Me” and “Mistake” still maintained their haunting and delicate vibes, but were also delightfully kicked up a notch. And after "Wait For Me," Moby and Kelli Scar performed their original, bluesy version of the song.

Switching between singing, guitar, keyboards and the congas, Moby let his passionate female singers take center stage, especially during the first and second encore…although, for the second, Moby explained that, rather than walk off stage to hide in a sweaty closet, the band would just soar right into their last song. For their fifteen-minute, second to last whirlwind of a song, they squeezed in a Black Sabbath cover. And amid the myriad of fast-paced, dancey songs, with Moby running around the stage pointing at the crowd and seemingly having the time of his life, and the slower, sadder songs vocally performed by the ladies, Moby debuted a brand new tune, which he was basically “testing” in front of his crowd, telling us to applaud only if we liked it. Well, we did! I only wish I’d brought glowsticks.
 

words by Amy Dupcak   www.no-alternative.net