Death In Vegas

Often mutually exclusive, rock and electronic music are never easily combined by a band. One act has managed it fairly successfully over the past ten years or so, and they go by the name of Death In Vegas. Richard Fearless’ band started off as a studio-bound project and released the mostly-electronic Dead Elvis album back in 1997. It wasn’t until 1999’s The Contino Sessions and 2002’s Scorpio Rising that Death In Vegas became the live rock/electronic act that we know so well. Although we don’t ever get to see album guests Bobby Gillespie, Paul Weller and Iggy Pop onstage with Fearless and his band, they are never missed; Death In Vegas get their heads down and play seemingly elongated Krautrockin’ versions of their best known tracks. ‘Dirge’ chugs along endlessly until it spirals out of control with Theremin noise, ‘Aisha’ is terrifyingly intense and not just because of Iggy Pop’s disembodied voice booming all around you, and ‘Hands Around My Throat’ is as dangerously sexy as it appears on record, its jittery rhythms splutteringly filthy and enticing to the whole crowd. Fearless, stuck behind a bank of keys and computers and raised slightly up from his band, conducts everything with ease, like it’s always been simple to combine dance music and rock music. Yes, often the guest spots are what makes a Death In Vegas record but here, live, Fearless is the man in charge and the star of the show.

There are now a few versions of Death In Vegas, as the electro-rock duo has gone through some transformations in the last years, and since at least 2011 has become Richard Fearless’s solo act. At London’s Fabric, their first visit to the UK in 7 years, there is an air of anticipation as the public wonder what they’re about to witness - a new beginning? a consolidation of their position as electro-rock-dub pioneers? Everybody realizes pretty quickly that Death In Vegas aren’t resting on their laurels as they kick off their set with ‘Dirge’, perhaps one of their most well-known tracks, except its had something of a makeover, and is sounding all the better for it. The crowd are glad to see them back. Now, the tunes that really ending up setting the room alight, almost halfway into the set, are Flying, followed by Death Threat. It was the equivalent of Fearless waking up and saying to the crowd ‘OK, you can dance now’. The band, the room, the music are almost unrecognisable compared to the first half of the set! Death In Vegas storm through Aisha, Hands Around My Throat and Rekkit, unleashing a full tide of sound to a delighted audience. Again, many of their tunes had been reworked, but I think this worked very well, giving people something familiar but with a new and unexpected edge.

I went to see this Death in Vegas gig based primarily on my love of The Contino Sessions (admittedly released in 1999). Richard Fearless has moved on...sort of!

Oval Space is a good gig venue, with decent sound and lighting on his occasion.

The audience found it difficult to create much atmosphere and this wasn't aided by the lack of engagement on stage. Some songs were highly reminiscent of early 90s electronic dance which was no bad thing, if not entirely original.

The laser display occasionally surpassed the music itself but it was an enjoyable night.

Div was to perform in De Melkweg, Amsterdam. The show started around 9 pm, and ended around 22:10, after which the lights went on and the two performers went away.
About half the songs were too loud even with earplugs in.
Acoustics were ok, but I won't go to other div shows again. A yt recording is more bearable.
Hits like your hands around my throat were butchered onstage.
At least the audience was quiet and the bear was drinkable.
Div live started too late, ended too soon, and was too loud.
I did dance though.

Great show with great music but quiet disappointed that they haven't played any of their classics like Dirge, Aisha or any other good ones that everybody knew. Mostly played some of their new albums...just feel happy about the poster that Richard has signed for me. Will see them again if I had too!