I’ve been a huge fan of Pendulum since the moment I discovered them in 2005, so in a way, you can say I’ve been waiting four years for this concert. Originally a drum and bass act (consisting of Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen, and Paul Harding), Pendulum has evolved dramatically over the years; the trio – now a sextuplet with the additions of with the additions of guitarist Perry ap Gwynedd, drummer Kodish, and emcee Verse – have meshed rock and pop elements with their drum and bass roots to create a sound all their own.
By 10:30, the Commodore was already bustling. Guest DJ Excision kicked the night off hard with an earth-shattering dubstep set and secured his place in my list of favourite local acts; by the time Pendulum hit the stage, the crowd was ready to go.
For long-time Pendulum fans wondering about this tour, you’re looking at an entirely live set, but that doesn’t mean you won’t hear a fair share of material from their debut album ‘Hold Your Colour’. Highlights from that era included a wicked mashup of Master of Puppets and Slam, Tarantula, Another Planet, and an appropriately mellowed (but not mellow) iteration of Hold Your Colour. On the ‘In Silico’ side, there wasn’t as much that moved me with the exception of Propane Nightmares; I can’t say enough good things about that song.
Musically, Pendulum haven’t slacked in their transition to live music. Each musician was tight and did a remarkable job at recreating their signature sound. That being said, I do think Verse is a little distracting at times. He held some tracks (particularly Tarantula) together really well, but at other times, it felt like he was just yelling at the crowd to no real benefit.
In closing, if you love Pendulum, drum and bass, all of this new electronic-and-other-genre mashup stuff, or are looking to get into any of the above, come out to the next show. I didn’t leave liking everything, but I liked an awful lot, more than enough to give them another whirl. Propane Nightmares, baby. Propane Nightmares.
P.S. You know what’s funny? The most memorable part was when Verse yelled out, “You’re the fucking shit crowd.” What does that even mean?
