Cambridge Hotel, Newcastle
Friday November 1, 2013 :
Considering the 90’s nostalgia wave being enjoyed in all four corners right now, the Cambridge saw a rather pitiful turnout of less than fifty. Nonetheless, support act Supermassive took an opportunity and ran with it. Their disco drag was immediately captivating, owing in part to the enchanting presence of vocalist Malina Hamilton-Smith. No two songs were alike, showing an inspired and fun range and having a great time whether anyone happened to be watching or not. Supermassive deserve a bigger and more energetic audience than they received tonight.
We didn’t have to wait long before Def FX appeared, opening with their signature hit ‘Psychoactive Summer’ not with a bang but a clatter. After an extremely clumsy and out-of-time opening that Fiona Horne giggled off as “their soundcheck”, they soldiered on and, to their credit, recovered as well as could be expected. They noted that they recorded a huge chunk of their Magick album in Hamilton and seemed to have a real affection for Newcastle, as evidenced by the energy they put into what could have been an abject disaster of a gig. Mid-set, Fiona stepped offstage to let the other musicians (original member Martyn Basha and newcomers Ant Banister and Wiley Cochrane) have an interlude of their own, and she seemed genuinely overjoyed and enamoured of them.
The set comprised of bigger hits, deep cuts, and reimagined tracks, one notable example being the Chic ‘Le Freak’ sample used in ‘We Are Now’. The night culminated with Fiona rushing into the audience to dance with them, followed by comic relief in the form of a drunken lout rushing the stage, hurling himself off and pancaking on the carpet.
Def FX’s energy was what saved them at the Cambridge. While they had the die-hard fans to carry them through, they lacked promotion and the ability to translate their music to anything truly relevant or long-lasting. A lot of things have worked in the 90’s revival, but this, sadly, can’t be counted as one of them.
Reviewer: Kirri Liepins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y40b3yUYFrQ