808 State, The Ritz, 16th October 2021

This time last week it was Erasure at the Apollo. Tonight I’m back down memory lane at The Ritz with 808 State. I’ll be honest this is a gamble. I missed the rave scene proper due to being a kid, but those early 808 albums got hammered in my bedroom, much to the neighbours annoyance. Not that I’d really consider this rave, as much as just nice clean and brutal acid house with a hefty dose of trance. However you want to label it, it sounds great and even better at ear bleeding volumes… which is why I’m here, way past my bedtime, bouncing around and nodding my head like a loon. Before 808, AFRODEUTSCHE take care of the warm up duties and it has to be said make a glorious noise. So much so, I’m a little fearful that the bar has been set high for Graham and whoever’s up there with him these days. It’s a set packed full electro monsters and sounds bloody amazing! Definitely contender for support slot of the year for me. Stunning. Fear not though, as the clock strikes midnight and 808 kick off with In Yer Face. Lasers go ballistic and the live drums sound like juggernauts. Donkey Doctor sounds absolutely massive, but nothing matches Pacific State which is worth the money alone. Seriously I don’t think a clarinet has ever sounded so fucking cool. It seems a little obvious to say it’s 90 minutes of bangers but it really is. Albeit with lots of blissful bangers thrown in, this is 808 State after all. They draw largely on Ninety, Ex:El and Gorgeous and despite the banks of electronics on stage it feels very much a live analogue show. Controlled, but at the mercy of those on stage, with a human chaos to it. Massey even dicks about with a guitar and looks like he’s having the time of his life. I think some of the crowd might feel this a bit indulgent, but I love it! At the core it’s ferocious grooves and hooks, simple stuff but layered up so beautifully, I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything quite like it live. Cübik I swear tears a hole in space time, I’m 14 again as The Ritz goes off! It’s all really not what I imagined, but so much better. The gamble paid off. Oh and never hugged so many strangers!