Simian Mobile Disco Serves Up a Welcome Cool Down

© Jack Edinger

Simian Mobile Disco at Lollapalooza 09.

As the first flocks of festies entered the park Friday by the thousands, ponchos and umbrellas filled the grounds and a color selection of pinwheels and plastic kept the Lolla kids dry. Over by Perry's, Bob Rifo's Bloody Beetroots finished up a poisonous set, followed by mixmaster A-Trak's soundtrack smorgasbord. The premier day of Lolla kept the crowd surfers riding through the air and the moshers on their feet. As the rain evaporated, it became clear that these hyped ragers needed something a bit toned down. A welcomed change of pace, UK duo Simian Mobile Disco took to the tarp-covered platform with a watered-down set - compared to the early overdose of blasting beats.

Known for their vigorous stage presence at other electro fests, unfortunately, Simian Mobile Disco did not have much stage space to work with over at Perry's. Rumored to have caused one dancer to have a seizure at Ultra, SMD's lightshow is known to evoke some mind-scrambling, but everyone survived their Lolla set intact. Once the sun went down, Perry's peeps were treated to the first glimpse of nightlights. A rainbow of LEDs glittered the tower, which had been earlier overlooked because of the rain.

In Love & Disco

In an instant, the vibe changed. They're sensual tech disco grooves were just what the crowd needed to cool down a bit. No more arms and legs flailed uncontrollably throughout the packed pit, the feel-good tracks were a balanced tempo, providing a change in movement for the entire area. For the first time in hours, new faces that had been stomping and grinding all day were able to introduce themselves without screaming. Scoping out the scene, guys began to swing their arms around girls and dance light on their heavy feet. Following the rain came a cool breeze. The airwaves were filled with love and disco. The rage interlude was laced with SMD's diverse range of happy synth and drumbeats. It was the first time all day Perry's punks actually stopped to catch up with their minds and bodies. There was no adrenaline to be released, more like a welcomed comedown as bodies twirled and new compadres made eye contact, some even held hands.

There's nothing negative to say about the set SMD laid down. It was as if they knew the exact tonal remedy needed just by scoping out the scene. Whether or not they'd planned to bring out a harder set is unknown, but the guys seemed to inch in some energetic dubstep, but without disrupting the perfect ambiance they'd so carefully and easily created. As they transitioned from one track to another, cat calls and howls echoed in approval. James and Jas had a great spot in the lineup, a crucial time for the pack to recharge before evening headliners. And what an appreciated and praised hour it was.