We have been waiting for this gig for a long, long time. When EMF returned with the quite wonderful Go Go Sapiens, it caused a ripple of excitement which, as on a pond, has slowly evolved into a swell of enthusiasm for a band many thought had long passed into the history books. Happily, not only did the band ride the wave of love provided by their fans, but they entered the studio to record a follow up, The Beauty And The Chaos, which is easily the equal of its deservedly feted predecessor. As such, to say that expectations for the tour are high is something of an understatement.
It’s always a pleasure to head to the Rescue Rooms. The venue, which is large enough to hold a decent crowd, but not so large as to lose the sense of intimacy that you ideally want from a gig, has become one of our absolute favourite places, not least because it exudes a sense of old-school gig-going cool that the soulless O2-run establishments cannot hope to match. Always friendly, always with good sound, and always with a great vibe, it’s a bit of a jewel of the Midlands’ gigging scene and the perfect spot for a band like EMF.
We arrive just as opening act, the one-man whirlwind that is Funke And The Two Tone Baby (Dan Turnbull) concludes his first song . Coming across as a weird mashup of Fatboy Slim (especially when he starts throwing shapes behind his rig), Beck, and Sleaford Mods, the highlight is surely Not Enough Bonobo (included above for your listening pleasure), which has the audience singing along, uncertainly at first, but with greater vigour as the track progresses. That Dan has a great deal of natural charisma surely helps, but ultimately it’s those dirty, dirty beats that helps to explain how he’s managed to become a lively and popular fixture on the festival circuit. A great opening for the night, Funke and the Two Tone Baby gets the party started with a bang.
Next up are The Dirt, who, in their own words, are “a transglobal collaboration between Japanese musician Sachiko and partner Jack (aka Leon the pig Farmer), a spoken word artist living in Manchester UK.” Combining psyche, shoegaze and huge, pounding percussion, The Dirt are the natural bridge between Funke and the Two Tone Baby and EMF, offering a darker, harder sound than either. At times, elements of Arab Strap swirl through the band’s beat driven sound, at other times they edge into Sleaford Mods territory, but with a more experimental approach to guitar. Although the repetitive beats mean that tracks occasionally stretch a little too far, Jack has an engaging stage presence, while the eerie, hypnotic guitars of Sachiko exist in a universe of their own. By the time The Dirt conclude, the crowd has grown substantially, giving the band a loud and well-deserved vote of thanks for their engaging set.
And so to EMF. The Rescue Rooms has filled almost to capacity by the time the band amble on to stage, sending a shower of confetti over the front row before launching into a rapturously received Children, an entrance only slightly marred by a poor sound mix. Fortunately, the sound is well and truly sorted by the time EMF head into Long Summer Days, another gem from Schubert Dip, with a melody to die for. The band stick to that well-worn album with Lies eliciting loud singing from the crowd, but it’s when they hit the new material that the energy levels really peak. First off, there’s the Iggy-Pop-stomp of Read The Room, from the band’s excellent new album and then, after the rocked-up race of Getting Through (a blistering track with a Prodigy edge from Stigma), we get the fantastic Sister Sandinista from Go Go Sapiens. A darkly groovy piece, it made for a cracking single, and it slots in neatly here.
Next up, James declares another new one – The Day The Music Died – to be one of the best pieces of music the band have ever written, and the crowd is hard-pressed to disagree, as it’s a cracking track that just keeps building. After such a rush, it’s back to Stigma for the heavy rave of Inside, which neatly connects to the insistent melody of Reach For The Lasers, a future classic with a melody that’ll stick in your head for days. The flip side to Go Go Sapiens’ Keep It Coming (which listed rock icons), Reach For The Lasers pays tribute to leading DJs, and acts as a love letter to the eclectic dance scene that spawned the band. Ian gets a chance to rock out on They’re Here, before we return to the new album once more for Hello People. A track that calls out “the fascists, the Nazis, and the bigots” it’s a lovely song with a positive message and bonus Stephen Fry. With a little bit of inter-band discussion, it seems either that things aren’t quite right on stage or time is getting short, because they drop Stardust from the set to bounce straight into Unbelievable. Delivered with style, and given a mock-blues outro, it then leads into a sinister, dub take on I’m A believer, before the chorus sends it spinning off into a rave nightmare. It closes out a slightly truncated main set on a high and leaves the audience baying for more. Fortunately, the band return for a take on Depeche Mode’s Just Can’t Get Enough and, of course, the ubiquitous EMF.
EMF are a band reborn. The ludicrous strength of their reunion albums, combined with the obvious love they have for each other, makes their shows something to treasure, and the connection between band and audience is genuine. As life-affirming live as they are on record, make sure you catch EMF in person – you’ll sing until your voice is hoarse, bounce until your legs can take no more, and you’ll find yourself beaming from ear to ear through every minute of it.
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