Simian Mobile Disco (DJ Set)

While the cat is away, the mouse will play. Tonight sees a DJ set from London's electro-pioneers Simian Mobile Disco; well one half of them anyway. Whilst James Ford; producer of bands such as Mystery Jets, Klaxons and Arctic Monkeys is drumming for The Last Shadow Puppets; Jas Shaw has gone back to his roots, taking to the decks across the UK; tonight playing Newcastle's biggest nightclub, Digital.

Formed after the split of middle of the road indie act, Simian, Ford and Shaw took to a more electronic style, playing DJ sets around the country, before writing their own stuff, and releasing their critically acclaimed 'Attack Decay Sustain Release' last year. It was the collaboration between themselves and French due Justice on their track 'Never Be Alone' that brought Simian Mobile Disco to the dance floors up and down the country; but the band showed that they could hold their own, with tracks such as 'It's the Beat' and 'Hustler' bringing with them the acclaim and success that they didn't obtain during their time in their previous band, who were dropped by their label after their album and singles flopped. This hasn't been the case for Simian Mobile Disco.

But tonight, Shaw was by himself, bringing with him a selection of classics, opening with Gary Numan's 'Cars', and the songs that Radio 1's Annie Mac has been hyping for weeks. Shaw offered the audience a lesson in how to be a DJ; with a crowd pleasing selection of songs, keeping everyone dancing from start to finish; whilst making the transition between the song flawless, with each flowing into each other, something which I never thought I'd be able to say when mixing Gary Numan with Simian Mobile Disco, but I'm always open to being proved wrong. Songs such as 'Forza' by Zombie Nation and 'Mindimension' by Tiga both get the biggest responses of the night, but Simian Mobile Disco's own tracks are all greatly received.

Before tonight, I wasn't sure what to expect from the DJ set. Having previously seen the band live, by which I was very impressed, I was slightly worried as to whether the DJ set would match up to my expectations. But as soon as Shaw took the decks and Gary Numan kicked in, my worries were put to ease, because in my eyes, anyone who plays an 80's classic in their set, without trying to be pretentious, is a winner. I was kept dancing until well until the early hours of the morning, even forgetting where the bar was, and left satisfied in the knowledge that Ford can take as long as he wants producing the next Arctic Monkeys album, delaying the next Simian Mobile Disco album, as long as Shaw continues to play DJ sets as good as this.

However, I do still have one question, does Shaw really need to be billed under the Simian Mobile Disco name; I think he could hold his own under his own name, but who am I to argue?

Setlist included (plus more):
Cars – Gary Numan
Sleep Deprivation – Simian Mobile Disco
Forza – Zombie Nation
Raven – Proxy
Mindimension – Tiga
The Worm – ZZT
Kids (Soulwax Remix) – MGMT
Two Takes It – Mr Oizo
It's the Beat – Simian Mobile Disco
Get Innocuous (Soulwax Remix) – LCD Soundsystem
Funk Phenomena – Armand Van Helden
Hustler – Simian Mobile Disco

FUTURE GIGS

sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.