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Pendulum: a maniacal juggernaut
By Zachary Hoeppner
“It is a pleasure to announce that the 80’s are back and there better than ever. If you don’t agree, you haven’t listened to Ratatat or Pendulum lately.”
My fellow readers, in my second article to the Post, I described the Mars Volta’s “The Bedlam in Goliath” was “a maniacal juggernaut.” After much reflection, I revoke that title and presently bestow it upon Pendulum, a worthy band that traveled to Milwaukee across the pond from their hometown of Perth (Western Australia) in search of eager fans.
Pendulum’s “Tour of the Americas” made its way to Turner Hall Ballroom on Oct. 7th where they found a crowd of rowdy followers.
“Pen-du-lum, Pen-du-lum, Pen-du-lum,” was the chant that echoed through the hall Tuesday night after an electrifying set of live music.
Touring on their latest album “In Silico” (2008) under Warner Records, the band is primed for a non-stop tour through U.S.A, Mexico, Europe, and Australia.
During the opening DJ set, Turner Hall had the air of a New York jazz club, but rather than a brandy snifter, its patrons sipped PBR tallboys, strung out on each syncopated scratch of the record.
Pendulum took the stage to a roaring crowd and their MC, apart from shouting “Milwaukee” into the microphone and therefore affirming that we indeed live here, proved he could dance awkwardly and distract from his friends’ incredible music.
Throughout their hour plus high-octane performance, the room held fast to the Australian native’s reformed brand of house music, as gyrating grooves and addicting synth lines pervaded the consciousness with ultimate solidarity.
Behind the scenes, the light man, bobbing his head and whapping on knobs improvised the super bowl style lights show that provoked a seizure of dancing bodies. Their soundman put a handle on the mixing board the likes of which Turner Hall has never known. Each note swirled about like magical ferry dust until melding in a delicious polyphonic casserole.
Pendulum’s sound is nearly explained by the chime of synthesizers, seizure-inducing lights, and a magician drummer wearing space goggles. Highlighting their set, the group gave it their all on the Halloween-zombie-dance-theme “Propane Nightmares”
If Beethoven were manifest in the twenty first century, he would find himself within the body of synth keyboardist/Producer Rob Swire, the mastermind behind Pendulum’s sound.
My prediction is that Tuesday night’s crowd has not yet recovered from the awesome spectacle and groove of Pendulum. No doubt they will experience glorious flashbacks in the days to come.
From a DJ, we expect a well-stitched pocket, but from a live band the listener has grown accustomed to inconsistent and even sloppy musicianship at the sake of various stage antics.
Pendulum defied these expectations, putting on a technically astounding performance with completely live instrumentation to boot. It is a pleasure to announce that the 80’s are back and there better than ever. If you don’t agree, you haven’t listened to Ratatat or Pendulum lately.
Take me back into your sweet graces oh, Pendulum and tickle my ears with the synthesized nectar.
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