by Kate Anthony
photos by David DeSanto
James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem and deejay Marcus Lambkin, aka Shit Robot, founded a deejay partnership in 2000 while working in New York City. It was rather short-lived, however, as Lambkin, left New York for Germany in 2004.
Friday night the pair was together again, performing individual deejay sets at Chicago’s The Mid. The experience was, well, not exactly what I expected. (Note to naysayers: I am not nay-saying.)
Friday night the pair was together again, performing individual deejay sets at Chicago’s The Mid. The experience was, well, not exactly what I expected. (Note to naysayers: I am not nay-saying.)
First, I hadn’t anticipated a midnight opener, Shit Robot, followed by a 1:30 a.m. headliner, James Murphy. Let’s just say it’s been a long time since my idea of nightlife involved more morning hours than evening.
Second, I’d braced myself for a full-blown “club kid” scene, brimming with pretty young things sporting flashy attire and dilated pupils. The Mid is, after all, an unapologetic, late-night dance club that regularly hosts some of the world’s most popular deejays.
I was wrong about the scene. It was more a typical concert-going crowd than club-kid crowd. But you’ll get no complaints from me in that department. Folks were almost exclusively civilized, despite the place being jam-packed.
The moments leading up to Shit Robot taking the stage the main dance floor and balcony were busy, but in no way crowded. As soon as he arrived the entire club rushed the main floor and were hanging over every available inch of the 2nd floor balconies. It was a ShitFest!
Second, I’d braced myself for a full-blown “club kid” scene, brimming with pretty young things sporting flashy attire and dilated pupils. The Mid is, after all, an unapologetic, late-night dance club that regularly hosts some of the world’s most popular deejays.
I was wrong about the scene. It was more a typical concert-going crowd than club-kid crowd. But you’ll get no complaints from me in that department. Folks were almost exclusively civilized, despite the place being jam-packed.
The moments leading up to Shit Robot taking the stage the main dance floor and balcony were busy, but in no way crowded. As soon as he arrived the entire club rushed the main floor and were hanging over every available inch of the 2nd floor balconies. It was a ShitFest!
And okay fine: I was also wrong about the music.
Mind you, it isn’t that the show wasn’t good; it was. Solidly so. It’s just that--Well, in the interest of full disclosure, I love LCD Soundsystem. I was briefly angry – very angry – at James Murphy when he announced LCD’s handful of April shows in New York City would be their last. From the moment I bought it, I have greedily drunk the dance-pop Kool-Aid that is This Is Happening, LCD’s final (and truly brilliant) recording.
So the reality is I’d hoped to hear large chunks of LCD Soundsystem admittedly unfair to ask, particularly of Shit Robot. But failing that, I’d hoped to hear a wide array of DFA sounds. DFA Records is the label co-founded by Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy. After all, there are plenty to choose from: DFA has produced and/or remixed such artists as Gorillaz, Chemical Brothers, N.E.R.D., Hot Chip, UNKLE, LeTigre, The Juan MacLean and M.I.A. Impressively, DFA’s remix of M.I.A.’s popular Paper Planes appeared on the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack.
Nevertheless, both Shit Robot and James Murphy – who briefly spun together, which was a lot of fun – kept the beats going and the crowd moving. I’m happy with that.
For better or worse, today is a new day. LCD Soundsystem is no more. But I’m just glad James Murphy hasn’t, as they say, gone back to his day job. At age 22, he toyed with the idea of working as a writer for the sitcom, Seinfeld.
Murph is still in the music biz. And DFA Records continues to attract and collaborate with compelling artists, Shit Robot among them.
Yes, as it turns out, all is good is DFA-Murphland.
Mind you, it isn’t that the show wasn’t good; it was. Solidly so. It’s just that--Well, in the interest of full disclosure, I love LCD Soundsystem. I was briefly angry – very angry – at James Murphy when he announced LCD’s handful of April shows in New York City would be their last. From the moment I bought it, I have greedily drunk the dance-pop Kool-Aid that is This Is Happening, LCD’s final (and truly brilliant) recording.
So the reality is I’d hoped to hear large chunks of LCD Soundsystem admittedly unfair to ask, particularly of Shit Robot. But failing that, I’d hoped to hear a wide array of DFA sounds. DFA Records is the label co-founded by Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy. After all, there are plenty to choose from: DFA has produced and/or remixed such artists as Gorillaz, Chemical Brothers, N.E.R.D., Hot Chip, UNKLE, LeTigre, The Juan MacLean and M.I.A. Impressively, DFA’s remix of M.I.A.’s popular Paper Planes appeared on the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack.
Nevertheless, both Shit Robot and James Murphy – who briefly spun together, which was a lot of fun – kept the beats going and the crowd moving. I’m happy with that.
For better or worse, today is a new day. LCD Soundsystem is no more. But I’m just glad James Murphy hasn’t, as they say, gone back to his day job. At age 22, he toyed with the idea of working as a writer for the sitcom, Seinfeld.
Murph is still in the music biz. And DFA Records continues to attract and collaborate with compelling artists, Shit Robot among them.
Yes, as it turns out, all is good is DFA-Murphland.
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