Deadmau5 at Brixton Academy: Introducing The L.E.D. Mau5head

Deadmau5 at Brixton Academy: Introducing The L.E.D. Mau5head

06 May, 2010
by: Robertswaine86

Rob Swaine witnesses Deadmau5 unleash the awesome power of the best Mau5head yet at Brixton Academy.

It's just after nine in the evening on a bank holiday Sunday and it's clear that people just want to party, knowing that Monday is for sleeping. Luckily for the early birds already filling up the Brixton Academy dancefloor, one of Germany's best known electronic music exports, Moguai, is onstage and well into the groove already. He's playing his third gig using a brand new live setup, but it comes so naturally that it seems like he's been playing this way for years.

I have a quick chat before the show with Moguai and he tells me that "it's great to play here because of my musical roots," admitting to having been heavily influenced by UK psychedelic bands such as The Meteors, British pop legends The Beatles, as well as a vast list of punk rock and mod groups from the early 1970s. He identifies the influence of this music on his own production as he refers me to the tracks 'U know Y', and 'Nyce' from the new album that's signed to Mau5trap: "This is me making modern punk rock, it's like rave. I love it." Sadly there's no sign of any rioting as of yet, but he sure is dancing like a mod.

Chris Lake announces his arrival with perhaps the biggest car-crash of an opening mix I've heard in a long time. However, always the professional, he recovers quickly and has the crowd eating out of the palm of his CD case within a half hour. It's just a shame we have to wait another hour and three quarters before the headliner is due on stage. When Deadmau5 finally steps out onto the custom-designed raised stage, I've had more than my fill of Chris Lake. Tonight's not about playing other people's songs, it's not even about hearing Deadmau5's songs as far as I'm concerned, it's about witnessing the much anticipated new L.E.D. Mau5head.

I stand in awe for the next two hours, though not as a direct result of his music; judging by the response of the crowd, the set peaks half an hour in with 'Ghosts N Stuff'. However, what keeps me enthralled thoughout is the staggering showmanship of the man under the magical mouse-shaped headgear, and the outstanding imagination and creativity of those responsible for the accompanying light show.

For the first half of the performance, there's a dim neon green glow outlining the perimeter of the dull grey featureless Mau5head. Flashing on and off in time with the pounding kick drum, it's completely overshadowed by the surrounding barrage of strobe lights and background visuals. I'm led into a false sense of disappointment; is this really all that the headwear hype amounts to? Of course not; Deadmau5 is a tease.

As the hugely energetic set is masterfully steered into one of the quieter breakdowns of the show so far, the stage turns a sinister red as the harrowing vocals of 'Sometimes Things Get, Whatever' creep in from nowhere. The lights cut out, immitating a computer crashing, and from the darkness the Mau5head literally comes to life, mouthing the line “sometimes things get complicated” over and over again, receiving an extatic roar from the unsuspecting crowd. As the drums crash back in, it's the magnificent Mau5head that dominates the rest of the gig, unveiling new visual tricks and delights with the introduction of each new song.

Having heard stories about people who'd left cinemas depressed after viewing Avatar, longing to be back in the glowing 3D fictional world as envisaged by James Cameron, I can now relate with their sorrow. I want to be back in Deadmau5 world – it's beautiful.

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Robertswaine86