THEY have been around for 30-odd years but The Prodigy proved they remain fresh and relevant as ever with a blistering set in Wolverhampton.
The electronic punks rolled into the Civic Hall last night (Tuesday, December 19) ready to battle and produced a two hour aural assault, lapped up by the pumped up crowd.
It’s been 20 years since the release of their hugely popular ‘Fat of the Land’ LP - but this was no nostalgia trip. Their set was full of newer material with a healthy smattering of classics.
The Prodigy have always been a brutally brilliant live act and the trio – alongside a drummer and guitarist for added energy and firepower – did not disappoint last night.
‘Omen’ lit the blue touch paper when it kicked off proceedings and was breathlessly followed by newer tracks including ‘Nasty’, ‘Wild Frontier’ and ‘The Day Is My Enemy’.
Early airings of ‘Everybody In The Place’ and their first UK number one ‘Firestarter’ drew huge cheers of adulation from a crowd whose ages ranged from 12 to 60.
MC Maxim wasn’t happy though. Demanding more noise and more appreciation and the sweat-drenched fans happily quenched his thirst.
Liam Howlett, the genius mind behind the band, orchestrated proceedings with quiet menace while vocalist, dancer and band jester Keith Flint was like a jack-in-the-box bouncing around the stage with the enthusiasm and stamina of someone half his age.
Howls of worship greeted classics such as ‘Voodoo People’, ‘Poison’, ‘Breathe’ and ‘No Good’.
But the Civic was also positively rocking to the beats of ‘Invaders Must Die’, ‘Run With The Wolves’ and ‘Roadblox’.
If I had one small gripe? They didn’t play rave anthems ‘Out of Space’ or ‘Charly’. Or even 2010’s ‘Warrior’s Dance’.
But that’s just nit-picking really. The Civic Hall felt like the centre of one glorious universe last night and cemented the electronic pioneers place as dance legends.
They ended with ‘Take Me To The Hospital’ but it could be argued the The Prodigy’s “pulsating, rhythmical remedies” are the best medicine for anyone. Despite the side-effect of aching limbs the day after for a 41-year-old journalist who couldn’t stop pogoing!
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