Orbital Live at the Belasco Theater, Los Angeles

Rave pioneers Orbital closed out their quick U.S. run on Saturday, December 8 at the Belasco Theater. Before Los Angeles, Phil and Paul Hartnoll graced Brooklyn and San Francisco with their presence. It had been six years since the brothers had come to the U.S., and this time they brought new material, Monsters Exist, which released earlier this fall. The mini-tour must surely have been a test of the pair’s patience with one another relative to their breakup in 2012. From what could be seen at the Belasco, all was well.

Monsters Exist is said to have been inspired by both the international political landscape of their early days and the tensions of today. However, despite the dark, sometimes anxious nature of the songs, the night seemingly was filled exclusively with joy. The floor and balcony were filled to the back walls, where people still danced as if they were in a two-foot radius of the Hartnoll duo. The crowd was indeed older in comparison to the typical EDM audience of today. What’s more, the show felt more wholesome than what one might find at a typical, current rave. Indeed, there is no point in comparing an Orbital show to the gargantuan Electric Daisy Carnival (though the festival may owe them some dues). Nevertheless, it’s refreshing to witness electronica in a simpler form.

Paul and Phil were propped up with their production equipment and backed by an ever-changing background screen that intensified the essence of each song. At times the stage would go completely dark. And because they wore double-lit flashlight headbands, at times they really looked like insect raver emperors. The set began with an pre-recorded introduction by Professor Brian Cox, an English physicist and professor at the University of Manchester. “Monsters Exist” followed and then “There Will Come a Time,” which also features Cox. He begins: “There are few certainties in science. But one fact of which we can all be certain is that one day, we will die.” It was a somber notion, as was much of the imagery and lyrics throughout the night. The screen illuminated the likes of hazard warnings, gas masks, protests and demolishing buildings. About halfway through the set, one word reverberated: “Satan!”

As iterated, such darkness did not permeate. Glows of blue and green and orange and yellow filled the stage and shot out over the audience. People that did not know each other encouraged each other to dance. There were a handful of fans flinging various limbs any which way said limb would bend and stretch. Orbital’s audience was full of the kind of people that stay fans for a long time. With a cue of a single note, a man shot a single finger to the sky. Half a second later the “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” chorus began to loop. He knew this fan favorite was coming. The stage for a moment looked heavenly: white light filled the stage. There was a brief pause. The peace did not last long, and the Belinda Carlisle cover eventually segued into “Vision OnE” and “Belfast.”

The encore comprised of a whopping four tracks: “Chime,” “Where Is It Going?,” “The End is Nigh,” “Doctor” and “Lush 3.” The end was full of pulsing lights, cheers from the crowd and gratitude from Paul and Phil as bows and raised hands. When the two left the stage, it took the crowd some convincing the show was actually over. It was several minutes before the lights turned back on and several minutes before large groups began exiting. Even then, when the lights were back on, no one was really quick to leave the room of their momentary life escape.

Set List

1. Intro (Professor Brian Cox)
2. Monsters Exist
3. There Will Come a Time (Orbital Dance Mix)
4. Impact (The Earth is Burning)
5. P.H.U.K.
6. Wonky
7. Tiny Foldable Cities
8. Satan
9. Hoo Hoo Ha Ha
10. Halcyon + On + On/ Heaven Is a Place on Earth (Belinda Carlisle cover)
11. Vision OnE
12. Belfast

Encore

1. Chime
2. Where Is It Going?
3. The End is Nigh
4. Doctor (Ron Grainer cover)
5. Lush 3