A night for the dance-loving masses as Faithless and Orbital bring their respective sounds to the Scarborough Open Air Theatre stage.
Arriving to find Orbital already performing, I experienced the purest sense of joy to see the response being garnered by these legends. They both understood their role in the show (being the support) while not diluting anything that fans like myself would expect. It was a little weird to actually hear them speak from the stage for the first time in 30 years! The sheer contentment radiating from the stage, the absorption in what they do still inspires me, and by the looks of the people who may not have been as familiar, they’re still capable of reaching new audiences as well. In an alternate universe where the open air theatre runs an all-day dance event, a multi hour Orbital set would be high on my bingo card!
Faithless brought all the riffs, all the sounds, all the feels. I had been in two minds about Faithless post-Maxi, wondering how the majesty of Sister Bliss and her composition would come across without Jazz’s insight and dancefloor connection as the conduit. Quite frankly, I shouldn’t have wasted the energy worrying. The set, sound and performance was excellent, updated and evolved to encompass the past and point the direction of travel.
Faithless used a combination of Maxi Jazz recordings with live performances from Amelia Fox and Nathan Ball (I was not familiar with these artists and this was based on post-show research). The live performances were exceptional, losing none of the impact that Faithless brought to the dance scene. Maxi Jazz’s blend of hype man, lyricist, prophet of the people and fellow raver still lives on and this was evident across the show.
The sound quality was exceptional, filling the open-air venue with rich, powerful bass and crisp, clear melodies. This hasn’t always been my experience of bands in the OAT, something I think happens when volume is prioritised over sound quality. The very nature of a DJ performance suits the venue acoustic design and currently installed PA setup perfectly.
The visual production, while not overly elaborate, perfectly complemented the music, creating an immersive and atmospheric experience. It was more than just a concert; it was a communal celebration of music, a testament to Faithless’s enduring appeal and their ability to connect with audiences on a profound level.
I saw young people lost in a screenless moment, older heads uncovering that love of the beat born decades ago and recalcitrant partners glimpsing, even understanding the draw of the dance floor. In case I haven’t made this obvious, this was one of the best (professional) shows I’ve experienced for a very long time. Rose tinted or not, the view from the floor was excellent.
