There was a serendipitous effect, one which has surely happened many times before in Blake’s live performances, that evoked a novel charm before eventually cascading into something eerie, something spectral. Capturing his live vocal to build a loop for I Never Learnt To Share (the same again for the encore of The Wilhelm Scream), the audience’s cheer of initial familiarity was also captured, punctuating each set of bars with increasingly distant cries.
Seated to the right of stage in front of one of the three sizable backing spotlights, Blake manipulated a series of remarkable sounds from his synth and effects pedal setup, appearing astutely in control as his drummer (on a predominantly electronic kit) and guitarist abided the enveloping electronic wash.
It’s all anchored by Blake’s enchanting voice, warm yet slightly android-like. Material from his self-titled album took on a new life. Post-dubstep breakthrough The Wilhelm Scream takes on new life as a post-rock opus in the live setting, utilising organic crashes and thunderous guitar cacophony as an addendum to the hearty sub bass. Dancehall elements crept in throughout the set. Tracks from latest album Overgrown were prevalent without being dominant, creating a tidy cross-section of Blake’s formidable canon to date. He indulged us in a deep house offering from his straight-laced dance project 1-800-Dinosaurs, its beats daring us to rise from our vintage theatre seats. I nearly obliged.
After playing the role of grateful host, Blake closed out the encore with his breathtaking rendition of Joni Mitchell’s A Case Of You. Just his voice and a piano – a perfect digestif for a remarkable, powerhouse display of electronic genius.
BY LACHLAN KANONIUK
LOVED: That 1-800-Dinosaur jam was next level.
HATED: I thought The Palais was a shit choice for a venue when it was announced, but it turned out perfect for the most part. But there were moments where I wished I was pulling shapes at Splendour, rather than seated in St Kilda.
DRANK: The Palais is a dry zone.
