UK-duo Disclosure threw it down at Mardi Gras World on Tuesday, October 6.
Barely catching the tale end of their set at ACL last weekend in Austin, I wasn’t exactly sure what to expect here in New Orleans. Are they a live band with a club music influence or house music producers that break out live instrumentals from time to time? With most of the songs off their latest album, Caracal, featuring pop singers, can it successfully translate from the electro tracks into a live performance? However you want to describe their hybrid of live and electronic sound, it’s certainly working to their advantage.
After the promise of an unbelievable production, I was blown away by how phenomenal it actually was. They brought out all the bells and whistles; 360-degree LED-lit instrument kits, complex projection-mapping, and heavy, reverberating bass that shook you to your soul. I knew I made a rookie mistake not bringing earplugs in the photo pit.
Not only did the Howard brothers blow the roof off their performance, but they brought out not one - but two - special guests to perform two of their latest tracks. With the new album featuring all-stars like Lorde, the Weeknd, and Sam Smith, the crowd was buzzing with anticipation of who they might bring on stage. Lion Babe, with her lion mane tresses, ferociously danced around to “Hourglass,” followed by London pop singer Brendan Reilly joining in for “Moving Mountains.”
The crowd was definitely feeling it - and themselves. At an all ages show you never quite know how things will pan out. The underage rave children and neon-tanked bros were certainly in full force, but the crowd skewed to late 20-somethings. The pit was packed, but attendees were thoughtful to leave enough room to dance with friends. I got a handful of high fives and even a few young girls grinding up on me for most of the set. No complaints though, as I was happily enjoying myself with my people.
From first album classics including “You & Me,” “White Noise,”, "F for You," and “When a Fire Starts to Burn” they made a point to drop all the hits. The die-hard fans sang new tracks off Caracal word-for-word, which just dropped a few weeks ago on September 25. Additionally, I was impressed how Howard Lawrence took vocal lead on many of the tracks. You’re hot, young, British, and can sing and play music? I think I’ve developed a schoolgirl crush that borderlines obsession.
The night closed out with their multi-platinum runaway hit “Latch” and personally I couldn’t have asked for a better ending. How often do you get to fall in love with a band all over again?
