Imarobot @ Spaceland

March 26th 2005

Spaceland is 10 years old this year, and to celebrate this fact there is a week of cool shows from bands who could easily fill bigger venues.  Tonight we get dance punks Imarobot, its also Justin the bass player’s birthday and it looks like we are all invited to the party. With its metallic curtains covering the walls, Spaceland is actually a perfect venue for Imarobot because I feel like I am actually inside a robot. The scenesters inside shine like a thousand circuits.

When they guys enter the stage, they are greeted like local heroes.  They have just completed a tour supporting electro pop grandaddies/gods Duran Duran in some big venues, so to see them again so close up was a treat.  It takes a song or two for the band to hit their stride but when they do they are awesome.  Frontman Alex has a spastic energy it's true, but the boy can really dance, sashaying from side to side, he is so into his performance tonight that its a real pleasure to see the singer genuinely having fun.

I love the filthy scene of "Dirty Life", its sleazy sex making people grind their girl / boy / both, it's Soft celltastic.  When indie hit "Dynomite" explodes from the stage it’s the cue for some serious strut from the crowd. Meanwhile sweat drips from the walls, its hot as hell in here. "Here Come the Bombs" blows up big style.  It’s been a while since the debut record so it was great to hear some new material, I’m happy to report that from tonight’s impression the album should be storming.

The banter on stage was great to witness, and being singled out as "The One Who Could Not Be Trusted" cracked me up.  At times Alex threatens to spin right off the stage but he’s held down by the punk/funk bass of Justin and the thundering drums.  Equally entertaining is the sci-fi riffage of Timmy and extra layering from new guy Philip (from Denmark of all places). The stage is trashed after final encore "Black Jettas" (you know the one, paranoid guy stalked by vw's) crashes through the back of the club and takes Alex through the backline with it, and we
cheer loudly at the carnage.  -Glen

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