Davin O'Dwyerreviews The Go! Teamat the Tripod, Dublin.
There seem to be only two surefire ways of getting a crowd to jump up and down in gleeful unison: hand out pogo sticks at the door, or get The Go! Team to play their unique, riotous brand of Sesame Streetsingalong meets old-school hip-hop by way of 1980s TV show theme tune. But as they demonstrated at Electric Picnic and proved again here, listening to the irrepressible Brighton six-piece is a lot more fun than leaping around on a pogo stick ever was.
With two drum kits, keyboards, guitars, glockenspiel and harmonica, it's a testimony to the band's musicianship that they can so closely replicate the chaotic collage of lead Go! Teamer Ian Parton's recorded vision. Since their electrifying 2004 debut album, the sample-laden Thunder Lightning Strike, announced the arrival of a new sound, the band have perfected the raucous, high-energy live performance to match.
From the moment they launched the set with The Power is On, the band earned that mid-name exclamation mark. Key to their success is vocalist Ninja, an unbridled force of nature, rapping, dancing and cheerleading with more energy than a creche-load of toddlers. Parton, Jamie Bell and Sam Dook leapt into their crunching guitar parts, while Chi "Ky" Fukami Taylor bashed the drums and Kaori Tsuchida ran from instrument to instrument - the band are as kinetic as it is possible to be without jumping into the crowd. On Friendship Updateand other songs, Parton even saved the harmonica from the folk-music ghetto that Bob Dylan firmly stuck it in.
A jubilant Bottle Rocketwas not so much roof-raising as foundation-shaking, while only the most soulless curmudgeon could have failed to dance as Ninja choreographed a mass singalong for Huddle Formation. The unconstrained mood prompted some of the crowd to leap on to the stage for a swiftly curtailed dance-off. You could hardly blame them - this joyous, energising gig showed The Go! Team to be one of the most exciting live acts you could hope to see.
