Live Review: Hot Dub Time Machine Astor Theatre Thomas Munday

18 November 2014 | 2:02 pm | Staff Writer

Hot Dub Time Machine took his audience through a musical time warp, from the 50's to now.

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Unquestionably, David Guetta, Calvin Harris and Avicii are dance-floor anthem kings. So, with such fierce competition, how does one succeed? Short answer: be catchy and memorable. Hot Dub Time Machine, having carried out an extensive Australian tour, ended their runaround in style at the Astor Theatre. The crowd, donning free ‘Hot Dub’ T-shirts, was an eclectic buzz of anticipation. Warmed up by old and new school tracks, the audience steadily streamed in. Making his grand entrance via spotlight and countdown clock, DJ Tom Loud strove to end this journey with the “Best. Party. Ever!”

Welcomed by Lulu Loud’s kooky instructional video, the crowd was thrown straight into the madness. Splashing archival footage across the screen, his decks-and-Macbook set-up instantly kicked into gear. Zipping through music’s biggest decades, the show elevated hurriedly from event to experience to game-changer. Kicking off in 1956 through ‘66, Rock Around The Clock, Tutti Frutti, Shout and R.E.S.P.E.C.T. ignited a charming nostalgic vibe. Splaying well-known lyrics across the screen, his mix created the world’s liveliest singalong. Flipping and sliding flawlessly between hits, Loud heightened the crowd’s manic intensity. Dancing in the mosh pit, on chairs and in the aisles, they created a blood-sweat-and-tears celebration of music and the weekend. Even the security guards shuffled rhythmically.

Shifting across generations, Loud’s kinetic remix sent the mosh pit into an insatiable frenzy. Charging into the ‘70s, his split-screen/warped-colour visuals amplified each classic. Jiving between ABC, Superstition, Jungle Boogie and We Are Family, the disco change-up sparked impressive dance moves from both Loud and his audience. Closing the decade with a Michael Jackson megamix, HDTM became a wild and wily success. Transitioning from ‘70s rock to ‘90s pop, tracks including Don’t Stop Believing, It’s Raining Men, Take On Me, and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun amplified the event’s immense party atmosphere. Releasing 99 red balloons and firing confetti canons into the audience, Loud brought his audience closer together.

Throughout the ‘90s set, HDTM created a vigorous and electrifying glow. Kinking off with the Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air and Friends theme songs, Loud touched on twenty-something nerves. Throwing up middle fingers throughout Nirvana’s best hits, the crowd ridded themselves of worker-bee demons. Passing through Ya’ll Ready For This?, Gangster’s Paradise and Champagne Supernova, the audience launched into several show-stopping choruses. As the new millennium arrived, commercial hits including One More Time, Lose Yourself, Crazy In Love and Mr. Brightside resonated valiantly. Ending with recent hits, which included Rolling In The Deep, I Don’t Care and Loud’s favourite, Sweet Nothing, HDTM became a true dance-floor spectacular. Marking 2013 with Let It Go, Loud conducted the audience through climactic renditions of Get Lucky and Turn Down For What? Finishing with Hey Jude, the HDTM experience solidified music’s immense purpose.

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