Live Review: Basement Jaxx Vs The Metropolitan Orchestra

Margaret Court Arena is set up in seated GA configuration for this collaborative performance and some punters sniff loudly as they find their seats – flu season, nose beers or both? As soon as The Metropolitan Orchestra start tuning on stage there's a lot of shooshing amongst the crowd. Basement Jaxx's Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe then wander out to take a bow down front before taking their places within the orchestra (Ratcliffe strapping on his guitar). Violin strings are gently plucked. Could this possibly be Red Alert? "And the music keeps on playing on and on" – once the chorus kicks in, sung in operatic fashion, our suspicions are confirmed. The arrangement stays true to the Basement Jaxx Vs Metropole Orkest live recording of 2011. For the duration of tonight's show we play Name That Tune with varying degrees of success (what the heck is track two?). 

Two powerhouse vocalists – one male, one female – arrive on stage for My Turn wearing costumes that make the pair resemble space angels, and their celestial pipes truly soar. The didgeridoo waltz, a new Basement Jaxx song being premiered on this tour, wonderfully showcases the prowess of Kalkadunga man William Barton, but we're unsure about the visual culture clash that ensues once a contemporary dancer, dressed in all silver as a masked alien and wearing pointe shoes, joins the ensemble. The dancer obviously has visibility issues in this costume and could use an assistant to help her descend the stairs and get off stage at song's close. The crowd is a bit restless, with punters constantly leaving for toilet breaks and to replenish their bevos throughout.

Audience members look pleased with themselves as they recognise individual songs, but if you weren't already familiar with Basement Jaxx Vs Metropole Orkest some tracks would prove unrecognisable since their essence is somehow lost in translation. Finally most are up and dancing to Basement Jaxx's bona fide sonic masterpiece Rendez-Vu. Vula Malinga and Sharlene Hector are truly unstoppable on vocal duties whenever they take the stage, but sometimes the operatic backing vocals clash with their soulful majesty.

Punters immediately recognise the opening bars of Where’s Your Head At, supplied by sinister blasts of bass-y brass. Then a junior liturgical choir files out to the front of the stage. They look like they're having a blast singing the chorus (especially the, "Where's your head-at-at-at-at-at-at-at," bit), although their arm gestures are a bit shambolic – could've used more rehearsals. The Good Luck string intro scores a massive cheer and what a treat it is to see the incandescent Lisa Kekaula (The Bellrays) – who supplies this song's OG vocal – up there belting it out this evening! A major crowd singalong – the biggest of the night – takes over during this number. If I Ever Recover is inspiring and would probably make you cry if you were coming down. Percussionist Oli Savill helicopters a snake-shaped instrument overhead and this sounds especially superb when accompanied by Barton's didge.

Standout track Hey U scores an enthusiastic clap-along intro from the crowd and we collectively lose our shit. This version sounds like it could be the missing crowning moment from the Aladdin soundtrack or even Fiddler On The Roof (both compliments, by the way). We definitely prefer the contemporary dancer performing barefoot and unmasked; she displays extraordinary flexibility and control. When performing using rhythmic gymnastic ribbons, however, she could definitely keep them in motion with more fluidity since her ribbons wind up in knots. Happy-clappers in the crowd go wild during Do Your Thing and we can't help but wonder how annoying that out-of-time clapping must be for these classically trained musicians. This arrangement of Romeo is a bit of a tease, delicate when we’re gagging for a banger. It almost takes us there toward the song's conclusion, but not quite.

The Metropolitan Orchestra's Chief Conductor, Sarah-Grace Williams, beckons Buxton around to the centre of the stage to give his thanks and then a lot of punters head for the exits even before the final song – idiots! A stomping arrangement of Samba Magic, which many have trouble dancing to, is most definitely a set highlight. 

Overall, euphoric moments are punctuated by a few close but no cigar sections. Basement Jaxx undeniably boast one helluva badarse back catalogue, which we look forward to revisiting in the coming weeks, but this scribe has definitely experienced more successful orchestral collaborations (anyone else witness that benchmark Jeff Mills & Derrick May MSO performance back in 2016? SWOON!). 

An eloquent neighbour within the leaving throng declares of tonight's Basement Jaxx experience: "They surrendered to the orchestra. It was them versus the orchestra and the orchestra won." As we leave the venue, one of the grinning security guards manning the exits is thirsty for high-fives and we happily oblige.