Live Review: Chicks On Speed

On Friday night crowds gathered under a canopy of trees and fairy lights in the historical surrounds of the Fremantle Arts Centre for a unique event – the combined launches of Chicks On Speed's interactive art installation, SCREAM, and their latest album, Utopia. As early birds made themselves comfortable with a free drink on admission, the venue began to fill with guests, many taking the time before the gig to peruse the installation.

This multi-faceted exhibition sprawls across four gallery spaces and requires a second visit, certainly more time than this evening allowed. Displaying some of the creations of the artistic duo the exhibition included a theremin tapestry, electric guitar stiletto, the premier of their film collaboration with Richard Bell titled Golden Gang, and their Interfaces for Musical Expression – which is pretty much a giant room with projections and iPads hanging from the ceiling that allow exhibition-goers to interact with one another in a quasi-jam session – it was pretty neat.

But all too soon we were ushered into the FAC inner courtyard for the album launch. It was an intimate setting – a smaller stage and screen had been erected for the occasion – and guests found a seat on the grass with a drink and a slice of wood-fired pizza to enjoy the proceedings. Numerous speeches and thanks were made before the Chicks on Speed – clad in gold and neon – finally marched onto the stage with their army of back-up dancers. It was a surprise to see everyone fitting amidst the large angular shapes protruding from the stage and various wires and cables running off in all directions but they made it work.

There were a few hiccups at first. The Chicks were pissed during their opening track and continuously utged the sound guy to up the volume, which made them come across as a little disorganised and disassociated, but they promptly turned it around. How could they not with a set of intense electro bangers? By the following song they had everyone on their feet and dancing. They covered all the tracks on the new album, including the title track, Utopia, Art Dump, Daten and Beat Is Happening. It was a bright, intense and body-moving experience combining the world of art and music and blurring the line between what is an acceptable art form. Artist Richard Bell even made a guest appearance on stage for an ad-lib collaboration.

As the performance ended it was obvious the audience couldn't get enough; a giant roll of silver cellophane had been launched into the crowd and people were fashioning their own shiny apparel, one girl going for a full body wrap. To much cheering and encouragement the ladies joined us once more on stage for an encore of a few of their older favourites before the audience, a little over-stimulated and out-danced, slinked their way out of the Freo Arts Centre and into the salty night.