The ChainsmokersThe Chainsmokers start their Australian and New Zealand tour with first stop Adelaide.
Named after their debut full-length album, the Memories...Do Not Open tour seemed to have little to do with the pop album responsible for the northern-hemisphere summer hits such as Paris and Something Just Like This. Rather, it indulged in a set that was predominantly EDM, with elements of their better-known songs woven in.
The performance perhaps lacked the distinct structure of other mainstream performers, moving from extended DJ sets to vocal performance and back again. Then again, The Chainsmokers know their market and the electronic sound hit hard with the teens and 20-somethings on the floor. It makes the live show itself less accessible to some fans but it also ensures it isn't just regurgitating material from the album, which is arguably the biggest drawcard to see the duo live. If of course, you're also very into EDM.
Having said that, the set seemed designed specifically for an audience with short attention span - the type of person that is likely to hit the 'skip button' after the first 40 seconds of a song. Not even the biggest hits like Don't Let Me Down were played in their entirety, with the rest sampled and faded into and out of, as part of a longer stream of music. It begs the question as to how this fits in with the expectations of the (large) portion of the crowd familiar with the band because of their airplay dominance.
On the other hand, having The Lion King and the Rocky Balboa theme songs as well as music from the Backstreet Boys in the same set made for an eclectic and entertaining mix. Combined with the music's build-ups, drops, drum rolls and visual effects and pyrotechnics employed to great effect, it gave the act a sense of showmanship and fullness. Matt McGuire, the "drummer from Brisbane" and new addition to the band for the tour, was given ample space to show off his skills and was definitely a highlight that demonstrates how even EDM can benefit from live performers.
All in all, The Chainsmokers prefer to lean heavily on EDM and have much less in common with other 'pop icons' than their radio hits may suggest. But, by the end of the show, all the band's hits had been played in one form or another, leaving enough room for a singalong or two and a quite a few entertaining moments and exchanges between them.
