Live Review: The Prodigy & Borgore

Will it piss you off if I just say The Prodigy are a party band? It's a serious party. Perhaps this sheer joy of getting in and amongst it has been overshadowed by the accusations of (less than) casual misogyny in the past, but Smack My Bitch Up, played on the eve of International Women's Day, just rocked rather than riled. It was an all ages affair at The Hordern but it's fair to say most of us were old enough to know better about going hard on a school night. Didn't stop many, though, and while the nanna seats up the back were full, most people only used them for brief beer sipping stops rather than as a permanent viewing platform. The room was warmed up by Borgore and DJ Mayumi Kai (the lady DJ especially impressive with her long pigtails flowing as she danced along to her tunes), but by the time Voodoo People hit, and we were lovingly addressed as 'my people' by The Prodigy's Keith Flint and Maxim, it was really on for old and newer fans. Those still holding that now well worn (and still loved) copy of Fat Of The Land were given their fill (Breathe, Firestarter, Diesel Power and the infamous …Bitch Up), but more solid recent stuff also sounds great. Omen (which featured twice to give shape to the set), AWOL, Jet Fighter and a particularly awesome and epic version of Invaders Must Die were particular standouts. After about an hour-and-a-half and an energetic encore (“It's not over yet!” Flint growled), four more tunes made it out, all coming to a close with Hyperspeed and Out Of Space. Combined with a Souths win at the SFS next door, the ride home was sweet and satisfied.