Big Data w/ The Moth & The Flame
The Crocodile, Seattle, WA
04.23.15
Not knowing what to expect from a Big Data live performance, I was on the edge of my seat for weeks. Sometimes with “producer” shows you get a guy behind a laptop maybe waving his arm in the air occasionally, if you’re lucky a live singer will grace the stage. Well we were very, very lucky this week. Big Data pulls off live electronic music worthy of being called a “show.” Alan Wilkis – the producer behind Big Data – has crafted something here that goes beyond your typical electronic pop to create exceptionally well-crafted songs that hold emotional and intellectual power, all while retaining serious dance-floor fun.
After a solid opening set from alt-rockers The Moth & The Flame, Wilkis himself was out on stage helping set up his own gear, then following a computerized robot intro, he and a full band jumped into action. Known for being a meticulous remixer of indie hits, this full-blown, autonomous version of Wilkis’s work and collaborations is something else entirely. There’s plenty out there about Big Data being the result of internet paranoia and technological dependency, and some interesting interview reads with Wilkis that result in unique respect for the guy. But I never expected to see him flying across the stage, singing every song, and dancing just as hard as any worth-their-weight pop star.
Starting off with the danceably gritty hit “Business of Emotion,” from his recent full-length release 2.0, Wilkis and fellow New Yorker Lizy Ryan brought every song alive with magnetic personality. Standing in for the likes of album collaborators White Sea, Jamie Lidell, Joywave and Kimbra – amongst others – the two of them didn’t disappoint, backed by rhythm and guitars and a crowd full of arm-waving revelers. They brought out a majority of the new album as well as a couple of tracks from 1.0 and a pretty sick cover of the Hall & Oates classic “Private Eyes,” closing with the chart-buster “Dangerous.”
For a first live tour, Big Data is on point. They’re on the road through the summer, and hitting the festival circuit, so be sure to catch them if you can; but beware, shows are selling out fast. Find your local show here.
Big Data Set List
Business of Emotion
Bombs Over Brooklyn
Clean
Snowed In
The Glow
Big Dater
Sick For Me
Automatic
Stroke of Return
Perfect Holiday
Private Eyes (cover)
Get Some Freedom
Dangerous
Review by Stephanie Dore
Photos by Sunny Martini
Big Data
The Moth & The Flame
