Those were the words with which Faithless lead singer Maxi Jazz informed his fans last month that after 15 years, the band was calling time. But he could just as easily have been talking about the band's last international concert, in Dubai on Friday night, where those three adjectives summed up the memorable performance by the British dance music outfit.
For those who had followed the band closely over the years and already experienced their live performances — and it seems there were many in the huge audience at Atlantis, The Palm that fell into that category — the band's powerful stage presence, underpinned by Jazz, in his customary bare-chest-and-suit look, was no surprise. For myself, a newcomer to their live performances but familiar with their trippy, synthesizer-driven tunes, the impact of the instrument- and vocals-heavy set was immense.
With the stage comprising two drummers — including the cowboy-hatted Sudha Kheterpal on steel drums, an electric guitarist who thinks he's in a rock band, a bassist and, of course, Sister Bliss, the female cornerstone of the band, on keyboards, variety and jamming were never far away.
Always entertaining
Talking to the crowd throughout the evening (including an early plea, to perhaps those concert goers who had been enjoying beverages at the event since 3pm that afternoon, not to pelt him with drinks cans), Jazz was alternately ethereal and grounded, funny and proud, but always entertaining. Guest vocalists were as impressive, especially Harry Collier, whose easy-listening vibe had the crowd staring in wonderment as it descended into choir-boy-perfect, high-pitched spooky vocals that had the audience breaking out in goosebumps despite the warm breeze.
The band never neglected to keep their fans happy with renditions of their classics, from the early Salva Mea to Insomnia, God Is A DJ and the rousing encore, We Come One, in which Jazz entreated the audience to hold one (index) finger in the air and "unite". "We've only got each other, so let's take care of each other," he commanded the audience. "And not just for tonight."
That message of unity ("whether Muslim or Christian", hollered Jazz) was the theme of the night, with Faithless' anti-war odes and reminders of poverty in the world such as Mass Destruction also on the set list, alongside crowd-pleasers like Not Going Home, with its club-night vibe, which the crowd turned around, shouting back to Jazz and Co their own lyric: "It's not over, I'm not going home!"
[/img][/COLOR]
