Space Traveling With M83

By Jake Guidry in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 18, 2011 9:00PM

There's something remarkably big about M83. The '80s-tinged shoegazers, led by Anthony Gonzalez, have for the last ten years captured a certain intergalactic essence, which is no surprise given the fact that the band is named after a galaxy 15 million light-years away. Such is the aesthetic of M83's sound: at once futuristic and nostalgic, alienating and intimate, elated and melancholic, M83's catalog feels like space traveling with a lover, armed with a complicated past and unbridled optimism for the future. Thursday's show at Lincoln Hall sent that feeling into hyperdrive.

As with all Lincoln Hall shows that sell out, the venue was packed and unrelenting, nearly unnavigable. M83 initially took the stage as one person, in what can only be described as an alien mask reminiscent of some Star Wars bar scene. The crowd, a bit weirded out, cheered as the band broke into "Intro," the opening track from M83's latest, Hurry Up, We're Dreaming. It was an obvious pick, but still the best one, as it eased the crowd into what would be a 60-plus-minute onslaught of M83's finest work. They ripped and roared through hits like "Teen Angst", "Kim & Jessie", and "Midnight City", all of which frenzied the packed house into a sort of combination rock show/dance party, complete with all the positive vibes in the world.

Lincoln Hall's sound was brilliant and perfectly suited for M83's bombast. While a larger venue might have been more suitable logistically, it became clear throughout the show that Lincoln Hall was the best place to serve as a vehicle for M83's digitized sound. Case in point was the band's encore, "Skin of the Night" and "Couleurs", two of their best songs to date. Each filled the room and were almost tangible they sounded so big. "Couleurs", specifically, was an ultra-appropriate end to the night, resulting in the crowd erupting in dancing otherwise seen in Ibiza. Once the show ended, we landed down on Earth, nostalgic of the events that just transpired, ready for what's next.