Live Review: DJ Shadow

Taking to the stage at the very school night-friendly time of 10pm, DJ Shadow is his own hypeman as he explains how tonight's All Basses Covered DJ set is gonna roll. “I'm gonna play a lot of new. And a lot of old,” he promises. The atmosphere inside the venue is all bated breath and suspense, but as the ridiculously commanding set gets underway it's apparent there are a lot of chinstrokers in the house. How anyone could remain motionless while DJ Shadow (Josh Davis on his credit cards) mans the decks is utterly baffling. And he always looks so busy up there, tweaking and extracting maximum impact from each sonic millisecond.    

DJ Shadow sure is a sneaky one. One minute you're standing and chatting and then the next you're rocking out, having completely lost the thread of the conversation midway through as your ears choose to prioritise the tunes. It's as if he demands silence and forces you to delve into the darkest recesses of your soul to process what's needed. Shadow even gets busy playing drum pads to conclude Organ Donor, with its manic organ trills. Visuals are perfectly tailored to tracks, but never dominate your focus. “If you're scared, you deserve to be scared,” he says ominously. His track selection makes you feel as if you've double-dropped the finest pharmaceutical-grade supplements. When Shadow speaks, people listen reverently, eager for an insight into his encyclopaedic brain. Six Days from Shadow's stonkingly innovative and awesome debut Endtroducing….. shimmers with nostalgia while sounding just as impressive 22 years on. Davis may look unassuming, like anyone's second cousin twice removed, but his skills and ear for a cracking tune with substance are unparalleled.

Ambling down Fitzroy Street, psyche freshly massaged post-set, a punter shares, “That was so much more hip hoppy than last time.” The percentage of repeat offenders at a DJ Shadow show continually escalates since once you've danced to his selections, you'll vow not to miss him whenever he hits a nearby postcode. And we're all just aching to see what he brings next.