In between crowd-jumping headbangers and sick guitar riffs, the electronic beats and retro synths from ’80s-inspired Gameshow tracks like “Je Viens de la” brought on major hip-shaking and disco-dancing. Frontman, Alex Trimble, even brought out his falsetto A-game for “Bad decisions” – a peppy, dance-pop track that laments the hashtag generation’s social media addiction. Where past albums like Tourist History (2010) and Beacon (2012) were mainly made up of electrifying, energetic anthems, Gameshow veered completely off-course into disco-esque tunes that are not nearly as catchy.īut hearing the new album live converted me.
Here’s where I state my disclaimer: I am not the biggest fan of Gameshow. This was a shrewd move by the band, as fans were clearly yearning for past material. Joined by drummer Benjamin Thompson, TDCC kicked off with “Cigarettes in the Theatre” followed by three other tracks from their breakthrough album (“Undercover Martyn” inevitably spurred on a bout of manic dancing and singing).
Two Door Cinema Club (TDCC) belongs to the latter group the frisky basslines and anthemic guitar riffs of the Irish trio never fail to remind us of our coming-of-age years. Back for their third concert after a four-year hiatus, the band performed at The Star Theatre last night courtesy of Secret Sounds Asia, to an audience of (late) twenty-somethings and a starry-eyed breed of teen listeners.Ĭoming on only 30 minutes after their scheduled timing of 8pm, the band was greeted by a make-shift mosh pit of fans from the front stalls who rushed off their seats to the stage as the lights dimmed.ĭespite it being a promo tour of their most recent album, Gameshow, the bulk of the 17-song set mostly comprised their debut (and unarguably, most popular) album, Tourist History. Musical nostalgia packs quite the appeal – how else would you explain the booming biz of ’90s hip-hop parties, #throwback emo nights and our continuous obsession with bands who provided the soundtracks to our youth. It never was a gamble that’s for sure, Two Door have hit the jackpot on this one.Two Door Cinema Club returned to Singapore for the third time at The Star Theatre, with a rousing set of indie anthems and disco-inspired tunes from their recent album, Gameshow Urgent and vital for 2016, it’s a record that lives and breathes in its own sphere and revels in the confidence of a band revitalised and gearing for stadiums. ‘Gameshow’ is an uncompromising and thrilling statement from Two Door Cinema Club.
‘Je Viens De La’ is prime Justice-styled Parisian electro that just rises and rises at each chorus, whilst the title track itself is the most ferocious the Bangor trio have ever sounded with an almost Foals-esque intensity aimed squarely at the technology driven generation of instant gratification. ‘Invincible’ hits like a long-lost Kylie & Jason anthem, drenched in neon thrills and a guitar solo built to be played on top of a mountain. Guiding through synth-laden disco highs, it’s in the strutting swagger of ‘Bad Decisions’, the cocktail-croon of ‘Ordinary’ and the effortless energy of ‘Fever’ – a palpable sense of the shackles being thrown off in favour of unabashed pop perfection.Įven then, there are moments which when written down should never work, but take on a new life when delivered with such freedom. ‘Gameshow’ is a record that doesn’t hold any boundaries, a stream of extravagance and outlandish sounds that come together into a record that’s sure of itself and knows it’s fucking good. After years of self-evaluation, personal demons and even questioning what band they really were, Two Door have come back and flung that box wide open – and what has come out is nothing short of dazzling. If anything, they fitted the indie band box to a tee, but clinging on to that thrill ride had its consequences. Spiky indie guitars, pogoing choruses and a non-stop thrill ride of a live show meant that they were festival favourites even at the festivals they weren’t playing. Two Door have hit the jackpot on this one.īack in 2012, Two Door Cinema Club were every 16 year old’s favourite band.