Live Review: Pendulum @ Center Stage 3/25/09
By Samantha A. Parvin
Pendulum, the drum ‘n’ bass/rock/electronic four-piece from Perth, Australia, was an appropriate booking for a Wednesday night at Center Stage; there didn’t seem to be many “9 to 5-ers” in the crowd who would need to get up early on Thursday morning. Pendulum’s fan base is undeniably eclectic, and the dark tones of the music and the crowd’s raver-esque dance moves accentuated that. Because of the band’s seemingly endless amount of energy, one would never guess that this was the second to final show of a 16-month North American tour that started in Canada and will end on Friday in Miami.
Uniquely, the group’s live shows are fronted by Ben Mount, an MC/“Cheerleader” whose main platform is motivating the crowd. “The more you give us, the more we’ll give you,” he pronounced, explaining that they are willing to play rare and un-marketed works if the crowd is willing to work for it. And, while his moves are somewhat awkward and he’s not exactly a musician, he is good at what he does because every person in the auditorium was head-bobbing and foot-tapping for the full two hours. The energy and enthusiasm were not lacking at Center Stage on Wednesday night. Rob Squire, lead singer, keyboardist, and synth player, finally debuted his vocal talents around song eight or nine.
His voice is reminiscent of Thom Yorke or Bono, but with a younger feel. “Bring it on home,” he sang, while urging the crowd members to join in. In fact, at several points Mount encouraged crowd participation and embraced an interactive show, which is an increasingly integral part of the performing experience. Pendulum played several popular favorites from their recorded albums, and the audience members engaged enough to be graced with rare originals; and everyone – myself included – bounced to the beat of drums until the morning hours.
