I was lucky to score a ticket some two months ago for Saturday's Hot Chip concert at Terminal 5, and then I mostly forgot all about it. How silly of me, right? It was my first time in the impressively large (though less so in sound quality) Hell's Kitchen venue, and I couldn't help but marvel at what a wonderful -- if inconveniently located -- space it was. But in spite of the cavernous space and the somewhat fuzzy sound mixing, the geeky London quintet managed to fill our ears and hearts with their exuberant, R&B-laced synth-pop.

I have to admit: going into the concert, I was skeptical about how well Hot Chip's production- and loop-heavy sound would translate on a live stage. Well, as soon as Alexis Taylor, Joe Goddard & Co. took to the stage and began a sort of tribal drum beat, signaling an extended intro to new banger "Shake a Fist," all my skepticism was put to rest. Damn, these guys know how to put on a show! For around 90 minutes, it was all sweat, ecstatic dancing, lights, and sweet sweet pop music for my friends and me. For me, the highlight of the evening occurred about halfway through my personal favorite, "Touch Too Much," when diminutive frontman Alexis Taylor turned away from his synth to get freaky with the bongos for a minute, followed by the whole band letting the beat drop and then launching into a final soaring refrain.

Such an impressive performance begged the question: how do five guys who look so ordinary make music so extraordinary? Simple answer: they're geniuses! (Four out of the five attended either Oxford or Cambridge.)

Set list:

Shake a Fist
Boy from School
Hold On
Bendable Poseable
Touch Too Much
Over & Over
Out at the Pictures
Wrestlers
(Crap Kraft Dinner)
One Pure Thought
Ready for the Floor

Encore
Made in the Dark
Don't Dance
No Fit State
Privacy of Our Love

[Photo Cred: Ballulah]