Autechre Lee's Palace April 12, 2008

It’s been 20 years and nine albums, but Rob Brown and Sean Booth are showing few signs that they plan to slow down. They were in Toronto to show off their latest Autechre offering, Quaristice.

The night was defined early; not by opening acts, but by two drunk (and admittedly stoned) dudes that were standing beside me, absorbed by an existential dilemma.

“If someone asked me to define normality,” said the first, “I wouldn’t be able to do it.”

“Could anyone?” asked the second.

“Not truthfully. From the moment we’re born, to the moment we die, we’re told what we should perceive… That’s why I like electronica. The music isn’t telling us how we should feel or how we should think. It’s just there. We interpret it however we want.”

As if prophesized by those two gentlemen, Autechre did everything in their power to ensure that as performers, they were completely separated from their music. Two huge monitors on stands were erected at front, mid-stage, which almost completely blocked the British duo from the crowd’s view. The stage was made fully dark as well, leaving most spectators wondering exactly what the two were doing up there.

With the absence of traditional concert spectacle, it really was all about the music. The crowd at Lee’s — a mix of curious youth and in-the-know middle-agers — was quick to turn the venue’s lower floor (usually reserved for non-moving hipsters) into a dance party.

While it was obvious that many in the crowd were enraptured by Autechre’s meticulously crafted set, it seemed as though nearly an equal amount of patrons were milling about (myself included), wondering, “What’s so special about this?” For those not busting a move on the dance floor, would this show have been any different than listening to an Autechre mix at home with a good set of headphones?

(2/5)