When you think of the French duo AIR, it’s all about a deep feeling of sophisticated and detached coolness that the French have perfected. Polished and precise, yes- but also deeply human; they are not German after all. I kinda lost track of them after seeing their 2017 show at Royale, and I guess both principals Jean-Benoît Dunckel and Nicolas Godin have been busy doing their own solo works, mainly soundtracks, in the span of time since then.
On this recent tour, the duo decided to revisit their debut record Moon Safari, joined by drummer Louis Delorme who drummed on that previous tour as well. A lot has happened in the ensuing 27 years since its release, but it still has a timeless quality. The elements of their songs are simple; it’s like Dunckel is trying to come off as Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman and Godin likely doesn’t have a shrine to John Myung anywhere in his house.
But simplicity is often the most effective means of expression, and the Rhodes playing of Dunckel paired with the propulsive groove of Godin was on full display with the lead track for tonight, “La Femme D’Argent,” a good example to play for someone who knows nothing about the band. Delorme’s playing was entirely simpatico with the duo, gently moving the beat along but never driving it into the ditch, and occasionally he hit some electronic pads or tinkered with his own synthesizer.
Rather than use pre-recorded track of guest vocalist Beth Hirsch, the band opted to sing the parts themselves, which sounded slightly odd at first on “All I Need” but soon felt right. AIR have also outlasted some of their contemporaries, with certain songs having likely played a part in shaping those sounds – thinking specifically of “Kelly Watch The Stars” (Add N To (X)) and “Ce matin-lá” (Lemon Jelly).
The stage setup was visually stunning, the trio spread out in a long and narrow rectangular box with screens and lights that would create many different scenes, from gradients of red and pink, fireworks, and interstellar starscapes. Once the main set was over, they came out for a short second set and encore that featured key discography moments like “Playground Lover,” “Cherry Blossom Girl,” and a particular heavy version of “Don’t Be Light,” accentuated with strobes. Very fitting they ended with “Electronic Performers,” the band grinning and waving as they exited the stage.
The evening started with a fairly low-key DJ set by Veronica Vasicka as a gentle way to ease into the main program.
