2020 Soundsystem are one of the rarer bread of electronic collectives pulled together through live performance. What we were to experience here at 2010’s Big Chill was an evolving and unique set!
For those that aren’t familiar with the band, 2020Soundsystem started as a new way of playing live by DJ Ralph Lawson (who started his career at the legendary Back to Basics club in Leeds) and Danny ‘Dubble D’ Ward. Tired of a jaded club scene they sought a different way to entertain and excite. By weaving live instruments into Lawsons DJ set, they transformed the clubbing experience into something new by giving the best of both worlds: the continuity and diversity of a DJ mix with the raw energy and excitement of seeing a live band.
The collective returned last year with their second album ‘Falling’, touring both in Europe and America. ‘Falling’ sees the band’s coming of age that allows them to showcase their unique and distinctive sound. This album was aimed at developing the band’s vocals but most importantly capturing the energy and flow that is exuded in their live performances. Something that the crowd were lucky enough to experience in a ‘live’ format in the Paradiso tent during their Saturday night set at this year’s Big Chill.
They played to a capacity crowd and performed a range of music from the jacking funk of ‘Pyscho’ to the bubbly sounds of ‘Ocean’. The crowd seemed elated by the sounds coming from the collective and the overall atmosphere from within the tent was epic.
Some of the sounds that came from the Paradiso tent was made from the rapping of fingers up a fret board, lightly feathered snares and palpable twangs on the bass guitar, which reminded you that the overall sound isn’t just made up from software.
Their set confirmed that 2020 Soundsystem has always been about live shows. This was one of the highlights of the festival for those lucky enough to have been in attendance, they quite simply ‘smashed it’ and we left feeling like lucky to have experienced something so unique!
Words by Bee Adamic
