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Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark turn the vibe around at SXSW
03.22.2011
05:32 am
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Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark played SXSW on March 19 with all four original members on stage and they sounded and looked extraordinarily good. Despite a serious accident involving a camera boom collapsing into the audience, OMD managed to take a bad situation and make it better (vibewise). While the folks injured by the falling boom were being rushed to the hospital, OMD played a brief engaged set in their honor.

OMD is one of a handful of bands that emerged at the beginning of the 80s playing melodic synthesizer-driven pop tunes that had some substance to them. Along with Spandau Ballet, ABC and Human League, OMD’s shimmering surfaces and electronic beats included transmissions of humor, social commentary, politics and satire without the dour heavyhandedness of PIL or the soft focus Vaseline smeared slickness of Duran Duran. OMD’s electronic pulsation is hardwired to something warm and organic. It has heart. Thirty years after the release of their debut album, they still scintillate.

On a night in which the band and audience had been through a somewhat harrowing experience and were looking for some catharsis, OMD had about 20 minutes to turn the vibe around. Within the first couple of minutes of hitting the stage they pulled it off.

Andy McCluskey – vocals, bass guitar, keyboards
Paul Humphreys – vocals, keyboards
Martin Cooper – keyboards, saxophone
Malcolm Holmes – drums, percussion

Shot in hi def and with good audio, this video is pretty damn sweet.
 

Posted by Marc Campbell
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03.22.2011
05:32 am
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