Faithless return, paying tribute to Maxi Jazz, with one eye firmly on the future. Support comes from Tinlicker.

TINLICKER

A throbbing soundscape fills the smoky warehouse prior to Tinlicker. The early birds are bathed in red light as the tension builds.

Formed in Holland around 2012, Tinlicker have risen up quickly through the ranks of various dance festivals. Their 2024 album, Too Cold For Snow, sees a whole host of special guests in tow. There are a few selections from the album and the array of guests featured.

Slipstream features Julia Church and Nowhere To Go features the unmistakable vocals of Placebo’s Brian Molko. Elsewhere, there are airings for Tinlicker’s remix of Alt-j’s Breezeblocks and a suitably nostalgic trip with Robert Miles’ Children.

With a crowd to rival many a headliner, Tinlicker round out their set with their remix of Sian Evans’ Hide U. The duo offer thanks to the crowd as the lights come up and the gathered masses show their appreciation. Whilst their music is electronic, the live mix element of the songs is pleasing to see. The percussive elements are handled live and the use of a keytar is always great to see!

FAITHLESS

And here we are…9pm in the evening. Faithless are taking to the stage after a lengthy absence. They’ve also lost their enigmatic frontman, Maxi Jazz, who sadly died in December 2022. It is obvious that a huge part of the Faithless sound is the poetic wisdom and love that Maxi imbibed. The big question is, how will Faithless 2024 fare?

Well, Faithless have a vast array of records and nearly forty singles to draw on. Add into the mix some of the most iconic dance songs ever, and you have a band that should have no problem in pulling this off.

Will Sister Bliss at the helm, the good ship Faithless arrives on stage to huge ovation. Screens flicker and kick into gear with videos of raves from yesteryear – a more innocent time. Mory Kanté’s Yé ké yé ké sets the scene before the band drop into an early run through Salva Mea. Salva Mea was Faithless’ first single and its enduring sound still stands strong. It is a dance classic and arguably Faithless finest track. The climbing synths and pounding beat are delicious; there is also the first sounds of Maxi Jazz in the voiceover. It is tastefully delivered with his image across the screens.

I CAN’T GET NO SLEEP…

If going early on Salva Mea seems bold, perhaps an even bolder move is delivering Insomnia in quick succession. A true classic, Insomnia ensures that phones are held aloft and plenty of the crowd utilise their space to dance and jump around. “Manchester…are you with us tonight?” asks Sister Bliss. Naturally, the reaction is positive. Insomnia is an incendiary song and one that is part of the fabric of dance music. Where to from here though?

Providing live vocals with Faithless are Nathan Ball and Amelia Fox. The former is no stranger to Faithless; he has recorded several songs and looks comfortable in his role. His vocal for Synthesizer is accomplished and Fox gets a chance to shine on Crazy English Summer. Both get great receptions from the crowd. It must be hard stalking a stage that was once inhabited by such a magnetic figure in Maxi Jazz.

God Is A DJ is another of those songs that sends the shivers down the spice. The vocal is delivered by Maxi and the audience laps it up. “This is my church,” sometimes comes off as bit too pious but it is the perfect tribute to Maxi Jazz. He always made this one move and vibrate in a different way when he sung it. Whilst the vocals aren’t ‘live’ tonight, he inhabits the arena and would be looking down proudly on his tribe.

COVERS

In amongst Faithless’ set is a clutch of cover versions. Be it old rave tracks like Gat Decor’s 1992 release, Passion, or Leena Punks Dawn Of The Dead; there is a feeling of the show being a love letter to dance music. Sister Bliss is clearly paying homage to Faithless’ roots, as well as tipping a hat to more contemporary cuts.

Whilst covers are well and good, sometimes it can be overegged. A run through Love Will Tear Us Apart is apt for a Manchester crowd, and Faithless recorded the single a couple of years back. The inclusion of Gnarls Barkley’s Crazy is a little bit of a misstep though. Yes, it is sung well and provides a singalong, but I imagine Faithless devotees would much rather have an airing of songs like Mass Destruction or Machines R Us or the like. Basically, a couple more Faithless tracks.

MUSIC MATTERS

As Faithless head back into their own material, Music Matters, from 2006’s To All New Arrivals, is a welcome inclusion. Music does matter. To so many. The passion that Faithless show in their live band setup is indicative of that. Drifting Away injects a heavy dose of the Balearic with some Gilmour style guitar work.

As the main set reaches its conclusion, Faithless pull on another monster of a track. We Come 1 has always been a song of unity. Taking the singular and making those single digits part of the greater picture. It loses none of its message here as the crowd go wild for it.

An upbeat encore sees This Feeling, a more modern Faithless cut, showing off the live band dynamic perfectly. Fox and Ball shine as Bliss introduces them to the crowd. To close out, there is another nod to Faithless alumni with a remixed version of the Dido hit, Thank You.

Faithless 2024 are a different proposition. Their standing in electronic music is unquestionable; they continue to define a sound and genre. Champion Sound is their forthcoming album and the new track played suggests it will be business as usually for the veteran dance outfit. On this evidence, Faithless have plenty more left in the tank and will continue to wow crowds up and down the land.

CHAMPION SOUND

The Faithless juggernaut continues into Europe up until December. All dates here:

21/11-Mitsubishi Electric Hall (MEH) Düsseldorf, DE
22/11-Lotto, Antwerp, BE
23/11-Stadhalle, Offenbach, DE
28/11-Tonhalle, Munich, DE
29/11-Halle 622, Zurich, CH
30/11-Fabrique, Milan, IT
03/12-A2, Wroclaw, PL
04/12-Gasometer, Vienna, AT
06/12-Barba Negra, Budapest, HU
07/12-Steel Arena, Kosice, SK
08/12-Forum Karlin, Prague, C
12/12-AFAS Live, Amsterdam, NL
14/12-Poolen, Copenhagen, D

You can get tickets here.

Check out I’m Not Alone (Rest Well Maxwell) from Faithless below.

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