2008.12.13 – Brixton, London, England

Date: 13th December 2008
Event: The Prodigy Concert – The Invaders Academy Tour
Venue: Brixton
City: London
Country: England
Support: see lineup

Tracklist:
1. World’s On Fire
2. Their Law
3. Breathe
4. Breathe (Dubstep)
5. Omen
6. Spitfire
7. Warrior’s Dance
8. Firestarter
9. Action Radar Link
10. Run With The Wolves
11. Voodoo People
12. Comanche
Encore:
13. Invaders Must Die
14. Diesel Power Beats
15. Smack My Bitch Up
16. Your Love Link
17. Out Of Space
18. Take Me To The Hospital

Extra info:
Lineup:
Fight Like Apes
Does It Offend You Yeah!
DJ Zane Lowe
The Prodigy
DJ Herve

Info from the official site:
We just wanted to thank everybody who came to the academy tour, it was good to drop some new tunes and the reaction to them was incredible.
we ended up at brixton which for us was amazing – it was madness in there and a great last gig of the year.. played ‘take me to the hospital’ as the last song at brixton to give you a flavour for next year have a good xmas people.
c u in australia
liam……keef……maxim

Review by Stasz:
So there I was standing , in front of the holy Brixton Academy at 17:15.
Me and my three mates who came with me planned to dinner at Nando’s just across the street from Brixton and god damn it was delicious.
If you ever plan to go to Brixton be sure to get your dinner here.
Ordered the extra spicy chicken wings hahaha. I got attraced by the note saying ‘daredevils only’ .
18:00
I promised to stand outside for some BK people meeting up, unfortunately no one was there so I just decided to wait . wait. WAIT
An hour before the doors would open some security guy said to me to stand within the barriers so because of that I thought I would lose my front row place.
So within the barriers there I was like the fifteenth in row.
I tried to get some information from others wich was quite handful before I came inside (were can you leave your coat, etc.) .
21:00 – The doors opened
I was shaking like hell because I wanted to go front row !
Thanks to some Swedish guy I met I knew the location for leaving coat and stuff, so that was the first thing I did… half running half walking.
Left the coat… going downstairs…. opened those double doors….
YES
The place was completely empty except for some people who already taken the middle spot in front row.
I was standing next to them on the left side with my three mates, I was happy.
I was front row , in Brixton.
What a nice location I thought of myself,taking some shots with my camera.
It took an hour or so until almost everyone was in the hall.
A very crappy DJ was playing some dance/club stuff wich lasted for like an hour.
Does it offend you, yeah ? came up.
First time hearing them evr, and I must say they did a pretty good job.
They’re quite innovative with instruments and stuff and were very energetic.
Too bad their equipment wasn’t really prepared well and all sorts of problems came like… one of the members feet struggled within wires… and there seemed to be something wrong with the guitar too.
All after all they did a pretty good job, they left the stage with a satisfied crowd.
When they left the stage , a large table was being brought on stage , bit on the left side right in front of me.
The DJ came up … it was Zane Lowe !
This guy proved to me that he can be more then a guy most of us only listen to when there’s a new interview on the radio with our boys.
He started the music , picked up the mic and shouted something like
‘Tonight you’re here for the prodigy ! But now you’re mine !’
I think he was amazing, a real fucking surprise.
He picked up his mic alot of times while he was DJ’ing at the same time… sort of MC’in over the music, pretty good.
The place went MENTAL when he said :
‘You hear this !? This is a new PRODIGY TRACK !’
The pushing started , my mates didn’t know what they were experiencing as it was their first prodigy gig haha !
I tried to focus on the track and I remember hearing some fucked up guitars fading in to heavier sequences. Lots of beats , it lasted about 30 seconds or so.
I was enjoying all the time when Zane was doing his thing.
There were some fucking annoying cunts behind me and my mate on my right side tho.
They were pretty high on something because one of them started fucking HUMPING my back so sadly… the first fist was given to a face again… before the prodigy even came on.
He understood the message and moved away for some centimeters.
I saw some guy walking up to Zane saying something like:
‘You need to get off the stage, NOW’
Zane reacting like:
‘Nope, look at my watch, I still got some tracks to play’
Then those fucking cunts wannabe old skool ravers behind me were screaming:
‘Zaaaane !!! Get the fuck off !!! Get the fuck off you’re a fucking wanker !!!’
With Zane responding :
‘Haha ! I like your style !
Now … you can either tell me to fuck off or PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR !’
And started playing again
His act was turning into an ending stage and he picked up the mic and kinda introducing the boys who would come up within seconds.
Zane’s table was brought off the stage.
The curtains went up… the red eyes opened… the background was visible
The boys came on stage

World’s on Fire
The place was already in a mental state when Zane was playing halfway,
but this just made it better
I really like the edited version of WoF.
Nothing wrong with it, just get used to it

Their Law
I wasn’t expecting this one because I went away Friday and haven’t been checking the forum after Wednesday or so, with the knowledge Their Law not being layed anymore.
After a minute or so Maxim stood right in front of my fucking nose !
Everybody was touching him and shit
He was shouting things to us like
‘Come on ! Yeahh ! Fuckers !’
But I think a well deserved clap on his shoulder was enough for me
I don’t have to tell you that the crowd was massive and reacting like it should, after all you’re in fucking Brixton… everybody moves !
People started to lose their physical state on some spots in the front row, I think the first was a girl being dragged over the fence already.
After the track ended I was glad that one of the security guys came up with water bottles and started spraying in our faces

Breathe
Same as usual, the dubstep beats were AMAZING MAN.
When those came up , I was going mental like a motherfucker !!!

Omen
I loved this one
You gotta hear this live.
It’s in my head the whole time since the gig, the whole fucking time !
I don’t need to repeat the lyrics for you but I shouted them along with the boys !
‘Say it with us !’
After the track ended, I became pretty thirsty again hahaha, and Maxim threw a bottle right to me , I had it in my hand but FUCK I dropped it man !
Then the lovely security guy came up to me again with his water
He was sounding pretty funny showing a big grin saying
‘Ahhh !!! YOu like it DONTYA !?? HAHAHA’
And started spraying us with his water again

Spitfire
Crowd response was great again, I just have to remind.
Do I need to describe this tune ? Come on…

Warrior’s Dance
Okay… I was fucking mental on this one
Camera guy filming me like the whole time
Everybody knows this by now.
It seems to get a great response to the crowd still.
It really makes you realize that all the new tunes are being loved guys… not just by us, everybody knows the lyrics
Great track, great fucking track … I love it.
I remember me pointing at Keith for a moment with an open mouth , because he was dancing man ! FUCKING DANCING

Firestarter
What can I say, these minutes were for Keith only !~
I went mental on this one too, I don’t want to describe it with every track.
I went mental with every fucking track ! Because just like all the others this one fucks up the crowd !
I started shouting ‘A little action is all I need’ at the right time, and I had quite a few followers after the first sentence

Run
Great reaction from the crowd, I can’t remember much of it.
I was just… going mental !

Voodoo People
Jumping like hell
‘All my Brixton people ! All my Voodoo People !’
I was mistaken by the dudududu du du because Liam played it a bit later I used to hear

Comanche
Okay, I gotta say this track is fucking amazing live.
I was dancing like hell … well.. what you can call dancing despite being pushed onto a fence for almost 2 hours
Was filmed again the whole time hahaha… you know… when some kind of DVD comes out or this being broadcasted I hope I can see myself back on this shit and relive the moment again.
I was like a little boy who got some candy, big candy man.
This track is it !
I was smiling because Maxim was shouting ‘Thank you!’
It’s like a really bad actor moment especially Keith.
I’ve been screaming TAKE ME TO THE FUCKING HOSPITAL numerous times because I wanted to hear that shit !
It didn’t take long until Liam came on stage again and played the track we’ve been loving for almost 3 weeks.

Invaders Must Die
I was pretty off with my mind halfway the tune because I managed to catch a bottle of Gatorade or something like that from Keith .
People around me were like ‘Ohhh PLEASE GIVE ME SOME !’
I’m not a greedy guy so I started pointing out people who would get some !
When I was done playing anti scrooge I just kept on shouting INVADERS MUST DIE !!!!!!!!
This track is really amazing when you listen to it live.

Diesel Power
I just kept bouncing with my head on the prodigy’s best hip hop orientated tune.
I love the ending part when it kicks into

Smack My Bitch Up
I immediately grabbed my camera because I promised a colly to record this for him.
So that’s what I did.
What really surprised me is that a long arm from behind me grabbed my arm a couple of times to keep the camera still.
That’s respect.

Out of Space
Well everybody loved this one

Take Me To The Hospital
I was just listening with open mouth !
I remember Keith looking at me and trying to mimic my face hahaha and then shaking his head with a big grin like ‘FUCK YEAH BOY THIS IS THE FUCKING SHIT, THIS IS WHAT YOU’VE BEEN WAITING FOR FOR YEARS HUH!?!?!?!?!?’
Amazing old skool beats, with big hip hop influences and a very catchy vocal sample through out the whole tune.
Something like ‘The sound hurts, the sound is killing me , take me to the hospital’ (?????)
Maxim , Keith and Liam deserved the applause.
It’s the best fucking gig I’ve ever witnessed and I totally expected AND respected that.
I screamed to Liam, he looked at me, and I showed me thumb. He smiled.

Me and the mates were like fuck man lets go to the hotel.
But I just HAD to go to the merchendise stall.
I was waiting for my poster and t-shirt being brought when some guy said to me.
‘Hey !’ Pointing to my tat on my right arm (Stasz on it )
‘Nice tattoo man !’
I’m like ‘Yeah that’s my name ‘
‘I’m June !!’
Pretty cool meeting him totally by accident
I spoke to him outside the academy for a bit, asking to come wait with me at the backdoor, but he had to leave with his friends.
I showed my respect for him ripping those vids he did and we parted ways.
I didn’t expect to be like… the only one waiting at the back door together with one of my mates (the other two left to the hotel).
I was waiting for half an hour or so… and suddenly Zane Lowe just walks past
I had a chat and laugh with him, and a picture.
I was too generous to ask him if the boys were still inside or not, wich regret now.
An hour after that I gave up and left to the hotel.

My final conclusion of this night is… The Prodigy is preparing for a major comeback.
I’m really interested what the Omen single would mean for them.
I’m glad to have experienced the Brixton experience and Invaders Academy Tour.
It’s the real deal.
I’ll be posting the SMBU recording (Pretty good) and photos later.
Also have some footage of Zane playing if anyone’s interested.
Respecttttttttt

Review by Ludovic Hunter-Tilney:
The Prodigy are ostensibly a dance music act – indeed one of the best-selling dance music acts ever – yet their look, sound and philosophy are mired in rock’s most banal clichés. In their mind’s eye the trio are punk outlaws cranking up the volume to lethal levels. In reality they’ve become fast, loud but vacuous: a dead-end rather than the intended apocalypse.
Their forthcoming album Invaders Must Die is the first to feature all three original band members since 1997’s career peak The Fat of the Land. Judging by the tracks debuted at Brixton Academy, it aspires to recapture the aggressive energy that once made them a genuinely fearsome force, an Essex badlands hybrid of rave music, gangsta rap and hardcore techno.
Set opener “World’s on Fire” matched solar-plexus-pummelling beats with nihilistic slogans, gleefully chanted by singer-dancers Keith “Maxim” Palmer and Keith Flint (pictured). Another new song, bearing the gonzo title “Take Me to the Hospital”, was introduced by the boast “You don’t get harder than this”, which sounded suspiciously like the strapline to a Guy Ritchie movie.
The ensuing barrage – dementedly sped-up vocals, unhinged synth riffs, battering percussion – was as good as its word. Yet an air of fallibility underlay the hardness, as if the band’s musical mastermind Liam Howlett were desperately ransacking the armoury in a bid to make The Prodigy relevant again.
It didn’t work. Just as Flint, in a pared-down blonde Mohican and white vest, resembled an old punk (Billy Idol, to be precise), so too The Prodigy’s urge to shock has grown dated. Past hits “Breathe” and “Firestarter” were pantomime turns, fondly received by the audience but lacking any original menace.
Bad lyrics (“The writing’s on the wall/It won’t go away”) emphasised the band’s lack of substance, while the sonic assault failed to mask the fading of Howlett’s once masterly way of building tension in a song. For all their sound and fury, The Prodigy have lost their teeth.

Poster:

Tracklist:

Ticket:

Official photos:

Photos from the show:

Does It Offend You, Yeah? photos:

Zane Lowe photos:

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