Matt and Kim at Scala

It was difficult to gauge who was having the most fun at Matt and Kim’s gig at Scala: Matt, Kim or the audience, feeding off the intensity of the duo, as they ripped through a set of electro pop.

Each song was unleashed like a greyhound from its traps, charged on a cocktail of caffeine and e-numbers. Never has so much energy come from two people sitting down. That’s not to say standing up and running around wasn’t a huge part of their show, but even when perched on their stools they were like salivating dogs tied outside the supermarket next to a vast green common.

Racing through the first half of the set, it became apparent that the bass drum was just as much a plinth for an animated statue of Kim as it was a percussion instrument, worshiped by her adoring fans as she gyrated on top of it. Whilst behind the kit she smashed her cymbals like she had an ongoing feud with them, gritted teeth hiding an ear-to-ear grin.

Kim acts as the mascot. Kim is crazy. At one point she walked out onto the hands of the audience, throwing erratic shapes and shouting remarks she wouldn’t want her mother to hear. All in the name of good will, and what could only be described as a “party atmosphere”.

But Matt and Kim don’t throw parties in the conventional sense, a Matt and Kim party is a throwback to shiny conical hats and those things that you blow on that make a squeaky sound. As they distributed balloons for the crowd to blow up, Matt delivered a dubstep cover of Rhianna’s Umbrella. The same audience later found themselves covered in a huge nylon sheet, pulsating underneath to more ferocious synth.

The infectious Daylight and the suitably urgent Now garnered the biggest response. Even those who had been dragged along by partners – or turned up thinking they were seeing a tribute act for 80s-pop duo Mel and Kim – could recognise a selection of the tracks from copious television adverts.

It was a night of innocent dance-along party music. They are modern day weeny boppers, the Bay City Rollers anticipating happy hardcore. In Make a Mess they sing:”Live everyday like it’s your first, while everyone else looks rehearsed.” This is the blueprint for Matt and Kim, free of inhibitions, and overloaded with gyrating dance moves.

Mark Beckett
Photo: Carolina Londono

For further information about Matt and Kim and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Daylight here: