Bicep at Finsbury Park

The electronic duo from Belfast take Finsbury Park by storm on this hot and muggy August day.

Matt McBriar and Andy Ferguson headline with Chroma, a four-hour set incorporating new and old mixes with unreleased material. Facing the audience, distinct from the way they usually play, Bicep deliver an aurally energetic performance throughout. The stage sits amidst large trees, giving the setting a modern twist.

One of the first highlight tracks is infused with a compulsive thrumming bass that would have even the firmest netizen bouncing to its beat. There are three screens – one in the middle, two to each side – with huge throes of people all around, creating a contagious buzz in the air. The pair’s easily recognisable symbol of three muscled arms flashes, while other graphics of various colourful geometric shapes appear amidst shifting glitching visuals. Another highlight, Dahlia – a collaboration between Bicep and fellow Irish artist Hammer (Rory Hamilton) – is a refreshing sonic soundscape, with revellers lapping up the music.

Four hours is a marathon duration, but the pair creatively build their set: McBriar and Ferguson’s drive and focus remain as the mood changes with the sunset, and the park gradually fills. Bicep have toured with Chroma since September 2023, but added an extra two hours to its usual runtime. There is enough range here, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. Although the sound is pretty consistently clear, the volume is much too high, even from a middling distance, so you are left with a constant ringing in the ear, an ongoing challenge for sound technicians. This gig is for those who appreciate deep cuts and remixes, which form an amalgamous electronic fusion. Ravers pan out across the park slopes, many of whom jump onto their friends’ shoulders; one fan even climbed a tree branch to take it all in, a sight to see.

This hedonistic beast of a set grows stronger as it endures, with tracks like Water, the Four Tet remix of Opal and Apricots involving manic zooming lasers, smoke and dizzying lights. The Chroma tracks Helium, Rola and LAVA were naturally included, while Bicep keep one of their biggest hits, Glue, to the penultimate, fans whipping out phones to capture the multi-coloured “oil spill” smoke suspended in the air, with the last rays of sun diminishing, as the rave comes to a close. 

Bicep, just like their namesake, remain firm and strong in the dance electronic sphere, and as always, are well worth seeing live.

Selina Begum
Photos: Miguel de Melo

For further information and future events visit Bicep’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Chroma 004 Rola here: