The first act was a Nordic group called Datarock. A quick synopsis of their sound would include some combination of Devo and Franz Ferdinand, and those fellas matching red track suits certainly agreed. They weren't bad, though perhaps a bit lighter than one might expect to warm up the crowd for the infinite cold and darkness that their tour-mates would surely bring. My thoughts lagged on what I felt might be a better pairing for a group of their style, a tour that might suit their vaguely Swedish-Chef-esque attitude. They would go great as an opener for REAL, ACTUAL Swedes, Love is All. A call and response song, some decent hand-claps thrown in, and surely, Datarock has potential as a fun indie-pop group, but I'm definitely going to need more of a gain on those vocals. If I can't understand you, I don't want to sing along. All in all though, good show, good fellows! A victory for the pop-minded.

Then came the awkward silence between sets that fills me with unease. Why? Why do they make me wait? All of their equipment is on stage. Most likely already tuned and tested during a sound check meant to be done hours before. Why must I wait? Is it so I have no choice but to obtain some expensive, poorly measured drinks? Perhaps so, perhaps not. But I would not buckle, and stood undaunted by the cavern of misery before me. I could do naught but malign the awful beasts before me. The tragic creatures who seemed to exist for nothing but as fodder for my derision. LA Lights.... Really, my young friend? Really? Nice kilt, douche. COME ON! Hatred brimmed within me for lack of any more productive endeavors. Then, the house lights blackened and the air, pregnant with anticipation, finally gave birth.

With little fanfare yet also with great excitement, the headlining act arrived, all fashionably late. Thanks, guys! And coming on strong to one of their songs most recently recorded. Well, coming on mild. I'll speak in more depth on those matters soon. The band stood before what I dubbed, the “epileptic's nightmare”, a light show with such a powerful strobe that for all I could see, might as well have been a darkness complete. I found it difficult to even ascertain what wonders had taken the stage with the minstrels. It turns out, not really any. The hits went over well, and the band rocked the house, but there was a healthy mix of the new material, and unfortunately, it's uninspiring. Really not very catchy.

With only a half an hour of opening act (really, not much time to get the crowd excited) and an extended wait for the band to reach stage, spirits were not nearly as high as one might hope for. Without much chatter from the band to speak of, really they just as easily could've recorded a tour and projected it onto the stage with similar effect. While I was grateful to hear some of my favorite Ladytron songs performed live, it was adequate but in no way exceptional.

Which really, stands for the new album as well. Just from the title, Velocifero (literally, bringer of speed) sounds dark, dangerous, exciting. And from the beginning, the entire album just feels lighter and less substantial than any of Ladytron's 3 earlier albums (not including the remix album). It is not nearly as hooky or memorable as those previous efforts, and after forcing myself to listen to the album a few times at home, a few of those times reasonably soused, and performed live, I can't think of one song on the album that is especially memorable.

Ladtron works on two fields operating simultaneously. Cold, mechanical vocals on top of infectious, catchy beats. With Velocifero, it seems like the Tron attempted to reverse that formula with adverse effects. Helen Marnie's vocals smack of caring, like the long, gothic depression is almost over and they're ready to start caring again. At the same time, the beats are monotonous without being infectious, really something you'd come to expect from the group.

Overall, the album and the show both suffer from a sense of being phoned in. They're not bad, not at all unlistenable, but there's just nothing to hold onto, nothing making me want to hold onto this album and keep me from just waiting for next time.