Why Everyone Should See Shpongle at Least Once in Their Lifetime [Event Review]

Amidst the Mardi Gras festivities, and the plethora of trap shows popping off throughout the city, New Orleans was treated with a different kind of flavor last weekend. Held at the Civic Theatre in downtown New Orleans, Shpongle (Simon Posford) showed fans how much experimental and eclectic music had to offer. Between the unforgettable visuals and amazing vibes in the crowd, I propose that everyone check out a Shpongle show sometime in their life. It is truly an experience unlike any other, and a night you won’t soon be able to erase from your mind.

The Venue

The Civic Theatre lies in a tucked away part of New Orlean’s infamous Downtown area, a hidden gem if you will, but nonetheless spectacular. One of the oldest and best restored buildings in the city, this 1906 beauty does not disappoint. Upon entry, guests may notice the Roman-like architecture with the long white columns and hidden doorways. Perhaps the most unique part of this venue is the opportunity for exploration. With general admission tickets, fans were able to access several different levels for different perspectives on the show. Closest to the stage, a wide dance floor allowed fans to get up close to the performers, but be careful! If you rage too hard, the floors will move. For a Shpongle show, it wasn’t much of an issue, but I can only imagine if someone like DATSIK came to that venue. We’d have more than the roof caving in to worry about.

A few stairs up from the dance floor, was an elevated seating area where fans could sit or stand and still be close enough to see all the visual effects that the Shpongletron 3.0 had to offer. The venue also had a beautiful balcony fit with two VIP boxes on either side, true theater-style. The balcony extended out so when peering over the edge, you would be well over the other seating area and directly above the dance floor. The balcony had several rows of seating, plenty for most of the people there, and during the Shpongle show this area never got too crowded but towards the end of the performance it definitely got live.

Although this venue doesn’t host many electronic artists, The Civic Theatre is worth taking a step out of your comfort zone to check out. Some notable acts on the schedule in the coming months are Pink Martini, Umphrey’s McGee and Mogwai. Check out the Civic’s full artist schedule here.

The Atmosphere

It didn’t take long for the eclectic sounds from the stage to influence the vibes of the crowd. By the middle of the opening act, Santa Fe’s own Desert Dwellers, the crowd was already starting to move erratically. It was not uncommon to see several people walking around barefoot or doing yoga poses in the middle of the dance floor.

What was surprising, was the mix of people in attendance. There were groups of older hippies of course, but mixed in was the younger college crowd as well as some Mardi Gras patrons that had stopped in to keep the festivities rolling. For this group, “weird” is an understatement. In all honesty, a better word to describe the crowd that gathered for Shpongle in New Orleans Friday evening is “free”. This was a group of people that didn’t care about fitting in, or how they looked when they were dancing, they were feeling the music and letting it guide their motions.

The Performance

Something everyone should consider and note about Simon Posford before seeing him live, is his ability in his craft. Experimental music has been a major hit at transformational festivals such as Burning Man, Lightning in a Bottle, and others, but is gaining relatively new popularity within the electronic scene, stemming off as a sub-genre in electronic music. However, music is only as good as the artist who creates it and Shpongle is the master.

Paired with the intense visual experiences brought to you by his very own Shpongletron 3.0, a 3-D structure with some of the most innovative 3-D mapping and visual stimulation I have ever seen, you don’t need mind-altering substances to transcend. What is most impressive about this performance, is Simon’s ability to orchestrate energy and emotion with his music. Sure, electronic artists are known for sculpting experiences for listeners through music, but I have never seen a crowd move as if they were being guided by a puppet master as prominently as this show. More than a trance, guests were lifted into a world created by sound and mystery. He placed layers over layers of tracks and sounds that continuously wrapped into one another and extended into other unimaginable sounds.

After playing over an hour set, Shpongle thanked fans and prepared to get off the stage. As per New Orleans usual, fans roared for an encore. He came back out and threw some beads to fans, then proceeded to debut a brand new track. It had a Big Gigantic funk to it, in combination with Shpongle’s signature eclectic sound. He played for about another 20 minutes, dropping some of the wildest tunes I had ever heard.

Definitely a show for the books, and definitely an experience you shouldn’t miss. Shpongle will be heading out to 45 cities on their U.S. tour, you can also catch a Simon Posford DJ set at Counterpoint this year. In the meantime, enjoy some “Divine Moments of Truth”.

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