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Show Review
 After pondering the theme a bit and running through my aforementioned thoughts, I have to admit, I came to a rather unpleasant conclusion – that perhaps the band was capitalizing on a concept that they and their young fan base had absolutely no legitimate idea about. But when I did a little pre-show research, I came across the following quote (taken from an unmentioned 70’s music critic), and I finally got the concept the band was going for. “Studio 54 was not just a place - it was a mood, an atmosphere; a carefree, no-holds-barred, non-stop party.” And from the moment we entered Irving Plaza in NYC on Halloween night, it was obvious that this show would be something special. The normally mundane interior of the club was effectively transformed with a few huge disco balls on stage and a nice “Particle 54” glittery sign on the back wall. The Particle boys had just started and were easing the crowd into their groove with “Triple Threat,” a great new song that the band seems to thrive on playing live – it has a chugging tempo and lots of interplay.
 So did Particle succeed in turning Irving Plaza into Studio 54 for a night? Well, while they couldn’t undo 25 years of social attitudes while facilitating the spontaneous hedonism of a generation that has been taught to “just say no” and “protect yourself” - not to mention competing with New York’s new draconian laws which prohibit even cigarettes from being enjoyed inside the club - for the evening, the beauty and musical bliss of the famed disco hothouse returned, at least in spirit. And everyone along for the ride forgot about their responsibilities and their troubles and just got their groove on. Yep, for a few hours on Halloween night, once again, the only political incorrectness was restraint – restraint from dancing, smiling, and letting the music take over. And, true to their promise, the band’s performance served as the vehicle for the return of the attitude that embodied everything Studio 54 stood for. In other words, everything you've heard is true. SETLIST Set 1: Triple Threat, Machine Gun-> Celebration-> Jungle Boogie*Set 2: Disco Inferno#, Fox Force Five, The Elevator, Stayin' Alive-> Funky Town-> Pipe Dream Ending Encore: Halloween ThemePhotographs by Robert Massie. For more of his work, please visit jampics.com. |
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I can’t even imagine what the famed 70’s super club Studio 54 must have really been like. I mean, sure, we’ve heard the stories and read the descriptions of the “mother of all nightclubs” – a place where the only rule was excess, where supermodels danced next to busboys, and where elitism and outrageous attitudes and policies were openly enforced, all in the name of beauty. VH1’s Behind the Music stated in a matter-of-fact manner that "the public displays of indulgence and affection at Studio 54 were the stuff of urban legend. In this pre-AIDS, birth-controlled, promiscuous era of sexual and social excesses, about the only political incorrectness was restraint. In other words, everything you've heard is true." Honestly, it’s hard to put yourself in the proper mindset to fully comprehend it, now living in the Ashcroft era. If the club were open today, Studio 54 would be linked to drug use, which would then be linked to terrorism, and the whole place (and probably the musical movement) would be shut down under the Patriot Act. So certainly my excitement was eclipsed with a sense of confusion when I heard that Particle had themed its annual no-holds-barred Halloween throw down as “Particle 54.”
I immediately noticed the beaming smiles and reflective clothes the band was proudly boasting (bassist Eric Gould looked particularly festive in his suit with absolutely smashing matching hat). As the set progressed, the band raised the stakes with a cover of the Commodores “Machine Gun” and the 70’s sounds quickly began to emerge. I really like the way Particle puts their electro-funk signature on everything they cover (normal shows feature everything from Jimi Hendrix to Radiohead) and tonight they really marked the tunes and made them “Space Porn.” “Machine Gun” cooled down and the band shamelessly segued into KC and the Sunshine Band’s “Celebration.” Admit it - every wedding you’ve ever gone to, you’ve gotten your groove on to “Celebration.” Well, it was refreshing to dance to it in this setting, and, due to the Particle “remix” treatment, it was clearly the best version of this song that I have ever witnessed. A huge “Jungle Boogie” finished the set and featured a really nice guitar and melodic duel between guitarist Charlie Hitchcock and keyboardist Steve Molitz. 
The connection continued as set 2 started with the incendiary pulses of The Trammps classic “Disco Inferno,” complete with go-go dancers on stage. Particle original “Fox Force Five” was the next tune and it kept the good vibes and smiles flowing around the room. Then, it was time for serious business - as the opening notes of “The Elevator” sounded, the crowd went nuts. Particle veterans know this as “the song that keeps the crowd jumping” – in fact, the band named the song “Elevator” because it made their hopes and spirit rise as the structure of it progressed. This was nothing short of an epic version – truly Particle at their best, playing high-energy music to an appreciative crowd. After giving everyone a second to catch their breath, Andy and Maurice Gibb’s ultra-classic “Stayin' Alive” emerged from the remains of “Elevator,” and had the room strutting and swaying to the same beat that has moved satisfied feet for years. The set closed with the vocoder heavy cover of Lipps Inc.’s homage to dance floor euphoria, “Funky Town” which segued into the end of the original “Pipe Dream,” closing the set with that trademark high-energy Particle breakdown. Encoring once again with a rendition of the “Halloween” movie theme – this was played about 2 years ago at a Halloween show in Colorado, this version sounded much more polished tonight. It was 4a.m. when the opened the doors, and the crowd headed out to whatever else the night had in store. Some went to after-hours clubs to dance, some went home, but everyone emerged with a smile on their face.
