The Orb | Violeta Vicci
The Lido, Margate, Kent
23rd March 2024
Less than five months since they last visited Margate to play in The Ballroom at Dreamland, The Orb landed back on the Kent coast to entertain the Margate massive at The Lido. The electronic pioneers brought the best of their audio-visual portfolio to the Cliff Bar stage in a complex that once housed an indoor swimming pool, an aquarium, and even a mini-zoo.
Above the now derelict outdoor Lido pool, which in its heyday accommodated 1,000 bathers, and below the street level day-glo orange light of the Lido “tower”, Alex Paterson and Michael Rendall carefully constructed a considered set that built slowly but sweetly. On a raised table behind a snow-camo sheet, and in front of a modest projection screen, The Orb drew the crowd in with a hypnotic mix.
Ahead of them on stage was Violeta Vicci, a contemporary neo-classical violinist who has previously worked with, among others, The Smile, Thom Yorke, Elbow, Sigur Ros, Steeleye Span, Bat For Lashes, Fontaines DC and The Orb! Vicci, aided by two laptops and a floor placed mixer/looper, deftly operated throughout the set by Violeta’s toes, played music from her most recent album – Cavaglia.
Vicci, playing violin whilst simultaneously providing the ethereal vocals, shared tracks from her 2023 album, accompanied by some of the seven videos that she filmed 2,000 meters up in the stunningly beautiful Swiss countryside. Shot in seven days, “using tripods, drones and a train journey” the videos provided the perfect backdrop to Violeta’s exquisite compositions.
Vicci closed out her delicate set with, penultimately, an Orb remix and then finally her latest release, the Turze Hyperfocus remix of her latest album’s closer – Orbital. Signing off, Violeta said – “Thank you for coming early, it’s a great room. Thank you for listening and thank you for dancing. Come and say Hi.”
The Orb‘s tech-heavy table was brought forward as the growing crowd edged themselves ever closer to the intimate stage. Paterson and Rendall, without any fuss or fanfare, took to the stage and began to craft their set. They started by easing everyone in with some laid-back beats accompanied by a fantastic visual that continuously zoomed out to reveal Old Father Time, magical multi-coloured forests, post-apocalyptic landscapes, ultra-high definition cats, aliens, clowns and ultimately a train carriage occupied by red-robed Velociraptors. It was a tripped-out psychedelic feast for the eyes and a compelling start.
As vast landscapes grew and fell away just as quickly; forests, streams and lakes gave way to more geometric animations to compliment the steadily building bpm. Mirrored fish swam through technicolour coral before circuit board impulses gave way to Tower Bridge, St Paul’s and The Gherkin. As Paterson and Rendall mixed in Monie Love’s – Monie In The Middle with Joe Smooth’s – Promised Land the intensity grew and the pair stepped up the tempo.
An ever-changing spinning globe of heads that included Spock, Sid Vicious and John Lydon, shared screen time with rainbow curtains, vivid 60’s interiors, a universe of spiralling cupcakes and even Alan Sheerer as the set built, and built. A breakbeat frenzy dropped out to reveal a brilliantly executed, bass-heavy, remix of Pink Floyd’s ‘One Of These Days’ before The Orb blended in Minnie Ripperton’s – Lovin’ You. As the odd cockerel’s cry began to pop up there was no doubt as to what was up next.
The Orb’s biggest track, 1990’s Ricky Lee Jones sampling classic – Little Fluffy Clouds, gave the very appreciative crowd what they wanted. The penultimate mix delighted those assembled in The Cliff Bar before a reggae-infused finale brought the evening to an end. In an influential, inspirational career that has spanned five decades, seen oodles of collaborations, at least 17 albums (depending on how you’re counting) and a shifting sea of members, The Orb showed that they continue to be as creative as ever.
~
You can find The Orb online here: They’re also on
Facebook and Twitter, as @Orbinfo
You can find Violeta Vicci online here: They’re also on
Facebook and Twitter, as @VioletaVicci
All words by Andrew Lockwood. More writing by Andrew Lockwood can be found at his
author’s archive.
All photos by Aaron Thompson. AMP Photography
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