- Since the release of his 2010 album Swim, Caribou has become a worldwide sensation, bridging the gap between hippie-esque psychedelic sounds and dance music. Keeping up with current trends, Our Love steers toward cooler, bass-heavy house music. Unsurprisingly, his Berghain gig sold out completely—the venue proved to be the perfect place for such a show, though in this town you'd think Caribou could fill even larger concert halls.
At 10 PM sharp, Dan Snaith was greeted with wild applause as he took the stage with his band. Standing at his keyboard with his side to the crowd, he began his set with the title track from Our Love. The stage setup was simple—with no backdrop or visuals, it was clear that the music was meant to be the main attraction. Unfortunately, the band didn't always sound very tight, and here and there Snaith even missed a note on the keyboard. Nevertheless, the fist-pumping and hip-shaking ensued almost immediately.
Caribou played every track from Our Love almost in exactly the same order as they appear on the record, with hardly any breaks in between. The vibe felt more like a promotional event than a concert, as Caribou hardly made any effort to reinvent the new material in a surprising or interesting way. At other stops on the tour, the band had performed live versions of Caribou's remixes—such as his rework of Virgo Four's "It's A Crime"—but not in Berlin.
Halfway through the show, opener Jessy Lanza came back onstage to perform "Second Chance." Snaith's bassist joined in too, adding some warmth to the performance. These cameos, along with the percussive "Mars" (where Snaith took to the drums himself) were highlights of a show that otherwise didn't exhibit much intriguing musicianship. An hour into the set the crowd got what they wanted, with the big single "Can't Do Without You" making everyone break into a sweat. Finally, Snaith ended with his 2010 hits "Odessa" and "Sun," the latter's hook erupting into an almost endless loop, igniting a dance party up in front. While I couldn't get into what Caribou was offering up, the crowd seemed utterly pleased with the quick and easy Our Love dance party.