Adam Smith
The Chemical Brothers - Don't Think

It's paradoxically official: experiencing a "live" concert in the cinema is decidedly better! Especially if it's a fantastical live set by the Chemical Brothers, who have always meticulously curated the visual aspect of their shows. The use of cutting-edge spectacular visuals combined with their unmistakable sound ensures that their concerts are always top-tier. Although their recent studio albums (with the exception of the masterpiece "Further") may have left many loyal fans unsatisfied, their live sets still face no competition. A 90-minute performance can truly make you lose touch with reality (without drugs, by the time I left the cinema, I was talking to the plants). Until now, the unfortunate fans of the duo who have never been able to attend a live event had to settle for the hundreds of clips on YouTube, most of which come with distorted direct sound, poorly recorded, with bass that makes the poor speakers of the amateur camera crackle, wobbly footage of someone trying to film while getting pushed or elbowed in the face. No video online (except for those taken from TV broadcasts and uploaded illegally) comes remotely close to capturing the quality and experience of a live set by Rowlands and Simons. To do justice to the lack of quality materials, a genius (in my opinion) has stepped up, Adam Smith, the one who has curated almost all the Chemical Brothers' visuals, someone capable of transforming those orgasmically psychedelic sounds into images (with stunning ideas).

500 venues worldwide ready to screen, on the same day at the same time, the official film that encapsulates the complete experience of a live show by the Chemical Brothers. A kind of remote fan gathering, cerebrally connected by that single collective experience.

I've been waiting for the event for months, with expectations truly high. From such a film, you expect the epitome of all the emotions felt from years of listening to the Chemicals. At a minimum, you expect your (un)trustworthy cinema to do justice to the film's manifesto, presenting it to you with a powerful 7.1 audio, which initially betrayed my view. I don't know how it went for other fans worldwide, but here in Rome (and I won’t name the cinema), the audience was taken aback hearing only six speakers active at medium volume. This way, we missed the powerful "Horse Power" and the mythical "Do It Again". What a frustrating situation! Certainly, the Chemical audience aren't angels... and so, after a strong complaint at the ticket office (perhaps with a brawl), they finally decided to raise the volume and activate the other speakers, just in time for the colossal "Hey Boy, Hey Girl", which in live performances can break steel walls! The sense of bitterness from that quiet debut left a bad taste in my mouth... fortunately, the regained power redeemed the partial disappointment.

The film is better than the live experience because, with the skilled hand of the director (more than 20 cameras placed in the most absurd spots), you are literally transported inside that psychedelic world. It's a bit like watching a match at the stadium versus at home. At the stadium, you have the irreplaceable adrenaline of being a fan for some, but at home, you can enjoy a more complete immersion, thanks to replays, slow motion, multi-angle shots, etc. In fact, "Don't Think" even has a minimal hint of plot, i.e., the hallucinations of a Japanese fan under who knows what substances. It's certainly not a romantic or horror film screening. After about three or four tracks, the seat starts to burn your backside, and you can't resist the temptation: entire rows of people standing, dancing as if inside the screen. Exceptional!  (even though many Romans, despite their reputation for being loud, tend to be a bit too timid when it comes to making noise! - Our European friends climbed onto the sofas).

An entirely immersive experience that's hard to describe in words. When all your senses are enraptured, there's no more time to think. Hence the film's title, perfectly fitting! 

Summary:

Flaws: The cinema tends to lower the volume; for a powerful experience, you have to batter the staff.

Strengths: once the staff is battered, you get power worthy of the Chemical Brothers. That is, let me explain: "Escape Velocity" in the cinema!

There has never been anything better than enjoying a real live concert experience in a cinema after those fake Vascobue events.

And now... since with these events, the anticipation is one of the best parts, the wait for the DVD/Blu-ray, which I hope won't take long to arrive, begins with excitement.

The best LIVE performance ever featured at the CINEMA. Paradoxically speaking.