LCD Soundsystem Bridge Barriers in Chicago

Hot Chip provided a perfect warm-up to LCD Soundsystem's awe-inspiring set on Monday night at Chicago's Aragon Ballroom, their first of two shows in the city. By the time the headliners took the stage around 9:30PM, it was clear that Hot Chip had done a perfect job getting the dance party started early. Appearing onstage to the strains of 10CC's slow jam one-hit wonder, 'I'm Not in Love,' a deafening cheer roared through the venue as each member took their place and launched into 'Dance Yrself Clean,' the first track from their latest album, 'This Is Happening.'

Dressed in a plaid shirt and clutching his microphone in one hand, frontman James Murphy led the rest of his bandmates through a set that mostly consisted of songs from the new record, including 'Drunk Girls,' 'I Can Change' and 'You Wanted a Hit.' Murphy perched at the edge of the stage for most of LCD Soundsystem's set, as glow sticks flew through the air from the crowd and columns of strobe lights surrounded the band on all sides. "I apologize for this. It's a weird little space that says no one can be there," Murphy said after several songs, referencing the huge gap between the stage and the start of the barricade.

Still, Murphy didn't let the unfortunate setup bother him, shrieking into his microphone and jumping up and down throughout the entire set. The crowd fed off of his energy, turning the entire floor of the venue into a writhing dance party for the 90-minute-plus performance. Live staples like 'Get Innocuous' and 'Daft Punk Is Playing at My House' made the crowd pump their fists along to the beat and singing along, but it was 'All My Friends' from 2007's 'Sound of Silver' that turned out to be the most thrilling song of the night. Fans screamed excitedly as the familiar repetitive keyboard intro started up and they surged together, waving their arms and singing along with huge smiles on their faces.

Older songs like 'Tribulations' and 'Movement' from LCD Soundsystem's self-titled debut kept the momentum going to the end of their set, where another self-titled album track, 'Yeah,' closed things out with flashing green laser beam strobe lights. Bright white strobe lights flashed over and over again as the band left the stage before an encore that consisted of 'Someone Great,' 'Losing My Edge,' and 'Home.' Even though things had slowed down, fans still didn't show any signs of fatigue as they nodded along and kept cheering well after LCD Soundsystem left the stage for a second and final time.