Fresh off the stage in the Sup’, Meredith headliners Todd Terje and the Olsens played a floor shaking, disco blasting sideshow at the Forum Theatre on Sunday night. A mixed bag of concertgoers filled the vast and sweaty cavity of the Forum to soak up the disco-heavy beats offered by the band. As with any mixed bag, there was definitely a heavy over-representation of peanuts who came only to see the one song they had heard on high-rotation on the radio, but the disco heaved forth with such complexity and force that the dance-floor never faltered from track one until the encore.
Welcomed to the venue by an Inspector Norse playing busker in a Darth Vader costume, the peanuts were instantly pleased and the vibe was set. With a zany backdrop of designs by the talented Norwegian illustrator/designer/cartoonist Bendik Kaltenborn, the band waltzed on with no word nor announcement and needed neither. A diverse set list featuring tracks from various Todd Terje and Todd Terje and the Olsens recordings showcased the vast talent of those humans standing on stage, taking the crowd on a mystical, intricate and catchy musical journey through the night.
The Olsens jammed energetically alongside the 70s phase synth that has come to separate Todd Terje as a leading dance producer on the world stage. The powerful rhythm section filled the stage and the energy so particular to live performances could be felt rippling through the night. Even the Forum’s Mediterranean statues seemed to be having a belter of a time. The live synth solos in ‘Preben goes to Acapulo’ were executed without flaw, with precision and finesse, a testament to Todd Terje’s prowess over the keys. An incredibly talented multi-instrumentalist (whose name I do not know but must find out) kept the audience on their toes with surprise sax and flute solos played live and with gusto.
The well-crafted set kept the d-floor moving as it steadily lifted the crowd upward to the powerful climax of ‘Inspector Norse’, the introduction of which transformed the show from gig to all-out dance party. The air was throbbing with dance-floor energy and every dance-floor demon was grinning from ear to ear as the disco-popping riffs washed over them. The encore felt like the after-party and the night was set for kick on’s followed by a seedy Monday.
All told, the set from Todd Terje and the Olsens was a banger. The peanuts were well salted (they got their song) but also had the opportunity to be drawn gently and joyfully through the multifaceted and spaced-out disco-infused rhythms of a quartet of musical masters. Hopefully, all nuts present came out a little richer for the musical education bestowed upon them.
