LMFAO undermanned but not overwhelmed in Vancouver

10/02/2012 3:01:46 PM

Robert Collins
Artistry can emerge in strange forms. Last night in Vancouver, artistry took the shape of a skinny man with big hair stripping down to a pair of Speedos before a crowd screaming its appreciation.


The artist in the Speedos was Redfoo, one half of LMFAO. The other half of the band [[accepting that ‘band' is a distinctly old-fashion definition for who they are and what they do) is Sky Blu, resting his herniated back on a sofa somewhere in his native Los Angeles. Eager-eyed party rockers would have noticed that Sky Blu had the constitution to perform at the Super Bowl on Sunday, yet didn't feel healthy enough to make the trip to Canada. A widely circulated press release, explaining that "any physical activity for more than two minutes at a time could lead to major setbacks and negate any progress in his recovery," did little to soothe the immediate frustration that the American TV audience would get the full LMA and Vancouver would have to settle for FO.








To his eternal credit, his colleague and nephew's absence was the first subject Redfoo addressed.

"Sky Blu couldn't make it here tonight," he announced in his opening monologue to a chorus of boos, "He hurt his back wiggling and s***."

Any feeling that Vancouver was being short-changed evaporated about ten seconds into "Sorry For Party Rocking," an ultra-efficient blast of house beats, nonsense rhymes and an easy-to-sing chorus. Which actually describes pretty much every song LMFAO performed over the course of an hour-and-a-half set that stimulated the eyeballs as much as it blasted the eardrums. Credit for that must go to LMFAO's tireless on stage dancers, the Party Rock Crew, and to Redfoo himself, who picked up his absent colleague's verses without hesitation and barely drew breath while delivering the high-energy performance his music demands.

Even accepting that all LMFAO songs sound sonically similar, the hits stood out. The proto-party rock of "I'm In Miami Bitch" slowly morphed into "I'm in Van City Bitch," the vintage house minimalism of "I Am Not A Whore" was supplemented with some borrowed lyrics from 2Live Crew that the parents present probably didn't appreciate, while the alco-pop of "Shots" generated arguably the evening's biggest outbreak of bouncing.

"Put your drinks up," yelled Redfoo at the beginning of the song, clearly forgetting that with B.C.'s liquor laws and the average age of their audience, he'd be greeted by roughly 12 beers raised to the sky.

The biggest thrills came in a suitably spectacular encore. "Party Rock Anthem" was the irresistible call to shuffle. "Champagne Showers" started as an autotuned mess, but climaxed with Redfoo and his crew spraying the beverage in question over a delirious floor section. And the inevitable finale of "I'm Sexy And I Know It" proved to be the genital-jiggling pop masterpiece the crowd had anticipated.

LMFAO might not be to everyone's taste. It would be a strange and scary world if they were. But they are artists. Because what this "band" has done is distil 21st century pop to its raw essentials – a beat, a hook and a look – and sculpted it into something lean and mean. Romance, innocence and cuteness have been abandoned for the three themes of drinking, partying and doing it. That's what pop music has always been about. LMFAO have just cut to the chase. Not everyone will be in on the joke of grown men performing in their underwear, but it's still funny.

"There are way more ladies than men here tonight," smiled Redfoo. "That's what we call a fellatio ratio."