Review and photography by Robert Barrett

It seems like a lifetime ago since the endless hype around the infamous rap collective Odd Future was in full force. Over the past few years it’s been fascinating to see its members mature and leave a lasting impact on the music scene. But tonight at the O2 institute it was all about The Internet.

Currently promoting the excellent album ‘Hive Mind’ the band seem to be finally receiving the recognition they deserve.

With only a DJ warming up the crowd, the anticipation was building. ‘Come Together’ opened the set, Syd’s vocals shining. Even after a false start the tight disco funk of ‘Roll (Burbank Funk)’ had the crowd grooving. Guitarist Steve Lacy is a star in his own right now, and shimmied across the stage followed by the wild screams of female fans.

The new album tracks shined brightest, with tracks such as ‘Come Over’ had everyone busting out in to dance. It’s a shame that parts of the set were slightly stung by technical difficulties. Syd’s vocals were drowned out by the rest of the band, with the audience shouting to turn them up. It didn’t take long for the crowd to get back into the groove.

‘Girl’ got one of the biggest reactions of the night, with a sea of lights from the phone screens swaying to the music. Syd never stopped smiling throughout the whole show, and neither did the crowd. The Internet are a funky force to be reckoned with.

(The original version of this article was first published on Gigjunkies http://www.gigjunkies.com/band-reviews/the-internet-at-o2-institute-birmingham-uk-25th-march-2019/)