REVIEW: JUSTICE, MARGARET COURT ARENA, MELBOURNE

 AS WE ENTER THE DOORS TO MARGARET COURT ARENA WE NOTICE A LARGE BLACK CURTAIN SEPARATING THE BACK SEATS FROM THE FLOOR AREA TO CREATE A MORE INTIMATE CLUB SETTING. PUNTERS ARE READY TO PARTY BUT ANNOYINGLY THERE’S ONLY A COUPLE OF BARS OPEN SO THE LINES TO GET A DRINK ARE LONG ENOUGH TO EXTEND OUT INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE DANCEFLOOR, SO WE DANCE ALONG TO A NOSTALGIC DJ SET FROM MIDNIGHT JUGGERNAUTS WHILE WE WAIT IN THE QUEUE.

AN ILLUMINATED CROSS FLASHES TO WELCOME FRENCH ELECTRONIC DUO JUSTICE CONSISTING OF GASPARD AUGÉ AND XAVIER DE ROSNAY AS THEY TAKE THEIR PLACE AT EACH OF THEIR STATIONS AND CONTROLS. THEY GIVE US A THUMBS UP BEFORE FIRING UP THEIR SPACESHIP-LIKE STAGE AND BEAM US UP WITH LASER LIGHTS. A WALL OF LED PANEL AMPLIFIERS SURROUNDS THEM AND FLASH WITH DIFFERENT COLOURS WHILE STROBES FLICKER FROM ABOVE OUT IN EVERY DIRECTION ACROSS THE ARENA. THEY LAUNCH OFF WITH THE LEAD SINGLE “SAFE AND SOUND” FROM THEIR LATEST ALBUM ‘WOMAN’ AND IMMEDIATELY WE’RE BLOWN AWAY BY THE LARGER THAN LIFE PRODUCTION.

THROUGHOUT THE SHOW’S 90-MINUTE DURATION, THEY RUN THROUGH MORE THAN 20 TRACKS FROM THEIR 3 STUDIO ALBUMS OF DISCO-TINGED, GROOVE INFECTIOUS HITS INCLUDING FAN FAVOURITES “CIVILISATION,” “FIRE,” “ON’N’ON,” AND “WATERS OF NAZARETH.” THE CRESCENDO OF SYNTH BUILDS HIGHER AND HIGHER UNTIL THEY FREEZE LIKE STATUES FOR A FEW MINUTES WHILE THE CROWD WILDLY CHEERS THEM ON BEFORE DROPPING THEIR ICONIC SIMIAN REMIX “WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS.”

THEY REAPPEAR FOR AN ENCORE WITH “STOP” PLAYED FROM A WEIRD SPOT IN THE RIGHT WING OF THE SEATED AREA THAT NO ONE CAN REALLY SEE UNLESS YOU’RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE SITTING THERE ALREADY. PUNTERS EXCITEDLY MOVE TOWARDS THEM WITH THEIR SMARTPHONES TO CAPTURE ALL THE ACTION. THEY EVENTUALLY MOVE BACK TO THE MAIN STAGE AS THEY FACE EACH OTHER OVER THEIR ELECTRONIC MIXERS FOR A REPRISE OF THEIR BIGGEST LIVE TRACKS INCLUDING A SUPERCHARGED REMIX OF “D.A.N.C.E,” JUST IN CASE WE DIDN’T ENJOY IT ENOUGH THE FIRST TIME AROUND. DE ROSNAY LOVES THE ATTENTION OF HIS FANS SO MUCH THAT HE JUMPS DOWN INTO THE MOSH PIT AND WALKS ACROSS THE SEA OF PEOPLE LIKE SOME KIND OF ELECTRO GOD. NO ONE PUTS ON A SHOW LIKE JUSTICE AND TONIGHT CONFIRMED EXACTLY WHY THEIR LIVE SHOW IS ONE OF THE MOST TALKED ABOUT IN THE WORLD.

WRITTEN BY MICHAEL PREBEG