Think of the dance and electronic music that you might have listened to throughout the 21st century, or you continue to listen to now. None of them would exist or be popular without the impact and influence of Moby, whose real name is Richard Melville Hall. It’s no exaggeration whatsoever to say Moby is simply a legend in every sense of the word, and his influence on dance and electronic music will only continue to influence generations to come. Tonight, his first performance in Brighton in 24 years, showcased his genius for us all to see, both in his live musicianship as well as the sheer quality of the tunes he has created over the years.
Diving straight into the powerful ‘Bodyrock’, Moby then tells the story of his first time in the UK in 1991, where he played the lead single ‘Go!’ off his debut album, ‘Moby’. Richard was thoroughly surprised to hear people singing along to it as it had been recently released at the time, and if anything, it was even more surprising getting to hear a sold-out crowd of 10,000 fans singing along to the track 35 years on. It’s rare for any artist to reach that level of relevance and longevity, but Moby makes it look easy simply because of how good he is. The words “Moby, nobody listens to techno” on ‘Next Is The E’ ring out almost ironically, as the crowd further defies that notion by showing their love for Moby. Not all the class comes solely from Moby though, as his talented backing singers India Carney and Nadia Christine Duggin are genuinely breathtaking, leaving the crowd in awe of their brilliance and majestic interpretations of Moby’s various sampled vocals.
While Moby’s main profession is as a musician, his activism and campaigning regarding animal welfare deserves praise of its own. Playing a video created by the late Dr Jane Goodall, she praises Moby for his work while making a plea of her own to protect animal rights and ensure a healthier, happier life for the millions of species that live all around us. The superb ‘Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?’ gains a new meaning as a result, as we feel the sympathy for animals who are wrongfully killed for pleasure and pride. Moby is a man of many stories, as would any artist be with the career that they have. One story involved his first job working as a golf cabbie at the age of 10 in order to save money to buy David Bowie records. Moby then reflects on the privilege he felt getting to not only meet the man, but become both friends and neighbours, subsequently performing a stunning cover of ‘Heroes’ as a reminder of David’s legacy.
Things pick back up afterward in both its energy and tempo with a run of some truly epic dance classics such as ‘Raining Again’ and ‘Disco Lies’, with Moby showing his craft on the bongos on the latter. The rock influence on some of these tracks are very apparent, with Moby citing British icons such as The Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd as big influences. On ‘Flower’, Moby even has time to perform a thrilling guitar solo, which he stated was a dream of his when he was a kid learning the instrument. These tracks work a treat in a place like Brighton thanks to both the rock and electronic music scene that has been built in the city over the years, and moments like ‘Extreme Ways’ cemented this. Choosing to perform the remix by legendary DJ Armin Van Buuren, Brighton Beach turns into a nightclub with 10,000 fans lost in the music and thoroughly enjoying every moment, emphasising the sheer power of live music to give us all a good time.
Before beginning the encore, Moby asks the crowd to light a torch on their phone if they liked the next song that he played. The iconic string opening of ‘Porcelain’ followed, and every member of the audience unsurprisingly raised their phones aloft. A song so simple, yet so powerful in both its meaning and impact, it’s a reminder that not everything in music has to be overcomplicated or overproduced, and that the message is what matters most. Moby gives one last speech crediting the UK for helping to build rave culture, before playing the rave classic of his own, ‘Feeling So Real’. That last moment that not only wrapped up his set, but also wrapped up this year’s edition of On The Beach, certainly felt real. There was something so moving and so genuine experiencing this 100 minute set with a bunch of strangers completely disconnecting from the world around them, and is a reminder why dance music exists in the first place. Long live Moby.
