REVIEW: Superorganism rocks the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood
Independent pop act Superorganism had a very intriguing start. Led by vocalist, Orono Noguchi, Christopher Young, Tim Shann, Blair Everson, Mark Turner, Ruby, B, and Soul — who come from different countries — originally started working together without having met. Ringing true with its futuristic, electronic sound, Superorganism’s formation is a testament to the power of music in the digital age. The seven-person group would send audio files back and forth and piece together the recordings — the tactic utilized for their viral hit, “Something For Your M.I.N.D.” The success of the track led them to meet and form the group, eventually releasing animpressive debut album this summer and embarking on a world tour.
On Saturday, Sept. 22, the eight-member group played a live show in support of their eponymous record at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood.
Clocking in on time, Superorganism showcased the best tracks of its underrated and criminally overlooked debut album. The performance was both thrilling and confusing, and it transported the audience to the interesting, unexplored facet of Superorganism’s psyche.
The show opened with choppy video game-inspired visuals accompanied by an intense, pulsating instrumental. After the introductory visual concluded, the band wasted no time in opening their performance with “SPRORGNSM.” The band, led by Noguchi, remained mostly still throughout the performance. Noguchi’s angsty and jaded attitude was simultaneously overbearing and highly entertaining. While his persona may have turned off some members of the audience, certain fans felt even more connected to the singer.
The entire show was informal in delivery, with the backing vocalists seeming to be the only members with a rehearsed choreography. The technical aspects of the show were the most thrilling aspect of the show, with the instrumentation and vocals sounding nearly identical to the studio recordings. The visuals further emphasized the psychedelic nature of their sound.
Midway through the performance, Noguchi stopped the show to field audience questions. Spanning from the banal to the overly intrusive, the questions were a jarring and unnecessary addition to the show. Noguchi answered her favorite flavor of pizza, her biggest fears and other questions as bizarre as the rest of the show. While somewhat funny, the segment could’ve easily been cut from the set.
The weirdest portion of the show was the performance of “Prawn Song,”which was accompanied with images of shellfish, wormholes, and other digitally enhanced images. As the show forged on, Noguchi invited members of the crowd to join her and the rest of the band to dance on stage. They ended the show with “Relax,” during which fans flooded the stage to dance with the band. It was not until the encore when the band performed their breakout hit “Something For Your M.I.N.D.”
Superorganism has an extremely unique sound that exists largely within the millennial-targeted digital world of contemporary music. Noguchi’s “over-it” attitude may be too much for those looking for a spectacle, but the lazy vocal delivery was as intentional any other aspect of the performance. With its unique and bizarre live performances, Superorganism has the potential to become an even bigger act in the coming months.