Thanasi Kastritis

Run By The Mob: The Glitch Mob

10/29/14 – House of Blues

The Mob ran Boston.

In a city rich with criminal history, this Mob, however, chose the House of Blues as their lair. They made it their home, their headquarters, and their property. They seized it, controlled it, and owned it. Proceed at your own risk—The Glitch Mob is here.

Entering the stage wearing all black, the trio looked like apparitions. Ooah, Boreta, and edIT took their positions upon The Blade, their electronic instrument and command post, and for the next two hours, ran their music empire.

Unleashing bass-heavy tracks from their newly released album Love, Death, Immortality, the dynamic trio danced, twisted, and head-banged on stage, pumping up the crowd at a tremendous velocity. Boasting an arsenal of bass drums, MIDI samplers, and touch-pads, the group made nonstop use of their gear, playing out tracks like “Can’t Kill Us” and their remix of “Derezzed” by Daft Punk in a spectacle proving that “true” musicians are not restricted simply to traditional instruments.

A unique aspect of The Glitch Mob’s performances is that they play samples from a sound bank they have stored within The Blade, giving them the ability to recreate riffs, loops, and melodies in real time. In essence, they are re-creating tracks on the fly, improvising beats as they desire. Few other electronic musicians utilize this ingenious method, as the majority simply manipulate the playback of pre-recorded material.

“BOSTON!” edIT yelled to the crowd, which roared back in delight. “It’s so good to be back! This is my hometown, so if you see an old Chinese man walking around say ‘Hi!’ That’s my dad.”

It was simply impossible not to move while they were playing. They commanded everyone, controlling them like virtual avatars in Dance Dance Revolution. Their energy radiated from a simple mantra: “dance.”

On the third level balcony, a man who looked remarkably like Gandalf couldn’t help but move. At first glance, he might seem out of place, with the misconception that this type of music is only for hipsters, emos, or adolescents. But with his long grey hair and beard, waist-high khakis and blue button-up tucked in, he was grooving away, his hands shaking and clapping on the crack of every crisp snare. All night long he could be seen shaking his frail body to the beat, surrounded by the youngsters in minimal clothing giving him strange looks. He didn’t give a damn—he was being run by The Mob.

And then came the encore.

Like a marathon runner in the final stretch, the trio found a way to reach deep within themselves and call upon whatever remaining power they had left. But what’s left after 100%? Whatever the answer is, The Glitch Mob gave it, doubling their drive into a jaw-dropping encore. Mixing in sing-a-long tracks like “West Coast Rocks” and “Seven Nation Army” with a touch of glitch and bass to it, The Mob refused to let their energy drop.

Boreta came down from his throne and jumped on top of a speaker, acting as maestro and conducting the crowd in a rhythmic clap to the beat of “Fortune Days.” Ooah destroyed his drum in a flurry of smashing hits and edIT sealed the deal playing the synth stabs on top. It was the culmination of synchronized play, sending shivers up the spine.

Amid all the rumbling bass and gritty riffs, The Mob took to the mic to express their thanks for their fan’s continued support.

“We love you guys so much. We are independent artists, which means that without you none of this would happen. Thank you so much.” The crowd cheered, dismissing their thanks with an obvious nod. We support you because you’re worth supporting.

“We ask everyone to put away their phone for one song and be with us for the moment. Look around you and see who is there and dance with them.”

Surprisingly, everyone obeyed. Phones clicked off and slipped into pockets, trousers, and bras. People looked to those next to them, smiled, and introduced themselves. Speakers blared and an anonymous crowd became one, united family. This was their induction into The Mob.

Closing out their show with “Skullclub,” the trio saluted the crowd, thanking them once again. “Thank you so much again Boston! We come from LA but Boston will always be close in our hearts.”

It was a poignant goodbye, one that came too soon. But, it was accompanied by an unexpected surprised: “Let’s take a picture together!”

A stampede of bodies jolted towards the front barricade. For this brief moment in time, the previous heart-warming acceptance of others turned into an animalistic competition for who would be in the picture. It was a comical and abrupt change to the kindness exhibited before.

While most artists give a simple wave and exit the stage, the trio jumped down into the photo pit and proceeded to chat and mingle with the crowd. Signing body parts, shaking hands, and taking selfies, Ooah, edIT, and Boreta stayed for a good 10 minutes to appreciate their fans, a rare spectacle among successful artists. Unique, dynamic, and kind, there’s a reason why they’ve set themselves apart from the saturated music industry.

They’re musicians, entertainers, and gentlemen.