RA Live: Bicep at Printworks 2018 | Resident Advisor

90 minutes of spine-tingling euphoria from Bicep.

Every long-lived career in music is defined by a set of game-changing markers—you might call them "before and after moments." For Matt McBriar and Andy Ferguson, AKA Bicep, the most significant of these took place on September 1st, 2017, when their self-titled debut album landed on Ninja Tune. Before its release, the Belfast duo were successful gigging DJs with a cult blog, a popular label and a handful of killer productions to their name—hits like "Just" and "Vision Of Love." The LP added two notable strings to their bow: a fresh suite of anthems ("Aura," "Orca," "Glue") and a festival-ready live show. Within a few weeks, Bicep went from DJing in sweaty nightclubs to performing their own music live at venues, festivals and concert halls all over the world.

Bicep's globetrotting tour reached a pinnacle in late November, when they headlined and sold out three nights at London's Printworks, an achievement that put them in a small group of live electronic acts capable of pulling such big crowds. On Friday, November 23rd, on one of their final shows of the run and their last live gig in London until 2020, we captured their performance from start to finish. Onstage, McBriar and Ferguson stood facing each other, their heads bowed in focus while their hands glided at speed across numerous bits of gear. The 90-minute video is a euphoric rush of melody, breakbeats and vocals, adorned with dozens of lasers and devoured by a 3000-strong audience.

Credits:
Director: Patrick Nation
Producer and Editor: Guy Clarke
Camera: Sophie Misrahi, Andrew Lawrence, Charlie Moore, Rob Dalton
Show Design: Black Box Echo
Creative Director: Zak Norman
Lighting Design: Co1ab
VJ: Dan Conway
Lasers: Shine AV

[ResidentAdvisor]

Tracklist
01. Bicep - Orca: 0:00
02. Bicep - Metro: 7:25
03. Bicep - Rain: 11:31
04. Isaac Tichauer - Higher Level (Bicep Remix 1): 19:25
05. Isaac Tichauer - Higher Level (Bicep Remix 2)
06. Bicep - Just: 29:10
07. Bicep - Opal: 36:40
08. Bicep & Hammer - Dahlia: 45:55
09. Bicep - Aura: 52:12
10. Unreleased
11. Unreleased
12. Bicep - Vale: 1:12:25
13. Bicep - Glue: 1:17:55

[garystubbs]

I am 53. This i a higher level of house/trance music than the world has ever see. Their control in the depth is way beyond. I know these guys agonise for months to get the sound on a tune correct. You can hear where the extra work has gone in. The extra work is not aimed at dancing but the soul itself. Congratulations to the world for having these guys thought at our hearts.

[JimmyTRUELOVE]

After careful consideration I have come to the conclusion that this is, in fact, the best video on youtube.

[robayre]

Does anyone else find this hits on a deep spiritual level?

[tomdavies]

I'm bald and i can feel my hair standing on end

[jbz]

It’s essential to come back to this video every so often

[erikburka]

I genuinely don't know if i'm the only one, but no matter how many times I've listened any of their tunes I just can't get sick of them and every single time it's as if i'm hearing them for the first time and I feel emotional and get goosebumps. This set. Insane. x x x

[tjech]

Old raver here - came via the Glue video my kids showed me. Deffo brought them up right.

[iqbalkums]

Who else keep coming back to this set 🙋🏼‍♂️

[Alexrevmusic]

Hot take here, I feel like Bicep are truly one of the only artists that really revolutionized electronic dance music of this era. I am amazed by how they really created such a defined sound that blends in very different genres of acid, Chicago House/Techno, UK Breakbeat and many more. I haven’t been a longtime fan of them but I can tell they really worked hard to come up with something like this. The magical journey they bring is unmatchable. What a time to be alive

[MrJoaquim]

Well 46 years old and this is fantastic. Kraftwerk, Chicago house, Acid house, early techno and goa mixed in to an modern pulsating machine. Pure electronic love!

[Jimbo]

Got goosebumps after 20 seconds. They didn't go away. I now spend my days living as a hedgehog.

[samknight]

Bicep if one of you are reading this, I want to let you know that when I was at this event I realised you have created something that bypasses the brain and connects directly with the inner soul, it releases our ancient instincts to mystify and dance to the incredible melody. Now readers you may see the crowd in a slow state but this not because they are bored, oh no, they are feeling the BICEP MAGIC

[Lovingthevinyl]

Come home after a night out still off ur face chomped ouravit and put this on the big tv and room in darkness and enjoy the gurning and rushing off whilst listening absolute bliss

[lotsofnics]

I'd literally be chasing my jaw around the Printworks rather than filming it! This is why I'm so glad we never filmed our every move in the 90's 😅

[nickspenceruk]

Whoever organised this deserves a medal

[yocvmel]

first off the venue looks amazing, second whoever did the sound and stage setup did a fantastic job, third the light show and visuals and camera work are all top notch, great job production team.

[carlosmorgado]

Man, Opal is probably the greatest masterpiece! Absolute brilliance

[geoorzechannel]

Bicep are the best electronic duo in music industry right now...10/10 production, emotional pads, trippy & euphoric melodies & an amazing combo of house, techno & breaks.
Their live shows also is an unique experience.

[segmentfloyd]

Omg, I’m 51 and what I’d have given to have been there.doing dad dancing. Glue goes me goosebumps...Amazing.. My son introduced me to Bicep & I love them.. old diehard raver