MUSIC: Bicep to flex their muscle at Olympia shows

DUE TO phenomenal demand a second date at the Olympia Theatre has been added for Bicep’s live show, on Friday, November 9.

The electronic music duo from Belfast, Andy Ferguson and Matt McBriar, are poised for a series of high profile live dates across the UK and Europe this autumn.

Their extraordinary live show has already graced some of the most revered festival stages, debuting at Coachella and then touring to Glastonbury, Sonar, Pitchfork Festival and Primavera, with Reading and Leeds still to come.

It sees their 2018 continue in the same career-defining fashion as 2017.

Last year saw them release their debut album, launch their new live show and tour the world. ‘Bicep’, out now on Ninja Tune, went in at Number 20 in the album charts and was lauded by the likes of Pitchfork, Resident Advisor and Mixmag, who picked it as album of the year and put them on their front cover.

It achieved that rare feat of a crossover dance album, which works as well for home listening as it does on the dancefloor.

A series of well-received singles, including ‘Glue’, ‘Rain’ and ‘Vale’ has reinforced their ascendance. And a remix of ‘Opal’ by iconic producer and DJ Four Tet made for a big dance 12”.

Bicep was formed in 2009 as a production and DJing pair in London, UK. The duo, childhood friends, created a blog called ‘Feel My Bicep’ and posted lost and forgotten Disco, Chicago house, Detroit Techno and Italo edits.

They released tracks on labels Throne of Blood, Traveller Records and Mystery Meat before joining Will Saul’s Aus Music and setting up their own label Feel My Bicep in September 2012.That year the pair were awarded DJ Mag’s ‘Best of British Breakthrough DJ’ award. Also in 2012, a collaborative EP with Will Saul including tracks ‘You’ and ‘Don’t’ hit number one in the Juno Charts. The live show embraces the idea of immersion. It allows for the duo to take a different tack at each show, and places them in and amongst the visuals.

It blurs the line between audience and performer, amplifying the rush of togetherness – created by the like-minded community that’s grown around the duo’s longstanding blog, DJ sets and parties – which pulses through each of their shows.

Those who experienced their headline show at London’s Roundhouse, which sold out four months in advance can testify to its magnitude. The concept will remain the same throughout the forthcoming tour, but will be scaled to fit each venue they play.

Visual artist Zak Norman (who has previously worked with Squarepusher and Africa Express), has helped bring the performance to life.

Channeling raw energy in the to-and-fro between individual strands of music and their visual counterparts, it’s a live show for crowds to get lost in. Don’t miss this experience in November.