Most dance music acts tend to rock up on stage, all guns blazing, unleash their
sets and head off. But this was far from the case. Native American headdresses,
dinosaur costumes, wigged dancers and confetti cannons aggrandised the
performance of Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs at Southampton’s quirky
Orange Rooms.
Orlando Higginbottom, the producer and
singer known professionally as TEED, has hit the industry by storm – a big
bang, in fact. With a fresh outlook on dance music, a unique style of music
production, and an unforgettable name; it’s no wonder the one-man-act was
snapped up last year by major record label Polydor.
Following the release of breakthrough
single ‘Garden’, TEED continues to be noticed across the globe. If you’re
unfamiliar with the act, you’ll soon find out that his musical style is
considerably hard to pin down; all adding to TEED’s appeal and notable recognition.
Anticipation, excitement, hunger and
impatience brewed in the lead up to the TEED frontman’s entrance. It was a full
house. There was pushing aplenty - not to mention screaming.
The moment Orlando set foot on stage,
the screams were amplified. But once they faded into somewhat ‘orgasmic’
groans, the atmosphere suddenly turned.
If you’d have walked in at that precise
moment, you’d have expected the worst. It seemed as if the crowd had been
punched in the face by Orlando’s presence.
|
What better way to make an entrance
than in a multi-coloured African tribal shirt, quirk-ified with several
Jurassic feathers jutting out from an oversized collar? Almost a spiritual
affair, the crowd’s heart rate slowed – regardless of their Vodka Red Bull
intake moments prior.
The lead in to the set saw a sterile
house vibe drop, incorporating a dash of tribal influence. Heads began to bop.
All eyes were mesmerised, glancing up at the wondrous Orlando - backlit by the
lighting display which resembled three coffins appropriately shaped like a
dinosaur claw.
With Orlando bouncing faster between
laptop, drum machine and keyboard, the vibe progressed. Out came ‘Trouble’ – a
70’s pop influenced dance track.
With mindless vocals unleashed over a
repetitive beat, the audience scrambled into an intensely profound state. And
with the ignition of confetti cannons signalling the start of something a
little filthier, each soul was hurled into action.
Very much emblematic of TEED’s outlook
on dance music, a variety of sounds, feels and vibes were incorporated into the
set. Progressively and intoxicatingly powerful, it seemed even the venue
couldn’t handle the atmosphere; with the speakers going up in smoke in the
midst of action.
If that wasn’t enough, a quick-fix
later, on came the dancers. Dressed in sexy, skin-tight dinosaur outfits,
complete with chunky sequin embellished tails; they flung their bodies around
like two ghetto girls on acid, grinding around on stage to the crowd’s roar.
And with a change in mood, a change in persona was also in order.
From ghetto to girly, an outfit change
saw them in cloaks and leotards conveniently positioned like ‘bare all’ hot
pants. Flaunting a flirtatious persona, these chicks could do ‘50s housewife
cheeky’ on demand. And when the music got dirtier, so did they.
The set felt like an all-out
performance. Way more than you bargained for. An occasion you’d imagine going
for dinner in London prior. Then lounge in some exclusive members club, before
tottering up to be greeted by a man in a top hat, wooing you into spending more
money.
Yet TEED’s aim is to deliver
un-stereotyped, non-conventional, uncategorised dance music to people far and
wide – not limited by any specific scene. And he delivered just that.
The atmosphere stirred insanity amongst
the crowd; a mixture between some sort of mental hard house night and a
religious gathering. Ecstatic. Reverent. Euphoric. Delirious. Orbiting around
cloud nine. And when the beat dropped, you felt as if you were pushed over the
moon right down onto it.
Orlando really has such radiant spirit;
you just can’t help but succumb to his charisma. The out of body experience he
provided was like riding a musical rollercoaster of electrical poetry. It draws
you in, grips you, and refuses to let you go until the last note fades away
into the nothingness of an elated audience.
Finishing the set with the heavy bass
lines of ‘Sickly Child’ followed by a double-dosage of dubstep – always a
winner at the end of the night – the crowd were left in a somewhat hypnotic state.
Tones echoed through your mind and
sparks of musical electricity danced on your skin as you left, suspended in a
state of contentment. But like waking up from an eventful night out, going over
it all in your head – you soon realise that all it is now is just a long lost
memory.
