The ‘nu rave’ bubble may have burst long ago, but Hadouken! don’t seem to have lost any followers since their last Brighton appearance in 2010. Nor have they lost the ability to get those followers raving like maniacs.

The energy was utterly electric all night. The high-octane dubstep of support act, Monsta, kickstarted the chaos, leaving the crowd craving more. All riled up and ready to go, they screamed as if they would never scream again as Hadouken! took to the stage.

Hadouken! are touring to promote their latest single ‘Bad Signal’, released in August. This track samples the famous song ‘You Keep Me Hanging On’ by the Supremes and combines it with band’s bass-heavy, synthesised sound to create a unique new tune that the crowd went crazy for when it got an airing tonight.

Their ‘nu-rave’ sound shook the whole venue, and the lead singer performed and entertained as he took a little mid-show break to tell an anecdote about his previous Brighton experience.

We were pleased that they played the old favourites, which we knew almost every word to. And to top it off their new songs lived up to the standard they set a few years back, still being packed full of energy, synths and bass. They transformed the crowd into a sweaty, maniacal mess that seemed to only get more enthused the more ripped their t-shirts got and the more bruised their limbs became.

The music, the lights and the performance came together with so much energy that we were left with a strong sense of catharsis by the end of the night. It was a feeling which seemed to be shared by everyone as they dragged their broken but happy bodies out of the club. If you’ve ever enjoyed Hadouken!’s music and get a chance to see them – do it.

Concorde2, Tuesday 16th October 2012
Words and photos by Esme Yules