On Stage: THE PRODIGY

Automatic translation. Improvements are constantly being worked on.

November 30, 2023, Düsseldorf, Mitsubishi Electric Hall
Support: DJ Eskei83

The Prodigy are back! After a period of mourning, the first headlining shows at home and a few festival appearances, the remaining duo consisting of Liam Howlett and Maxim took the ambitious step of embarking on a European tour without their sorely missed third band member Keith Flint. Their “Army of the Ants” tour also made a guest appearance in Düsseldorf. The skepticism among fans was palpable in the run-up to the event. Could the band cope with this heavy burden without their crowd-puller? This is what we had to find out.

As soon as we arrived, we noticed an imposing, almost ceiling-high figure placed in the middle of the Mitsubishi Electric hall. In addition to six large flags, parts of the equipment on stage were also decorated with the well-known ant logos. The wait came to an end at around 9:15 pm. Together with their live musicians, The Prodigy entered their venue. Maxim provocatively took the floor: “Where the fuck is Düsseldorf?” He wore white eye make-up and a patterned bomber jacket with his long braided pigtails. The opener “Breathe” had only been playing for a few seconds when the heated atmosphere in front of the stage erupted and the crowd turned into a boiling cauldron. The powerful sound also permeated the entire body.

Musical whirlwind
“Düsseldorf, let me hear you. All you Voodoo people, here!” In keeping with the title, projected skulls and mystical visuals appeared on the huge screen. “Light Up the Sky” was accompanied by a gigantic laser show. The illuminated rays sought their way from all directions. The “Army of the Ants” seemed to develop into the “War of the Ants” in terms of play – the fans went completely crazy. It was pure escalation here. Hard-hitting drums and the brutal-sounding bass did the rest.

Surprising breathing interruptions
The Prodigy by no means refrained from playing “Firestarter”. Keith Flint took on the role of singer for the first time on this song in 1996, having previously acted as the band’s expressive dancer. Starting with the whipping sound elements, it happened – the statue became the focus of our attention. Their eyes projected green laser beams onto the screen. Once there, they suddenly formed outlines. Suddenly, the two well-known “horns” of the former band member were discovered, until a silhouette of Keith emerged! Suddenly, it also appeared at the side of the stage and the outline started to move and dance to the song. Completely without his vocals, we were reminded of his world-famous dance moves. After Maxim had previously left the stage, he now stood back up again very deliberately and took in the reactions of the crowd. They could not have dedicated a more significant tribute to their former whirlwind. Shouts of “Keith, Keith, Keith” spread and the spirit of Flint was within reach in those moments.

Domino effect
Maxim regularly changed his stylish outfit that evening – and always had the appropriately designed microphone at the ready. With a truly impressive presence, he has become a live icon. He constantly drew attention to himself and completely fulfilled the role of frontman. The classic “No Good (Start the Dance)” catapulted us back to 1994. The Brit spun freely to “Smack My Bitch Up” and danced exuberantly across the stage. While the fans celebrated wildly right up to the very last rows, Maxim patted his heart in gratitude. He truly appreciated the irrepressible responses – because they were anything but self-evident. And yet The Prodigy have well earned it.

Recruiting started…
Nobody was prepared to leave the melting pot without an encore. This was followed by a whole series of other bangers. With the help of an elaborate light spectacle, the entire color spectrum underscored the track “Invaders Must Die”. Before “Out pf Space” was merely cut as an outro, everyone raised their voices loudly again to “We Live Forever”: “We’re here, it’s now. We live forever!” And even in those moments, we carried Keith in our hearts. The Prodigy are still a force to be reckoned with. All doubt was eliminated within the evening. One thing is certain: the “Army of the Ants” will also share their lasting impressions with those around them and the Brits are sure to recruit numerous newcomers.

Text: Nadine Kloppert
Photos: Michael Gamon

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