Some friends and I made it to the show. DJ Rob Hall wasn't bad as an opener, though he sometimes fell into the pit of thumping quasi-house, quasi-breaks that so many live DJs mistake as entertaining. He did mix in a variety of electronica and kept things lively and active. Unfortunately, despite a few moments of potential, SND played a mostly monotonous set that seemed to consist of the same five or six sounds mixed up and highly chopped. After he was done, Rob Hall came back on.

By the time Autechre took the stage, it was 11:30 and we were dulled. Almost all the lights inside The Parish (formerly known as The Mercury) were off, so the dance floor and the stage were cloaked in darkness. To see what was going on, I had to walk to the bathrooms, which are located a few feet past the performing area. Two men were up there, twiddling knobs and staring at audio gear and this was somewhat of a surprise, for I always had in mind that Autechre was a one-dude act. Looking into this further, I now know their names are Sean Booth and Rob Brown.

As for their music, we were somewhat disappointed.

One of my friends is the principle reason I became interested in IDM in the first place and he has a larger music catalogue of the genre than I. He thought he had "five or six" of Autechre's albums, but nothing produced recently. I, on the other hand, may have that number, but half of them are EPs. Neither of us were really prepared for what they and in store.

Thankfully, what we heard wasn't the vicious digital barrage that you find on Confield and particularly Gantz Graf. It lacked the tonal and melodic elements that I liked so much on Chiastic Slide, but retained the eerie atmosphere, set to a faster pace. My friends and I liked what we heard, but only half an hour later, we were ready to go. Unlike Squarepusher, I think this sub-genre of electronica really isn't suited to live performance.

John Bush, in his AllMusic.com review of Confield, had this to say and I think it applies to Autechre's later work in general: ...this experimental, rigidly academic work is a record to respect, not enjoy. The changes in beat structure Autechre put on display were interesting and did give me pause on occasion, as well as my beloved "what the hell was that sound" curiosity that got me into IDM in the first place. But this doesn't necessarily translate into a live performance that you'll think is worth standing for a few hours, drinking overpriced beer, and staying up past your typical bedtime.

I did buy their latest release, Untilted, at the show for $15. I've just gotten into track 3, "Pro Radii," and I can now understand the direction they took for their show last night. What I've heard so far is very close to what they played and it's growing on me. It works better in a more quiet environment where you aren't pummeled with bass notes that conceal the complexities of the song structure.

Anyway, I'm glad I went. I've seen Plaid, Squarepusher, and now Autechre. Next up: Aphex Twin and Boards of Canada. My fingers are crossed...