Lucid Dreams (The M Machine Remix)
There’s that buzzword “synergy” that pops up all too often on corporate nonsense or virtually any intangible product’s fine print that serves as a crutch to bolster said proposal or product. Shake that connotation. I spent a night with The M Machine, up close and personal, at the Bluebird Theater who truly exemplify the meaning of the word.
As a fan, I first caught wind of the San Francisco-based trio at Global Dance Festival at the one and only Red Rocks a few years back, prior to any major EP or album release. Under the then-moniker “Metropolis,” The M Machine set the foundation for fan-ship with their haunting-yet-driving melodies and pulsating, infectious rhythms. Did I mention they played earlier in the evening on a side stage then?
Flash forward 3 years to March of 2014. They’re headlining their own tour, and representing the OWSLA force in full. The large, DJ-controlled LED “M” from previous shows has been put aside and replaced by a massive, live video projection that zooms in and out of a mechanical M-shaped frame, set perfectly to the live show with transitional flares and bursts. Based on the 1927 film Metropolis, The M Machine’s music and visuals draw in part upon the film’s dystopian narrative, although updated and contrasted with approachable animation and highly danceable soundscapes.
