Concert Review: Flume's Debut KL Concert Was Electrifying

Fans of EDM went into a frenzy when news of Australian producer Flume coming to Malaysia reached their eyes. Held on the 23rd of August 2019 at KL Live, the event was one of the many sideshows from Good Vibes Festival. The event was also organised by Heineken and U Mobile, as the official telco and partners.

The excitement was in the air; mainly from fans who had crowed the venue several hours before the show had even started. As it is Flume’s first time here in Malaysia, hardcore fans didn’t want to miss out a chance at getting a glimpse of their favourite EDM artist up close.

The party was pretty much in full swing even before Flume came out, with WH as the opening act to get the crowd grooving. However, the vibe was completely different the moment familiar sounds started playing on the speakers and the Australian artist scurried out from backstage to say hi to the crowd.

As deafening screams filled up KL Live, Flume got to work. The intro track of “Hi, This Is Flume” mixed with “Amber” played as he started spray painting something on an overhead projector. Fans could see the projection on a screen, curious to witness what the outcome would be; which was later revealed as a stencil for the words, “HALO, SAYA FLUME”.

Tak puas ☹️ @flumemusic pic.twitter.com/CvWldv4r3A
— Merlin Kundang (@wtfiqri) August 24, 2019

That was only the beginning of the many strange acts that Flume performed on stage. With a flash of iridescent lights, the music finally kicked in after a blast of smoke from the machines. Once Vera Blue came out on stage to sing the hit song, “Never Be Like You”, the crowd went insane. Passionately bellowing every word with Vera to the thumping beat, as Flume started potting orchids in the background; it was definitely one of the highlights of the night. Reo Cragun also joined this leg of the tour, singing along to the heartbreak anthem “Friends” and “Quits”.

For all the hype he gets, Flume proved himself to be an impressive presence. Among some of the special effects he had included the screen showing falling pieces of paper, only for it to appear in real life and cover the stage–which he threw into an already screaming crowd. Flume also had a grinding machine on stage, where literal sparks were flying as he cut the words “KUALA LUMPUR” and “KL” with a heart onto a thick strip of metal. Talk about being dedicated to his fanbase!

https://twitter.com/aidilrizal/status/1165035793645129728?s=20

https://twitter.com/AmirahAwalludin/status/1164957302387953664?s=20

Another notable moment of the night was when several East-Asian women took the stage in matching white samfus as they started doing tai-chi in sync, while Flume lied down on the stage in the center, losing himself in the music. This performance included a robotic voice reading out, “Hello, this is Flume. It is so nice to be in Malaysia. Thank you for making me feel so welcomed,” in a monotonous voice.

The light show was also a very vital part of the entire performance, dazzling everyone by painting them with the colours of the wind. Some of the lights couldn’t quite be captured on camera like they did in real life, which made the moment feel a lot more personal and fleeting. It was one that could only be lived in on that night.

The bizarreness of the entire thing was what elevated the show, feeling more of an art installation than your regular Friday night gig. From spray painting and potting orchids to destroying printers on stage with a sledgehammer; Flume presented an exhibition in the form of mixed media. When paired with the impressive yet trippy light show and music, the entire experience was nothing short of psychedelic.

All in all, the least we could give this show is what it deserves; an exhibition label.