photo by Rebecca Smeyne

LCD Soundsystem in Baltimore, September 2010

Better Than: A really good laugh-cry.

It's the third of LCD Soundsystem's final five shows, all leading up to the band's final hurrah at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, when we're almost positive that the stadium will spontaneously combust during the band's final chord. But tonight we're perfectly safe as long as we minded the excessively intoxicated French girl constantly teetering a little too close to the balcony railing for comfort. LCD pal Shit Robot took on warm-up duties for those who arrived promptly at 7 p.m, aiming to grab prime standing room before the thousands that would follow them. It's a hard time slot to fill as a DJ, but he did so with determination. His glowing green robot mask peered through a cutout in the middle of a huge video screen as he took the decks, blasting a friendly offering to all the idling LCD fans with his own "Tuff Enuff" (a track that features vocals from Murphy himself). The bouncy bloated bass and Krautrock-styled synths kickstarted the dance party almost immediately. Having the song's hook projected on screen from maximum audience participation didn't hurt either.