Don't Think

The Chemical Brothers were packing arenas back when CDs were the hottest thing in digital entertainment, so the prospect of Don't Think being their first live set is a bit of a surprise. (Just after their first album, they released the possibly live DJ set Brothers Gonna Work It Out.) But Don't Think, filmed at the massive Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, is an opportunity for the brothers to show a viewing audience (and a listening audience) just what they're capable of -- a live show that's gotten bigger and brighter and ballsier even as their productions have become more streamlined and safe. First released in early 2012 to cinemas in multiple countries, Don't Think also benefits from the direction of Adam Smith, who has tailored and expanded the Chemical Brothers' light and video shows for nearly 15 years. His vision and creativity are easily a match for the music itself, which at its best is what great dance music always has been: absorbing and disorienting and the catalyst for a great night out. Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons are the masters of their domain as well. Their feel for pacing is superb, both on the DVD and the CD (which have different run times), and they choose material from their entire career (from pre-debut album to the title track, used in Black Swan). All that said, the audience's gushing reaction -- which has all the oohs and ahhs of a circus sideshow -- isn't much of a surprise. ~ John Bush