Live Review: LCD Soundsystem and Gustaf at the Coca-Cola Roxy in Atlanta, 5/3/25

James Murphy put the breaks on LCD Soundsystem back in 2011. The disbanding was documented in Shut Up and Play the Hits during the band’s final gig at Madison Square Garden. The sometimes weepy, consistently entertaining flick seemed like the end. But Murphy always kept his pinkie toe in the door. And here we are in 2025 with another tour, but no new music in sight.

They say it takes a village, and Murphy would concur. The LCD family includes eight members, each with their own valuable assignment. As the 1973 David Essex hit “Rock On” wafted through the crowd, the lights went down and the band took the stage to cheers and applause. The long intro of “You Wanted a Hit” would be the first song and suddenly these musicians were on top of the world.

The 55-year-old Murphy, in his typical all-white fashion, seemed more at ease than before. More playful. Less to lose? Ginormous fanbase who will be by his side for eternity. It was a good vibe in the Roxy. A wide range of ages were on display, including a surprisingly large percentage of Gen Zs in attendance. The setlist was a sweet balance of the four studio albums released between 2005 and 2017, in addition to a handful of new singles.

Murphy seems to have trimmed down and has lost none of his energy of the past 20 years. Drummer Pat Mahoney’s kit is set up stage right. It is accessorized with an extra tom, cowbell, and maybe a cymbal which Murphy plays almost every song. Nancy Whang on keyboards, synths, and vocals makes up the trifecta of original members, along with Murphy and Mahoney. The remainder of the musicians have joined along the way, improving the live performance experience of the band.

After a very brief break (“We all have to pee”), the band walked back out to George Kranz‘s “Din Daa Daa,” which fit the mood like a glove. Gustaf joined the band onstage for some backup singing/screaming on “North American Scum,” which has a striking similarity to Pete Shelley‘s 1982 hit “Homosapien.” An additional perk for fans was the background lights, ebbing and flowing with the loudness of the sounds. Even the famous chandeliers on the ceiling of the Roxy were flashing. Even Murphy jumped when that first happened. Maybe this was a result of the storms which caused a three-hour delay of the Dodgers and Braves game across the street.

The band is wrapping up their first leg of the tour with two nights in Atlanta, then they’re off to Denmark, Spain, France, and an eight-night residency at the O2 Academy in Brixton, England, before heading back to the States in August. Catch this band while they’re still on fire. For more information, visit their website.

Openers Gustaf are building a case for their own headlining tour. Just two studio albums in and the Brooklyn quintet have been turning heads and lighting up venues across the nation. Singer Lydia Gammill possesses the stage like a woman possessed, if that makes sense. You can’t take your eyes off her, but when you do, there’s a lot to take in. The Steve and Eydie of the group, the smiling, in-love couple of guitarist Vram Kherlopian and multi-instrumentalist Tarra Thiessen bring joy and happiness to every show. Catch Thiessen’s side project Tea Eater, popping out killer singles as we speak! Bassist Tine Hill along with drummer Melissa Lucciola raised the rhythm section to another level. Both badasses, both doing all the heavy lifting.

The band opened the evening with “Liquid Frown” from their first studio album in 2021, Audio Drag for Ego Slobs. Their 2024 release Package Pt. 2 was represented well, with “Close,” “What Does It Mean,” and “Starting and Staring,” all killer tunes. “Design” was their debut single back in 2020, which even got a Beck remix. What new band can say that?

Once the newbie faces were melted and life choices had been questioned, Gustaf left the stage, leaving shock and awe in their wake. In a good way. Keep up with their tour on the Gustaf website and grab some tunes from their Bandcamp site.

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