Go Big Data Or Go Home

The word of the day is "almost." I almost never go see an artist in concert if they only have one album to their name. The average length of an album these days is around 45 minutes, and a good concert (once the headliner takes the stage) should last at least 90 solid minutes. If I've done my math correctly, then I won't see an artist until they have at least two albums under their belt. In addition to a larger swath of material to play, they've also had more time to hone their craft as well as their stage presence.

When Big Data (a.k.a. Alan Wilkis and friends) played at The Gothic Theatre on Friday night, I'm glad that I made an exception to my one-album rule. "2.0" IS a good album, so I already had an idea of what to expect. Despite a shorter set list than I'm used to, Big Data proved themselves to be anything but a one-trick pony.

Opening act Inner Oceans took the stage at exactly 8:30, marking the event as perhaps the only rock concert in history to start on time. Their tactful use of synthesizers blurred the lines between the different decades that their music evokes. By effortlessly hopping between genres while still keeping their spirit intact, the resulting blend was sublime, subdued, and dreamlike. (Or is it dreamy? No, that refers to the Zoolander-approved frontman.) His smooth, mellow vocals kept the soaring reverb and distortion effects grounded. He also shared nice harmonies and palpable chemistry with the female co-vocalist. It's a good sign when the opener matches the tone of the headliner while holding their own and also making you want to know more about them and their music.

While it's pretty common to see open floor during a warm-up act, it's unusual to see that amount of space when a headliner starts playing, especially when said headliner has several singles in heavy rotation on multiple radio stations. It's even more noticeable in a smaller venue that is often filled with wall-to-wall people on slow nights. Big Data arrived on stage to a fairly minimal set-up -- two singers, a laptop and turntable, a drum set and two guitars -- but that didn't stop them from exponentially rocking the house despite the turnout.

It was a relief to see instruments and live vocals filling out their sound as opposed to an entire show of just Wilkis with headphones on and his head cocked to the side, repeatedly scratching and looping his way through the night. The sound crew wasn't always careful about the balance between vocals and instruments, leaving the tangible energy coming off the stage muted during times when Wilkis was visibly giving his all. In addition to being a talented producer, he has genuine stage presence and even some surprising dance cred (not to mention unmissable bright-red sneakers). While his female vocalist and partner-in-crime was top-notch, it was a bit strange to hear songs made famous with other singers all sung by the same person. Wilkis also spent an inordinate amount of time tinkering with the computer playback, often in the middle of performing, but it sounded fine to begin with. Maybe I'm too observant!

While we're on the subject of computers, electronic music always runs the risk of feeling cold and impersonal. Big Data differentiates themselves by giving warmth and life to their records, and they succeed even more so when playing live. By infusing the electronic aspects with pure rock-soul firepower, they created a more sensory and three-dimensional concert experience for the audience. In keeping with their technology-centric motif, crowd interaction was minimal, but prerecorded robo-messages prompted frequently requested audience participation like clapping along or cheering louder. Still, the group knows how to have fun and promote the human element of their performance, from a mid-song tango break between the singers to collapsing on stage in part-reverence, part-exhaustion after a positively incendiary solo by one of the guitarists.

Overall, the concert was a perfect primer for Big Data by appealing to existing fans as well as to people looking for a better sense of what the band is good at. After opening with current single "The Business Of Emotion," they played the album more or less in its entirety, just in a different order and with a few added surprises. Their funkified cover of Hall and Oates' "Private Eyes" fit right into the set, showing they're just as capable of super-sizing other people's songs as they are their own.

Before closing the night with their smash hit "Dangerous," Wilkis took a moment to thank the attendees. "I'm breaking my code right now. I don't usually talk because the robot tells us what to do," he joked. It's snarky commentary about their on-stage modus operandi and quite possibly their newfound fame, but the voice has yet to steer them wrong. The way they brought out obscure layers of their own music can attest to their admirable and emerging potential. If Big Data continues on its current trajectory, they'll be filling larger venues in no time.