The Prodigy's 'World's On Fire' Preview

The Prodigy - World's On Fire - cinema trailer from The Prodigy on Vimeo.

Previewed by Tony Coleby, 29/3/11 at the Electric Cinema, Portobello Road.

As far as music films go there’s the rockumentary (Metallica’s Some Kind of Monster) and there’s the concert film (Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter). The Prodigy’s World on Fire is a concert film but with a small taster of documentary thrown in at the start. I would personally have loved a few more servings of the backstage world of The Prodigy and after the first few tracks of straight live music, I started to pine for more like a couch potato groping around for more chocolate. But by the time the nostalgic THUMP…QUIET…THUMP of Firestarter begins 6 tracks in, my palette is attuned and I accept it for what is: a non-stop feast of the best of The Prodigy, in all their cinematic glory, all lovingly sound-engineered by Liam Howlett himself. One of the best live bands of the last 20 years, giving you a private concert. With popcorn.

My fellow viewers in the plush environs of the Electric Cinema on Portobello Road weren’t quite up for a rave but it will be interesting to see how cinema-goers will get involved with the ‘concert’ at the Europe-wide one night only launch on Thursday 31st March. If I didn’t have notes to make and it wasn’t so early in the day, and hell, perhaps even if the PR company were handing out something a little stronger than beer and chips, I might have done some crowd-rousing myself. Who am I kidding?

About that intro. Whether you know Milton Keynes or not (what’s to know? It’s got a grid-based road system and an Ikea), you will undoubtedly begin to see what’s coming when we are shown an interview with a middle-aged lady, the chief tourist information officer espousing the variety of leisure activities on offer in the town. Line-dancing and a fantastic range of libraries seem to be the highlights, “Not just in Milton Keynes but right across the whole area.”

The Prodigy - Warriors Dance Festival 2010 Photos by Ollie Martin Underground-Music.co.uk

The Prodigy - Warriors Dance Festival 2010 Photos by Ollie Martin Underground-Music.co.uk

This is interspersed with staccato stabs of Mescaline, increasingly loud and increasingly threatening until she's finished setting the scene of a tranquil new town. “We do have the odd bit of trouble with kids but it’s actually quite quiet here...” You know what’s coming… WALLOP the heavy stuff kicks in and we’re into the live music. It’s pretty much a concert from here on in.

Track List

1. Intro

2. Breathe

3. Omen

4. Colours

5. Thunder

6. Warrior’s Dance

7. Firestarter

8. Run With The Wolves

9. Weather Experience

10. Voodoo People

11. Omen Reprise

12. Invaders Must Die

13. Smack My Bitch Up

14. Take Me To The Hospital

15. Everybody In The Place

16. Their Law

17. Out Of Space

Apart from some of the intro showing crowd scenes in Rio de Janeiro and the band discussing Bluey* their alleged beloved clapped out camper van, all of the tracks were recorded at Milton Keynes Bowl at the Warrior's Dance Festival in July 2010.

* Keith:  “Other bands have like, big tour busses but this does us.”

World’s on Fire will be shown in over 70 cinemas across the UK and beyond for one night only on Thursday 31st March – see theprodigy.com for a full list of participating cinemas.

Words: Tony Coleby, http://perfectyellow.co.uk

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