The Prodigy may be playing the boiler room for the Big Day Out but the Palace held home to the real sweatbox of their Melbourne-leg of the tour and boy did they thrive in the conditions. The raw intensity and energy of the band worked perfectly with the tough conditions to create an amazing performance that will certainly not be forgotten by anyone that attended.

A sold out show in sweltering conditions for a band renowned for their intense live performances created a buzz of not just excitement but almost palpable fear. Knowing eyes and hushed expectation spread its way across the three levels of the Palace until finally the powerful presences of Keith Flint and Maxim landed on stage and the place erupted. With Liam Howlett commanding the mixers and decks from behind, the set began and the two front men started thrashing around, bouncing off each other both physically and verbally. Previous antagonism between the two had clearly been put aside and they were back to their best. Their mutually derived intensity transferred to the crowd instinctively and the already sticky punters were soon drenched in sweat. Musically the group moved seamlessly between new songs and old, break beat and rave-inspired punk, never letting the energy die and the crowd response was incredible.

The band’s new single Omen was brilliant live and came relatively early in the set ensuring that any conservative attendees aiming to stay out of the fray found themselves very much a part of it. This was followed by the classic and aptly named Breathe where Flint and Maxim took turns revving up each side of the crowd whilst hoses off the balconies were used to cool down the throbbing mass below. Interestingly Flint is credited under the not-so-tough label ‘dancer’ but there isn’t a scarier sight than Flint staring into your eyes with his tongue out and making appropriate hand gestures. The group then managed to kick it up a notch halfway though the set moving through Spitfire, Hotride, Warriors Dance and other great tracks, never letting the energy slip for a minute. Firestarter was one of the tracks of the night highlighting the two MCs great vocal skills, and in order to avoid any heat-related puns suffice to say it ‘went off’.

Smack My Bitch Up was the clear crowd favorite and a highlight of the night (perhaps only second to the charming lass who revealed a bountiful pair, presumably aimed at Maxim) with Flint and Maxim feeding off each other to work the crowd into an absolute frenzy. By the time the brilliant Voodoo People was played, the crowd resembled participants in some kind of tropical jungle rave; drenched in sweat, half naked and with complete disregard for their own appearances. This was followed shortly after by their other new single Invaders Must Die which was actually probably one of the weaker songs live. After moving through a few encores the band finished with another classic Out of Space that had the crowd chanting along and was a fitting finish to an incredible performance.

As the punters left drenched, dehydrated and 5kg lighter, beaming smiles could be seen pasted across everyone’s face. Whilst the conditions on Thursday night at The Palace were arduous, it removed the pretentiousness and vanity associated with so many other Melbourne gigs and created a primal, raw environment perfect for the genius that is the Prodigy.