Justice, O2 Academy, Glasgow

Justice have been served a poison chalice by their fans and casual observers alike. Whilst waiting for them to take the stage at the sold out O2 Academy, it’s impossible to avoid conversation that the French duo are “the new Daft Punk.” This is undoubtedly a compliment, given the originator’s popularity and fame when it comes to live performance, but it carries a certain weight that Justice then have to live up to when it’s time for them to take the stage. It has been four years since they last toured these shores, and the anticipation must be weighing heavy. However, if you we to ask anyone in the crowd after the lights go back up, they would’ve likely held the same opinion: after a show like Justice’s performance in Glasgow, it’s hard not to believe the hype.

Tension has reached fever pitch when the lights went down, and the duo’s iconic white cross illuminates the venue, illiciting a huge cheer from the audience. From this point onwards, the crowd are willing to go with whatever those on stage throw at them, and this is what sends the show to such great heights. The performance itself is exactly what could be imagined from attending a Justice show, in that there’s a stunning and varying lighting show, seemless links between songs, and the occasional moment of direct audience interaction at the climax of the performance. It is the crowd, eager to live up to the hype they create, that drives this duo forward with such electricity.

It is a guarantee that most people in attendance will have seen the fever pitch that Daft Punk gigs illicit, and it seems like they’re eager to recreate that here. Within five minutes, the entire standing area of the venue is a sweaty, heaving mass of bodies throwing themselves back and forth with an awe-inspiring energy. Regardless of the songs played, which begin to blend in to one slightly indiscernible mix by the end of the show, the crowd go wild. They shout back every word and dance to each song like it’s the group’s biggest hit. When said song, ‘D.A.N.C.E.’, does rear its head, it’s greeted with a deafening call-and-response style sing-along.

So, it is undoubted that the fans believe Justice are the new Daft Punk, but do they truly deserve such a moniker, at least when it comes to live performance? Justice do lack the presence of Daft Punk’s mysterious anonymity, and their stage show isn’t quite as elaborate, but as long as they inspire the same level of fan-driven chaos at their shows that this performance did, it won’t be long until Justice are regarded with the mystique, awe, and excitement that follows their predecessors. For now, it seems like they welcome it.