It’s absolutely bloody boiling in Cardiff, sticky and humid – and not just because The Chemical Brothers are playing down the Bay tonight at Alexandra Head. Ten thousand people crammed into a concrete wasteland near the Barrage and it’s one of the hottest days of the year. Oof. Perfect weather for a dance, though – even though sun cream is more a requirement than a suggestion. 

Early in the day, the likes of Erol Alkan and north Wales’ Kelly Lee Owens entertain the crowd, but by the time Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor and Joe Goddard take to the stage for their DJ set the vibes are flowing better than the £7 pints. Their mixing is on point as is the cheeky inclusion of their smash hit Over And Over towards the end.

Main support, meanwhile, comes in the form of 2manydjs whose set includes snippets from Abba and New Order as well as a Wet Leg remix. The sun slowly descends during their portion of the evening, and by the time the duo ramp up to their finale the Bay is in darkness – a light show in full swing culminating a great set. 

As the brothers chemical get ready to take the stage, an ominous face appears on the screen… the strobes fire… then they burst into the belter that is Go. One thing that cannot be stated enough is how good the duo’s visuals are tonight – ranging from robots to the surreal, lasers and lights are embedded in the massive screen behind them to enhance the music even further.

The transition from No Reason into late ’90s smash hit Hey Boy Hey Girl is particularly incredible. However, not all is good unfortunately, with the sound towards the rear of the crowd leaving more to be desired: a few shouts of “turn it up” come from disgruntled punters. Still, the likes of Galvanize and Chemical Beats precede a massive finale in the form of Block Rockin’ Beats, and even with the sound issues, it’s a fine end to this year’s Bay Series. 

Bay Series: The Chemical Brothers, Alexandra Head, Cardiff Bay, Sat 9 Sept

words JOSHUA WILLIAMS photos TIM ALBAN