Doors opened at 19:30 to the sound of the first opener, DJ Laces, already on stage. A bubbling atmosphere, bright green lighting, and pounding electronic sounds bled into the whole venue, setting the tone for the night of music to come.
Glasgow-based DJ Kavari took the stage at 20:10, bringing a darker edge in contrast to Ninajirachi’s sound and a range of EDM sounds throughout the evening. This included songs from her album Plague Music, creating an intense, haunting yet meditative atmosphere that captured the crowd's attention.
At 21:15, Ninajirachi was set to take the stage, and you could feel the focus and excitement in the room heighten, as keyboard clicks could be heard, with the screen showing computer code. The keyboard clicks merged with a robotic voice, saying ‘I Love My Computer’ in a variety of distorted tones, and elements from her songs. This introduction was perfect for the DJ, who built her album around her love of her computer and her exploration of life online. Ninajirchi then appeared on stage, leading into the first song of her set, ‘London Song,’ swapping the location of London out for Brighton at one point. Instantly, the crowd was focused on the song, hands in the air and jumping to the music. After that, Ninajirachis's ability to command a room and bring a high-energy, feel-good atmosphere could not be questioned.
The set flowed seamlessly between hits from her album and previous work, with the Australian DJs' energy remaining high throughout, jumping around the stage and matching the crowd's energy. Hands were waving in the air to the beat of the music throughout and there was no shortage of hand hearts held up throughout the room, with the joy that her music brings to everyone in the room clear to see.
The crowd energy during the iconic track ‘F*ck my computer’ was a standout. The song focuses on her attachment to her computer, feeling best understood by it, which was reflected on the screen behind her, with digital and computer references used throughout the show to emphasise the core themes running through Ninajirachi's art.
The show ended with a standout track from ‘I Love My Computer’, ‘iPod Touch,’, which filled the venue with the feeling of joyful nostalgia that the song evokes, connecting the venue through singing it together, much like the digital connection her album references. The introduction to the song, “I’ve got a song that nobody knows,” repeated a few times before leading into the loud beats of the track, causing the whole venue, for one last time, to lose themselves to the music.
Leaving the venue with ears ringing and stepping into the wind of Brighton seafront, it remains clear that Ninajirachi is an artist who takes internet culture and uses it to shape connections with her audience. The result is a live show that is both joyful and immersive.