UNDERWORLD

For more than three decades, Underworld has existed in their own sonic dimension. Part rave, part sermon, part fever dream. And on May 23, the legendary British duo of Karl Hyde and Rick Smith brought that dimension to life inside The Warfield, turning the historic San Francisco theater into a cathedral of relentless rhythm and hypnotic light.

Currently touring in support of their 2024 album Strawberry Hotel, Underworld’s "Open Until Close" set was a masterclass in endurance, pacing, and purity of form. No filler, no banter, just two artists at the height of their powers, guiding the crowd through a near-spiritual arc of pulse and poetry.

The production was understated but precise: a constellation of laser beams, fog bursts, and stark LED grids bathing the room in saturated reds, greens, and blues. At center stage, Hyde stalked and gestured like a shaman in sneakers, spitting out cryptic, chant-like lyrics over Smith’s sprawling, immersive arrangements. There was no need for spectacle when the music itself was the spectacle.

The setlist pulled from every corner of their storied discography, effortlessly bridging eras. From deep cuts like “Juanita” and “Pearl’s Girl” to pounding modern epics like “Denver Luna” and “Techno Shinkansen,” every track hit with both precision and abandon. The crowd was a glorious cross-section of diehards, newer fans, and lifelong dancers ebbed and flowed with the beat, fists raised and feet moving like it was still 1994 in a warehouse off the M25.

But of course, it was “Born Slippy .NUXX” that brought the house to a boil. As those iconic opening synth stabs rang out, The Warfield erupted in a unified roar, every last person shouting along to “drive boy, dog boy…” like a sacred incantation. Decades later, the song still cuts through generations like lightning. Raw, ecstatic, and oddly personal.

By the final downbeat, Hyde and Smith embraced at center stage, waving goodbye as the crowd stood thunderstruck, many still dancing in place. In an era of maximalism, Underworld reminded everyone what minimalism can do in the right hands: create communion, movement, euphoria.

They don’t just play a show - they conduct a ritual.

Check out our full live show photo gallery HERE and fan cam live clips HERE