Justice at Alexandra Palace, 12/02/25

The French dance titans prove why their masterful live show shines through its more gritty, pulverising moments

Packed to the brim, even the vastness of London’s Alexandra Palace is not quite prepared for the body-shaking experience that is about to ensue. Justice – the French electronic duo comprising Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay – are in town, still on the victory lap for their sensational 2024 album Hyperdrama.

Picking up two Grammy nominations, including one victory for their Tame Impala collaboration ‘Neverender’, Justice’s first album in eight years came with a welcome return to touring. Combining this larger-than-life new era with the tenacity of their 2007 debut Cross into one cohesive live show? Challenge accepted.

The latter is where we start, as curtain-raiser ‘Genesis’ is ushered in by its Imperial March-esque intro, before Ally Pally is obliterated by one of the filthiest opening numbers around. As we catch our first glimpse of the enigmatic Augé and de Rosnay, the golden glint from their jackets almost exists in stark contrast to the horsepower of that song.

Breathless but efficient, Justice power through seamless mashups and daunting drops, keeping the crowd transfixed in a fairly constant state of mayhem. As ‘One Night/All Night’ (the other Tame Impala collab) bleeds into ‘D.A.N.C.E.’, momentary bliss takes over the whole room – almost a reminder of the timelessness of that track.

Justice take us to space on ‘Neverender’ itself, injecting a splash of euphoria amidst the galaxy-esque backdrop. If one Star Wars reference wasn’t enough, the lights converge above the duo like the Millennium Falcon on ‘Incognito’ and ‘DVNO’, while dystopian square boxes and the flickering, colour-changing screen only add to the otherworldly spirit of the room.

Encore is a word we borrow from the French, and Justice effectively redefine its sheer meaning tonight – almost tearing it up from the inside out. Throbbing techno and noisiness that resembles an F1 car are just some of the highlights from a never-ending (no pun intended) mashup that includes ‘Heavy Metal’, ‘Phantom’ (parts one and two) and ‘Pleasure’, before the show builds towards its jaw-dropping climax.

Both ‘We Are Your Friends’ and ‘Neverender’ return, battling back and forth. As the tension refuses to release itself – as the manifestation of the Justice live show reaches its clear apex point. Waving goodbye to the crowd might be the closest we get to a word from the historically enigmatic duo, but they need none, truth be told. The muscle of their greatness lies in this masterclass of a live show.

Justice - Generator (Live at Accor Arena 2024)