Richard BodinA Lunar Safari in a White Box
In 2023, Moon Safari celebrated its 25th anniversary. To mark the occasion, AIR set out on a tour to perform the album in its entirety. The tour, simply called ‘Air plays Moon Safari’, began in February 2024 and stopped by Trinity College in June. Unfortunately for me, tickets sold out fast, and I didn’t get the chance to see them in that iconic location. However, later in September, AIR announced new shows for 2025, including one at Salle Pleyel in Paris. I realized I hadn’t been back to Paris in a while — this was the perfect excuse.
So there I was, March 27, back in Paris. After a lovely day immersed in the art at the Musée d’Art Moderne, I found myself standing in front of Salle Pleyel. For years, it was home to the Orchestre de Paris and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. In the early 2000s, the venue underwent major renovations to improve its acoustics. I had already seen AIR perform there in 2010 with a full orchestra — an unforgettable experience. I was eager to experience it again — without an orchestra this time.
The Opening Act: Izzy Lindqwister Sets the Mood
As we entered the room, a black curtain hid the stage setup. Only a DJ workstation stood at the center. Soon enough, DJ Izzy Lindqwister, the opening act, stepped up. A Swedish musician based in Paris, she was a great fit for the evening. She delivered a groovy set, buzzing behind her console and sampling various records from artists like Kraftwerk and Serge Gainsbourg.
The Stage Revealed: Enter the White Box
After Izzy left the stage and her equipment was cleared, the curtains finally opened to reveal AIR’s setup — and it was quite unusual. A white cabin had been assembled on stage: minimalist, sleek, futuristic. A white drum kit sat in the middle, while the band’s instruments were arranged neatly on each side — Jean-Benoît Dunckel’s double row of keyboards on the left, Nicolas Godin’s bass guitars and synths on the right. No cables were visible; everything was hidden inside the setup’s base.
This stage design was conceived by lighting and art directors Antoine Jorel and Pierre Claude. In an interview with Wallpaper.com, Dunckel explained: “It’s a light box. It looks a bit like the studio on the cover of 10 000 Hz Legend. The box represents a frame for the AIR universe.” Godin added: “We like the simplicity of the white box. It concentrates the live experience. It’s like we are in a space shuttle.”
From my seat, on the upper balcony to the left, the roof and one wall of the cabin slightly blocked my view. I worried I wouldn’t fully enjoy the show… but those worries quickly vanished as the performance began.
A Journey Through Moon Safari
Drummer Louis Delorme entered the stage first and took his place behind the kit. Then, from either side, Dunckel and Godin appeared, waving to the crowd and taking a bow as they stepped into the box. Dressed all in white, they merged with the scenery — the ship was ready to take us on a lunar safari.
The first part of the concert was a faithful rendition of Moon Safari in its original track order. “La Femme d’Argent” opened the show as it opens the album — and the crowd instantly surrendered to its dreamy build-up. The box came alive: the walls appeared to be screens, reflecting on the floor and ceiling, and enveloping the audience in light.
As the album unfolded, visuals referencing Moon Safari‘s iconic artwork by Mike Mills appeared — the pop-art monkey for Sexy Boy, the famous eyes gazing skyward for Kelly Watch the Stars, and even animated versions of AIR themselves. Depending on each song’s vibe, the light show made us feel either cozily grounded in a lounge, or speeding through the stars.
The set closed with Le Voyage de Pénélope, a sonic voyage into space. The band laid down their instruments, bowed once more, and exited the stage to a glowing display of the Moon Safari band name logo.
Exit Moon Safari, Enter the “Best-of”
The second act returned us to a more traditional concert format. The band reappeared on stage to Radian, then launched into Venus. The light show remained stunning, and the band looked completely at home in their white capsule.
AIR has never been known for flamboyant stage antics — they are introverted performers. They let the music do the talking, pausing only to drop the occasional “Merci.” I was perfectly fine with that. Their heart is in the music, and it shows.
The setlist unveil no major surprises. Cherry Blossom Girl, and Run rounded out the Talkie Walkie segment. Then came selections from The Virgin Suicides soundtrack: Highschool Lover and Dirty Trip. The lightshow was still very impressive, with sensual and voluptuous red lips for Highschool Lovers, or bringing us aboard what looked like a space ship for a while.
A Dream Closes: Encore and Final Notes
I secretly hoped Thomas Mars of Phoenix (aka Gordon Tracks, co-author of Virgin Suicides hit song) might appear to sing Playground Love, but he didn’t. Still, there was no room for disappointment — AIR launched into a frenetic, electrifying version of Don’t Be Light that brought the crowd to its feet in euphoria. That moment could’ve ended the show, and I would’ve left fulfilled.
The encore gave us Alone in Kyoto and Electronic Performers. Beautiful, yes — but I must admit, after the high-voltage finale of Don’t Be Light, the actual ending felt a bit subdued.
Air plays Moon Safari: An Immersive Triumph
In the end, the evening was extraordinary. The bold, unusual stage design was a brilliant success, elevating the music to new emotional heights. AIR will return to Dublin on June 17 at Fairview Park. If you haven’t secured your ticket yet — do it. This is a one-of-a-kind sonic and visual voyage you don’t want to miss.
