Chromeo makes me want to untz untz untz untz.
Entering the tail end of their Night Falls tour, Chromeo played to their third sold-out crowd at House of Blues, San Diego, in as many appearances. Admittedly, I am a funkateer at heart, and had high expectations for Dave 1 and P-Thugg. The duo did not disappoint. There is something special about watching a band as they enter the crest of their fame. You could see the pure joy and awe in Dave’s eyes as he peered across the crowd of 1,000 dancing bodies. Playing mostly songs from their two most recent releases, Fancy Footwork and Business Casual, Dave and P had the crowd under a spell of funk rock. Chromeo have created a special niche of dance rock that oozes of sex appeal, and their live show benefits from their years of stints at music festivals around the world.
From the beginning of Chromeo’s first song, the nearly-two hour dance party started. By the time fan favorite “Tenderoni” started, not a single still body could be found inside of HOB. One of the best parts of going to a show is having a singular shared experience with thousands of people surrounding you. As diverse as everyone’s backgrounds and interests may be, you know that you all have at least one love in common, and on Monday night, it was a love for Chromeo’s electro-funk.
Rabbits Black favorite “Bonafied Lovin’” started a back and forth chant between Chromeo and the crowd that continued through the end of their set. Fans filled the silence between songs with the familiar rhythm of the Chromeo “Intro” off of Fancy Footwork, calling Dave and P back to the stage each time. And with each return, Chromeo somehow managed to come back with more enthusiasm and intensity than before.
My personal favorite of the night was “I Am Somebody”, a bonus track off the deluxe edition of Fancy Footwork. The track is a collaboration between Chromeo and DJ Mehdi, the French-based artist who recently passed when the roof of his house collapsed. The song has a slight Nine Inch Nails feel to it, and follows the intricate layering of rock and synth that only Chromeo can create. Despite the solemn story surrounding the song, Dave and P continued the dance party and the crowd happily obliged, perhaps in tribute to the late Mehdi. Energized with the tangible energy that runs through any Chromeo set, the crowd was ready to bring the dance party out to the Gaslamp once the show ended.
Chromeo will play the Wiltern in LA on November 17. Even if you aren’t a funkateer, the show is a guaranteed great dance party, and worth every cent of the ticket price. According to Dave, this will be Chromeo’s last appearance in LA for a while, so check them out while you can.
Chromeo really will make you want to untz untz untz untz until they kick you out.
Tickets available for the Wiltern here:
Check out the music video for “I Am Somebody”:
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