Chromeo at Virgin Free Fest (09/25/10)
Photo: Jon Klemm
Chromeo in the live setting are an entirely different beast than on their recordings. Where their synths and vocals come across as cheesy throw-backs on record, in concert they are elevated to another level, covering you in dense layers of danceable sound until you are drenched in sweat. I’ll admit that I still find Dave 1’s smooth vocals absurd, but I can’t deny that the guy knows how to get the party started. Of course it doesn’t hurt him that his partner is a musical genius. I say that with a straight face. Seeing Chromeo kill it on stage in the Dance Forest, I now realize that P-Thugg aka Patrick Gemayel is a sonic mastermind. While Dave 1 mc’d the show and laid down some funky bass, it was P-Thugg who worked a huge array of electronic gear and keyboards to create the jaw-dropping dance machine. Chromeo drew the largest Dance Forest crowd that I saw and they served as the perfect sunset bridging performers; their thick synth blanket dropped on the crowd like a curtain pulled down to block out the sun. As the daylight faded, Chromeo’s light show became more impressive, until by set’s end a dazzling and dizzying wall of firing LED lights melded perfectly with their sound; to the point where you could hardly see the band anymore and you became a slave to Chromeo’s audio-visual extravaganza. [WeLoveDC.com]
Chromeo‘s major label debut Business Casual came out last month on Atlantic and the band is about to hit the road to promote it. After doing some extensive touring around the UK, Europe and Australia P-Thugg and Dave 1 will return to North America to play Terminal 5 on Feb 4, 2011 (Buy Tickets 10/15/10 at noon). More US tour dates TBA.
Tour dates and more pictures of Chromeo from the Virgin Free Fest after the jump.
2010-2011 Chromeo Tour Dates
Oct 14 2010 House of Blues w/ Neon Indian Las Vegas, NV
Oct 30 2010 Congress Theater w/ A-Trak, Theophilus London, Kid Sister Chicago, IL
Nov 04 2010 w/ Midnight Juggernauts Tripod Dublin, Ireland
Nov 05 2010 w/ Midnight Juggernauts O2 Academy 2 Birmingham, UK
Nov 06 2010 w/ Midnight Juggernauts O2 Academy Bristol, UK
Nov 11 2010 w/ Midnight Juggernauts Plug Sheffield, UK
Nov 12 2010 w/ Midnight Juggernauts Roundhouse London, UK
Nov 13 2010 w/ Midnight Juggernauts Academy 2 Manchester, UK
Nov 18 2010 La Machine Paris, FRANCE
Nov 19 2010 Botanique Brussels, BELGIUM
Nov 20 2010 STRP Festival Eindhoven, Netherlands
Nov 25 2010 Alte Borse Zurich, SWITZERLAND
Nov 26 2010 Erste Liga Munich, GERMANY
Nov 27 2010 Maria Berlin, GERMANY
Dec 29 2010 Rhythm & Vines Festival Gisborne, NEW ZEALAND
Dec 31 2010 Phillip Island, Pyramid Rock Festival Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Jan 01 2011 Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Summadayze Festival Melbourne, AUSTRALIA
Jan 01 2011 The Domain, Field Day Festival Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Jan 02 2011 Doug Jennings Park, Summadayze Festival Gold Coast, AUSTRALIA
Jan 06 2011 Hordern Pavilion with N*E*R*D Sydney, AUSTRALIA
Jan 07 2011 Thebarton Theatre with N*E*R*D Adelaide, AUSTRALIA
Jan 08 2011 Supreme Court Gardens & The Esplanade, Summadayze Festival Perth, AUSTRALIA
Jan 20 2011 Metropolis Montreal, QC
Jan 22 2011 The Opera House, Toronto, ON
Feb 03 2011 House of Blues, Boston, MA
Feb 04 2011 Terminal 5 New York, NY (On Sale 10/15)
Feb 10 2011 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, BC
Feb 18 2011 Fox Theater Oakland, CA
Feb 19 2011 Fox Theater Pomona, CA
Chromeo at Virgin Free Fest by Jon Klemm
