CHROMEO @ STUBBS (SHOW REVIEW)

Chromeo @ Stubbs: Show Review

Originally posted at the Horn publication.

Dark, ominous clouds rolled into Austin Monday night, unleashing a torrential deluge of hail sleet, and rain that drove many Austinites to seek shelter and cancel any plans that involve going outside. While I am usually part of the sane demographic that opts to steer clear of apocalyptic hailstorms, tonight was an exception. Chromeo was playing at Stubb’s and nothing, not even an F5 Sharknado, would dissuade me from seeing these two princes of ‘Business Casual Electro’ play their funk filled set.

I wasn’t alone in my determination to catch the sold-out show, as scores of dance music diehards sported ponchos, umbrellas and garbage bags while waiting in line to get in the venue. The excitement of a Chromeo show never seems to wane, making them one of the few bands that is seemingly impervious to the theory of diminishing marginal returns in their performances. The electro gods would eventually shine on those gathered at Stubbs, as the bad weather cleared up just in time for Chromeo’s set.

Opening the night was a supremely talented half-Korean, Californian DJ named Tokimonsta, who grinded through the tail end of the maelstrom to drop her highly addictive electro beats. The tumultuous weather blended surprisingly well with Tokimonsta’s ambient laid-back beats, creating an aesthetic surrealism that entranced the crowd. Tokimonsta’s dreamy and aloof sound may not have seemed like the ideal opening score for the dance-heavy Chromeo, but her intricate self-styled beats provided an ideal preamble for the headliners perfectly punctuated by the animated weather.

Every Chromeo show since my first in 2008 has begun with a shameless arena-like chant that galvanizes the crowd and sets the stage for the grandiosity to come. Stepping onto the stage with seizure-inducing strobes, P Thugg and Dave 1 led the “CHRO-MEE-OHHH” chant to greet their Austin fans and then launched into their supercharged hit “Night By Night.”

Chromeo’s much anticipated fourth album, White Women, was featured throughout their set, and for good reason, as some of the newer tracks became the highlights of the night. The album’s title and concept is inspired by the famous photographer Helmut Newton, and the quality of the new songs fortifies the faith of their fans in their ability to keep creating those suave, infectious dance-anthems that these funkateers have made their name on.

Dave 1 sported an ostentatious chrome guitar as he slung one after another of his arsenal of fan favorites. “Tenderoni” and “Bonafied Lovin” had the audience singing every word and an oddly uninhibited Austin crowd let loose into dance party by mid-set.

New songs like the frenetic “Sexy Socialite” and the deep groove “Over Your Shoulder” got an immediate upbeat response, while the dance powerhouse “Jealous (I Ain’t With It)” was a bonafide earworm impossible to shake. The song with the most potential to become a Chromeo classic was the bass heavy “Frequent Flyer,” a track with a disco-esque hook that electrified the audience as the first of three songs in their encore.

Once again, Chromeo proved themselves to be the live music dance powerhouse that they are. By ending with the their very first track “You’re So Gangsta,” which came out in 2002, the group put their longevity in perspective and assured their fans that, as long as there is struggle in the dating game and a need for dance therapy, Chromeo will be there because they “have their game locked tight.” -Lee Ackerley