There’s something truly magical about seeing a band at its creative peak, a band that is simply the best at what it does. On Friday night, a sold-out crowd at the Ogden Theatre had the pleasure of seeing Chromeo, a band that has practically invented its own genre, lying somewhere in between electronica, indie rock and funk. However, the mere category Chromeo inhabits is unimportant; its music is here to make you dance and dance hard, which in this over-stressed, under-employed world is a pursuit that seems wholly noble.
The first opener was Chromeo’s tour DJ, who got the crowd prepped for an energetic night with a seamless mix of mid-tempo, electro-funk that produced bobbing heads, stampeding feet and flowing fan energy.
After a short, but impressive, saxophone solo played over the end of his live mix, the DJ made way for the first true opening act, Mayer Hawthorne and his live band, The County.
Mayer Hawthorne has only been in the game for a few years, but between the giant lit-up M-H behind him and his undeniable on-stage stride, you immediately get the sense that this guy is as confident as any seasoned performance veteran. His voice is immaculate, his dance moves are tasteful and his band is exceptionally tight at loosening up the crowd. “Anyone who’s just gonna be a hipster and stand still should go to the back,” he said towards the start of his set. “If you’re up in the front, you better be dancing.” Challenge accepted.
Hawthorne’s ultra-enjoyable set lasted just over 40-minutes, at which point he left the stage to make way for the main act, which came on only 20 or so minutes after.
The thing that sets Chromeo apart from almost any other member of the indie scene is its unmistakable swagger. In a world of false modesty, where shoe-gazing indie frontmen speak quietly and only rappers and pop stars have the audacity to repeat their own names, seeing a band like Chromeo go so far as to put its name within its own lyrics and open up both an album and a show with a choral refrain of “Chromeo, oh-oh!” is a surprising and refreshing change of pace.
One gets the sense that the two members of Chromeo enjoy hearing their own name as much as the fans do, an attitude which would only be permissible if they possessed the talent to back it up. Short answer: they do.
After the intro concluded, the band pleased the crowd immediately with hit single “Fancy Footwork,” an almost impossibly catchy song that makes anyone not dancing their brains out look foolish. A smart sequencing choice, “Footwork” got the entire crowd ready for a night of sexy, stylish fun.
Lead singer David Macklovitch is a consummate performer, whose outfit and dance moves seem as well-rehearsed as the music he plays. His boyish charm stands in nice contrast to the subdued nature of instrumentalist and background vocalist P-Thug, who generally plays very well the yin to Macklovitch’s yang.
Other fan favorites included “Tenderoni,” “Bonafied Lovin'” and “Don’t Turn The Lights On,” all of which whipped the crowd into a frenzy.
“Let’s get pregnant,” said Macklovitch before playing single “When The Night Falls,” referring to the song’s music video that implies in a not-so-subtle manner that Chromeo’s music has the ability to impregnate women.
The climax of the night came during “Momma’s Boy,” which received the loudest applause of the set and started a sing-along the likes of which most of us have only ever experienced at summer camps.
After two encores, Chromeo left the stage, much to the dismay of everyone on the GA floor. But not to worry – Chromeo has played in Colorado a handful of times in just the past year, and it’s unlikely this trend will stop anytime soon. As Macklovitch said, “Denver, you’re like our second home.”
They can have my bed anytime.
