by Adam McGrath
Yes, there were EDM scenesters at the TLA Thursday night to see sensational electronic musician Flume. But once you got past the safety vests, cotton candy e-cigs, and gloves with LED fingertips, most everyone was there to feel the release that comes with great dance music.
The college-age-and-younger crowd warmed up to sets by Touch Sensitive, who augmented his mix with a bass guitar slung over his shoulder, and Cashmere Cat, whose understated stage presence belied the evocative journey on which he took the crowd. The latter starting by shaking the floor, then progressing through atmospheric beats before getting the crowd pumped with hip-hop hits like 2 Chainz’ “No Lie” featuring Drake, Kendrick Lamar’s “Swimming Pools (Drank)” and J. Holiday’s “Put You to Bed”. Harley Streten (aka Flume) was right when he told me that US crowds really respond to hip-hop (see our interview).
(credit, Adam McGrath)
Flume’s arrival on stage was preceded by brief strobes of white light, which would be a staple of his visual effects throughout the set. Streten came out to a roar, briefly greeted the crowd, then got right down to business. He leaned intently over his rig, willing sounds into being with his body. Heavy industrial beats punctuated a mix of “Sintra”, the opening track of his 2012 self-titled album.
The early part of the set was characterized with a white and purple motif, fronted by the prism structure in front of Flume and blasted with a bank of strobes from behind. This section featured “Left Alone” with vocals by fellow Australian Chet Faker. Things would get more colorful with the smash hit “Holdin’ On,” as the screen flashed RGB cityscapes into the audience’s eyeballs. The pace slowed a bit with “Insane” featuring Moon Holiday, and the color scheme returned to blindingly white geometric shapes.
(credit, Adam McGrath)
Flume kept switching it up, though, and continually got the crowd raising their hands and clapping along with the beat. The highlight of the show had to be “On Top” which got the whole room rocking, except for the two blondes who were escorted out after hopping on stage and dancing a bit. Gotta watch those ladies, Event Staff.
So, while I felt a bit like Matthew McConaughey’s character in Dazed and Confused with all the skin-showing young ladies around, it was good to be in a room where everyone was there to let loose. Whether you were rolling your face off and putting Chapstick on your eyelids, or kicking back in the balcony watching shirtless dudes grind on their ladies, the beats brought everyone together.
