Review: The Knocks, Young & Sick, and Blu DeTiger Brought Funky Vibes on Valentine’s Day

Think about the people in your life. Who would you say are the coolest people you know? Take those characteristics that make them cool and amplify them by at least ten. All of that equals the people who were on the lineup for Concord Music Hall’s February 14th funky show that included Blu DeTiger, Young & Sick, and The Knocks. Even though it was Valentine’s Day, many people in Chicago chose the right way to celebrate the holiday. And that is with some music! The crowd was constantly swaying and singing the words from start to finish. Blu DeTiger is a 20 year old newcomer from NYC who has unimaginable talent. She exudes disco-vibes easily through her new single, "In My Head", her movements on stage, and her style choices. Each outfit change perfectly matched the aesthetic that was carefully crafted for the night as Blu later provided bass support for The Knocks during their hour and a half set. While, she may be young, Blu’s creativity is exploding with every new day. Many outlets, such as Vogue, have picked up on her music and charm as well. I’m fairly certain we are going to be seeing much more from her in the future. To add to the disco vibes, Young & Sick was brought along on the tour and definitely brought the blues. But the good blues. With nearly 21,000 Instagram followers, he has developed quite a devoted fanbase. And while much of the recognition comes from his music, Nick van Hofwegen is also a recognized artist. He has designed artwork for some big names like Maroon 5 and Foster the People. With many different skills, Nick was able to keep the crowd warm for Ben and James of The Knocks. I’ve heard of The Knocks for quite some time now but this was the first time seeing JPatt and B-Roc up close. Each one has an uplifting, extremely charismatic, smooth, desirable, likeable, and funky vibe. With his neon green hair and silver glittery eyelids, JPatt showed off his skills in his customized ‘New York Narcotic’ bomber jacket while B-Roc obviously rocked a New York Knights basketball jersey in back controlling the drums (they’re called The Knocks because of always receiving knocks on the doors from their neighbors in NYC when they threw parties). It was hard not to stare! The Knocks, Blu, and Y&S are perfect for a weekday show and festival. They all have undeniable chemistry and music hits that are never going to fade away. I can still hear the audience screaming the words to "Classic" and "Collect My Love" in my ears. Also, there were giant blow up pigeons on stage at one point. Yeah, it was a lot of fun.
Katie Steensma