Chicago was treated to a marvelous double-featured evening last weekend with electro funk gurus Chromeo and synth-pop band The Midnight. Venturing on their soon to be legendary Chrome Nights Tour, this dynamic duo was the perfect pairing for a thrilling October night at Uptown’s Aragon Ballroom!
Synthwave duo Tyler Lyle and Tim McEwan aka The Midnight took the stage as a devoted crowd of fans up front ushered the band out for an exhilarating set. The band jumped straight into it, opening up with their nostalgia-filled song, “Days of Thunder.” The immense energy the band put forth was infectious and not soon after had the crowd singing along. The Midnight does an immaculate job at manifesting that tingly nostalgic feeling we get with that classic 80s synth sound but in a modern innovative format. It was an absolutely killer set and to see their songs come to life was truly jaw-dropping. Ending on a high-note, the band closed out their set with their anthemic track, “Los Angeles.”
After a brilliant set put on by The Midnight, Chromeo was welcomed onto the stage with a crescendo of cheers. The Canadian duo has always had a consistent theme when it comes to their live shows; specifically their keyboards being held up by pairs of fully chrome legs in heels. This being the centerpiece on stage was accompanied by two massive and fully chrome synth booths framing the stage in a stately manner. Lead vocalist and guitarist David Macklovitch better known as “Dave 1” confidently made his way to the front and commenced the show with their beloved track “Fancy Footwork” as bandmate and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Gemayel (“P-Thugg”) went straight to the synthesizers and his infamous talk box.
Chromeo performed a very well balanced setlist which paid homage to some of their most recognized tracks while still supporting their latest album release, Adult Contemporary. The two also performed their vibrant and dancey track “Bonafied Lovin’” followed by their classic song “Momma’s Boy.” The talk box really makes Chromeo’s sound rather distinctive among other synth-based artists, cultivating their signature sound that has charmed their fans for so many years; and it sounded even better in person! I don’t think I have seen very many bands utilize this instrument and it just had me so captivated with the dynamic sounds that it can output with just the use of one’s own voice, P-Thugg made it look like a walk in the park. Their set was electrifying and created a massive care-free dance floor at the Aragon Ballroom. After what seemed like such a short night full of vibrant tunes, Chromeo closed out the night with their buoyant track, “Jealous (I Ain’t With It),” the perfect way to close out a lively evening.
I could not have asked for a better way to have spent my Saturday night than with this glorious pairing of artists teaming up for an unbelievable and once in a lifetime tour. I love the concept of more popular artists coming together for co-headlining shows and these two have such distinct and intertwining sounds that it could not have been more ideal!
