Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to celebrate this thing called funk.
Although Chromeo just brought their electric dance party to Lollapalooza less than two months ago, the FunkLordz made it a point to return to Chicago ASAP to give their disciples a full-fledged, unadulterated set. “This is the real show,” said David “Dave 1” Macklovitch midway through the duo’s Sept. 11 performance at Concord Music Hall, noting that while festivals are amazing, a Chromeo set is best experienced once the sun goes down. “You get the whole show as we intended it,” he added.
Fans began chanting the now iconic “Chro-me-o—oh-oh” chant – a nod to The Wizard of Oz – long before Macklovitch and his party partner in crime Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel took the stage. When the rallying cry finally blasted from the speakers – and Macklovitch and Gemayel took their positions as the evening’s electro guild – the transformative effect was immediate. Lights flashed, beats pulsed and the only thing more contagious than the rhythms were the smiles plastered on fans’ faces. Oz ain’t got nothing on the wizardry and wonder of Chromeo.
Chromeo at Concord Music Hall in Chicago 9/11/18
“Come Alive,” “Don’t Sleep” – full of late-1970s R&B sex appeal – and “Bonafied Lovin’” got the dance party started throughout the entire (yes the entire) venue. “If you’ve been following us, you probably know this song right here,” Macklovitch said as Gemayel launched into the layered phrasing of “Juice.” The delicious semi-slow jam – which appears on the duo’s 2018 release Head Over Heels – encompasses all that is Chromeo in a tight luscious package. Disarming humor, irresistible grooves, Macklovitch’s syncopated strums and Gemayel’s pitch-perfect talk box stylings weaved in and out of the radio-friendly single.
Chromeo at Concord Music Hall in Chicago 9/11/18
Head Over Heels may be the album of the moment, but Chromeo still took time out to thank their “Day one… Myspace fans” with the one-two punch of “Night by Night” and “Tenderoni.” Dense and danceable analog beats compliments of Gemayel highlighted the latter tune while the former featured Macklovitch’s face-melting guitar solo – enhanced by the light-beams bouncing off his mirrored guitar – which was one of the best moments of the night.
Time after time, album after album, Chromeo writes perfect pop tunes. From the title track of Fancy Footwork to the tangled web of funk-filled emotion that is “Jealous (I Ain’t With It)” – both of which sent Chicago fans into a two-step frenzy – to the latest crop of glossy, R&B jams on Head Over Heels, the duo continues to prove the cathartic power of a good jam. As fans get lost in the music, dancing their cares away, it’s almost too easy to overlook the immense musical capabilities of Macklovitch and Gemayel.
Chromeo at Concord Music Hall in Chicago 9/11/18
While audience members may miss some of the finer points of each carefully curated arpeggio or slick accent lick, everyone in attendance knew that they had the time of their lives. That is until the next time Chromeo returns to Chicago.
Head over to Chromeo’s Facebook page for upcoming tour dates and check out photos from Chromeo’s Sept. 11, 2018 performance at the Concord Music Hall in Chicago below.
(Photos by Laurie Fanelli)