The audience poured into The Westway chatting up amongst themselves and lounging with their cocktails all waiting in anticipation for a night of electronically infused music. Tomboy, a duo from Brooklyn comprising of Sarah Aument and William Shore opened for the evening. Aument’s resounding vocals along with Shore’s adroit handling of the xylophone along with layers of digital textures really established a tranquil atmosphere.
It was impressive with the range of sounds just two people can bring to the stage. Before going to this show I never even knew that playing the xylophone with a bow was even a thing. Tomboy set the bar really high for the rest of the night as two more acts were to follow. By the end of their set I had a fever, and the only prescription was more xylophone.
Up next was Panama. The trio from Sydney, Australia really started to pick up the energy in the room. A strong dance beat with a light hovering ambience of electronic sounds got people off the floor and climbing up to the red glowing platform at the center of the room to move their feet. One of the moments that really caught me during their set was when they played “Destroyer.” The steady moving trance inducing piece was almost like a homage to 1980’s New Wave with a great sing along chorus of “Oh oh oh oooh, such a time destroyer.”
After Panama was done playing and the sound crew was setting up for the next act, I took a small break from the venue. Outside in the front of The Westway there were pumped concert goers talking with great enthusiasm about Lemaitre. A few days prior to the show they had released their new EP. For those unfamiliar with Lemaitre, they are an indie electronic group that hails from Oslo, Norway named after the Belgian priest who proposed an idea that would be later known as the Big Bang Theory. As soon as I walked back in, I was blown away as the group started.
Throughout the evening there was a gradual increase of momentum with each act and Lemaitre was the manifestation of this force making impact. The Norwegian group came to the show armed to the teeth with house-like grooves and radiance. Behind them, their insignia was blasting with all sorts of vibrant patterns that would leave you in awe. It was a performance for the ears and the eyes. In short, they turned the show into a party. Overall, it was a night well spent. There was the feeling of being at a nightclub, but with the elegance of seeing live performers. It was music you can dance your face off to, but also music that you can just sit back and take in.
Article by: Hayden Johnson
