Chants of “Chromeo-o-oh! Chromeo-o-oh!” pulsed through the air as the crowd at the House of Blues Boston waited for the Montreal duo to unveil their special brand of 80s-inspired electrofunk. The chants turned to cheers as Dave 1 and P-Thugg took the stage behind a pair of keyboards sporting the band’s signature sexy legs. Chromeo immediately launched into a set of beloved classics, with the addition of a few hits from their upcoming album, Business Casual (to be released in September).
Together since 2001, Dave 1’s guitar and P-Thugg’s synthesizer and robotic talk box create an onstage persona that triggers an all-night dance extravaganza. Some have compared the pop duo to Hall &’ Oates, with whom Chromeo recently performed at Bonnaroo.
Chromeo began the night with an energy that continued throughout their entire set. “Bonafied Lovin’ (Tough Guys),” made an early appearance, demonstrating Chromeo’s ability to pair their inspired wit with disco beats. It is no wonder that the song won a Bucky Award (honoring Canadian indie pop and rock music) in 2007. During the build-up to Chromeo’s breakout hit “Needy Girl,” off their first album She’s in Control, Dave 1 addressed the crowd, saying, “This next one goes out to anyone who’s known a girl who calls just a little too much.” Most of the guys and plenty of the girls in the crowd replied enthusiastically and danced on.
Fan favorite album Fancy Footwork was featured with hits like “Tenderoni” and “Waiting 4 U.” Current single and personal favorite, “Night By Night,” evoked the same passionate response amongst the crowd that it does with the dancers in the music video. As an inside joke for all true Chromeo fans, in between songs, Dave 1 and P-Thugg threw in “Nice N Clean” from their tryst on Nick Jr.’s hit television show Yo Gabba Gabba.
The night felt like it ended before it even began, with Chromeo playing for what seemed like seconds even though they captivated a sold-out venue for a solid 80 minutes. The mood never wavered from bright and upbeat, which may have let down anyone expecting more of a range from the duo. But Chromeo is above all a fun, danceable band, and judging from the crowd’s reaction, they were not disappointed. Show encore, “100%,” stated exactly what every audience member was thinking, “I want to let you know/ I won’t let you go until you say please/ 100%.” Because 100%, if not more, is exactly how much fervor Chromeo brought with them, creating a memorable concert-going experience.
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