| « Holdfast EP Release Show @ Reggie's | Interview: Light Pollution plays with Japandroids New Years Day » |
Concert Sat Jan 01 2011
Review: Flosstradamus NYE @ Lincoln Hall, 12/31
Hordes of lurching shoeless drunk girls shivering in tiny dresses, boys covered in glitter and sweat, and a dance floor littered with popped balloons and an air of bad decisions is just another typical New Year's Eve in Chicago. Maybe it was the unseasonably warm weather or maybe people were just ready to say good riddance to 2010, but the crowd packed into the Flosstradamus New Year's Eve party at Lincoln Hall were not content with just standing on the sidelines; they came to dance.
Even opening act Gemini Club got the bodies moving on the floor with their blend of spastic electro rock. Lead singer Tom Gavin's vocals sound like he's channeling equal parts the Arctic Monkeys and Klaxons, making the band have a very British pop/nu-rave feel to it. By the time midnight was close, the walls were vibrating with bass and the floor was packed to the point of barely being able to dance. Running a bit behind schedule, Flosstradamus sped onstage right before the obligatory countdown and balloon drop combination. The duo spun together some Lil John and classic "Auld Lang Syne" as kisses and champagne were passed around. But it was a Chicago kind of night after all, and as the duo wished the crowd a Happy New Year (their first hometown NYE show since 2007), they put on another hometown favorite, Kanye West's "Dark Fantasy." Judging from the audience's response, both Floss and Kanye have had a good year.
Two things that are constants at any Flosstradamus show is a cache of popular and sometimes oft forgotten dance floor bangers and a certain level of absurdity. As the duo sent a shout out to A-trak, they drop his side project Duck Sauce's single "Barbara Streisand." It's obviously one of the more enjoyable dance tracks of 2010, but it clearly shines on a larger sound system than my home stereo, and the energy in the room spikes incredibly high. Floss knows a good track that will get a room moving, but that absurd nature is still there, as a powerpoint above the dj booth scrolls "the most beautiful girl in the world" and launches into a montage of photos of Penelope Cruz, followed by a montage of dancing babies. The duo slides into their own Matt & Kim remix, blending it together seamlessly with another classic, Basement Jaxx's "Where's Your Head At." The night was littered with other guaranteed crowd favorites including Daft Punk's "One More Time," Benny Benassi's "Satisfaction," and Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up." There are some songs that every DJ should own and know when to pull out at the right moment to keep a crowd's momentum rolling, and Floss have perfected this balance in their live show.
The night ended heavy on the nostalgic hip-hop (nostalgic for the 18+ crowd), including some Biggie, Mystikal, Snoop Dogg, and DMX, which inspired many well deserved crowd singalongs. As Kid Sister (who celebrated but didn't perform) got the crowd dropping it low to Savage's "Swing," Floss busted out a little "Pro Nails" to close out the night. The boys drained their bottles of Champagne, the lights came up, and the intoxicated crowd headed outside to battle it out for a NYE cab. It was sweaty, sloppy, and above all else fun, a perfect way to ring in the new year.
