Galantis w/ CID, Alex Bosi, and Faraday
Showbox, Seattle, WA
03.02.16
Wait, am I at a rave? The short-shorts on the svelte youth dancing her way through the bar scream “rave booty” across the rear. There are arms stacked high with the most elaborate kandi bead bracelets I’ve ever seen. There are more fuzzy ears and hoods, tails and boots than I can count, like an army of sweat-inducing, live taxidermy. There are barely-dressed girls, a guy in a giraffe onesie, and a gentleman assembling his light-up fingertip gloves in the bar. There’s a couple wearing matching sandwich costumes emblazoned with the words “spread it like peanut buttah” on one, and “jellay” on the other. And then there’s another couple in similar sandwiches.
The night opens with three back-to-back DJ sets from Faraday, Alex Bosi, and CID, who play seamlessly into one another’s sets, keeping the beats going for a good three hours as the venue fills to capacity. Presented by USC Events, this is Galantis’s “Louder, Harder, Better Tour” and everyone knows who they’re here for. Promptly at 10:30pm, the house lights go completely dark and the crowd erupts to a slowly growing beat. A giant Seafox – Galantis’s infamous mascot – lights up the LED screen at the back of the stage, and a rolling cloud of smoke engulfs the room as everyone abandons the bar for the dance floor. I’ve never seen the bar this empty.
As the opening strains of the duo’s 2014 hit “Runaway (U&I)” begin, confetti canons explode, and Galantis is off to an explosive start. Made up of Christian Karlsson, aka Bloodshy, and Linus Eklöw, aka Style of Eye, Galantis is destroying what we know of the electronic dance scene in favor of a thrilling live production. From their innovative songcraft – which begins with pianos and guitars rather than software – to the complete audio/visual experience, the duo has garnered a monster of a following in just a couple of short years.
Individually, Karlsson and Eklöw are known for their hit-making (think Miike Snow, Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, and Madonna), but together they have taken their production prowess to another level. Throughout the show, the duo plays high-mounted drums, leaps off the decks, and generally looks like they’re having the time of their lives. And the crowd is certainly in on the fun. During their track “Firebird” the entire audience fills in the blanks singing the epic lyrics “And all the stars are awaken/To the sound of the firebird/Under the sky half naked” as they dance the night away.
Galantis play most of their own released tracks, filling in transitions with hits like “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” “Seven Nation Army,” “Hotline Bling,” and “Cant Feel My Face.” As the night goes on, the bass seems to drop harder and the beats get dirtier. Galantis’s energy never wanes, they are leaping, dancing, singing along with the crowd, right up until the end, breathing the kind of exuberant life into EDM music that all but guarantees them an ongoing fan base and peer accolades. Their music is more than just beats, or a remix. It is forward-thinking, expertly crafted, and creative, layering soul-stirring vocals with inventive instrumentation until they arrive at a cohesive feeling. And it is definitely a feeling, and an infectious one at that.
Listen here: Spotify, iTunes, Galantis Website
Find a so-worth-it live show here.
Review by Stephanie Dore
Photos by Sunny Martini
Galantis
