On Wednesday night Blisspop’s home base, U Street Music Hall, had some serious talent come through. With a lineup consisting of Kygo, Bodhi, and Blisspop’s very own, Caleb L’Etoile, I can honestly say it was one awesome night. This show was sold out for a solid month before the date and the artists definitely showed why.
Kygo
Kygo is on the verge of being one those producers who could be in the dance game for a while. At only 22, the same age as fellow upstart Flume, his unique sound is making waves all the way from Norway – and as the headliner he came to DC ready to shine! He dropped his brand of uplifting rhythms for a packed, and very excited, crowd.
His ability to take soulful lyrics, new and old, and transform them over 100 bpm is quite impressive. Kygo brings a unique combination of mainstream electronic with underground chill step that is sure to resound with any audience.
His set showcased his popular remixes that have garnished huge numbers on Soundcloud and other music mediums. Tracks like Ellie Goulding’s “High for This” and Ed Sheeran’s “No Diggity/Thrift Shop” (my favorite) were totally flipped once Kygo got his hands on them. Add in the occasional deep, dance track and the crowd stayed energized throughout, creating an ebb and flow of emotions that is symbolic of a good party.
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U Hall was definitely bumpin’ in a very festival-esque kind of way. Good vibes and positive feelings, there were plenty of smiles and happy Kygo fans. With DC in his pocket, I wonder what’s next for Kygo? It will be interesting to hear how he develops this sound and to see where takes himself as a musician.
Skål, DC!
P.S. Check out his mix on Diplo&Friends on BBC! It’s a good example of his sound.
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Bodhi
SO impressed, I wasn’t ready for that hour and a half. An eclectic mix of deep house and nu disco, Bodhi came on a mission: To make DC dance. Just so much hard-hitting bass, they truly got the crowd going. The duo would take turns managing the mix, each out doing the other with every song. This had U Hall going wild — warmed up and ready to dance.
These guys are UK-based, coming from Cardiff, and they brought one killer set. The force is strong with these two, and their killer set brought a minimal feel with funked out vocals. Bodhi even dropped old-school Detroit tech-house track, “Disco Music†by Klic – I was so shocked, I began dancing like Elaine Benes.
They dropped their original track “Imperfection†and remix of “Love Sex Magic,†and even ended on their bass-riddled version of Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch’s “Good Vibrations.†Well done, Bodhi, well done. They packed the dance floor with a continuous flood of jams, and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on them going forward. Here’s their latest EP below, which dropped 6 days ago.
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Caleb L’Etoile
DC-native and house music connoisseur, our very own Caleb brought class to the opening act. If you haven’t heard this man’s passion yet, or his remixes, then you better check him out soon. His strand of dance music could keep you on the floor for hours, no drinks necessary. Dropping serious vibes with tracks like the PBR Streetgang mix of “Superstitious Heart” and Jesper Ryom’s remix of Sleep Party People’s “Chin,” his steady stream of house tracks can remind you of walking around South Beach during WMC.
Great set last night, and I’m excited to see what he has in store for The Union BBQ next Saturday! Check out his remix of Bad Sun’s “Salt.â€
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