De Lux, Live at KCRW’s Made in L.A. at Hammer Museum

KCRW’s Summer Nights are in full swing. Thursday night kicked off the first of several eclectic festivities from live concerts at the Santa Monica Pier to pop up clubs like the Made in L.A. Music. The Do-Over and Innovative Leisure took initiative in presenting the first of four Made in L.A. Events with De Lux (live set) and KCRW DJ Mathieu Schreyer at the Hammer Museum.

Apparently by the night’s end a line wrapped from the entrance to around the corner of the building. What waited inside the museum was worth the patience. The free event promised a night of dancing, mingling, and even drinking a signature cocktail – the Georgia Peach. Hoards of eclectic characters filled the open space. The central courtyard, though stark white and quite bare, was anything but boring; it was mod and chic. IKEA provided furnishings to promote maximum socializing in the large bar area of the courtyard. Mood lighting beamed across the yard. Surprisingly, the folks were not deterred by the 30-minute bar lines; if anything, it really gave way to making the club experience all the more realistic. Even a few stragglers awkwardly skanked to the electro beats pulsating heavier by the minute.

After a couple hours of mind-numbing dub step mixes, De Lux performed. The Los Angeles-based duo revived the post-punk/post-disco sound joining the likes of the indie electro masters that came before them. Their music has been compared to that of The Talking Heads, LCD Soundsystem and The Rapture. Those shoes have remained large ones to fill, but De Lux made the perfect fit. They completely bulldozed the challenge, in fact.

Singer Sean Guerin’s howls were reminiscent of David Byrne. His matter of fact attitude and repetitive lyrics mimicked the likes of LCD. The group’s funky disco dance vibe only perpetuated the modernization of their predecessors. Ultimately, they brought a perfect blend to the table. It was so refreshing that it entertained the entire audience. Much of their entertainment value stemmed from their flawless adaptations of their studio sound into a live venue. For such newcomers, that was an admirable quality to behold.

Perhaps that magic has always been a part of their process. The two main members Sean Guerin and Isaac Franco met in high school, but they did not embark on their musical journey together til a few years later. The collaborative energy flowed easily, proving that their musical chemistry was palpable. The rest was history. They laid down track after track and released their freshman album Voyage earlier this year. Now that they are touring, their music is infecting one city at a time. Even though they have only played a handful of sets as a full band, these guys have still mastered the art of pleasing a crowd. Their sweet, innocent grimaces and lively ebbs and flows while strumming away added a charming quality to their demeanor.

De Lux is climbing its way to the top. Get a taste of the hype on KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic interview and set with them from earlier Thursday morning.

Set List for De Lux

Thirty

Sometimes Your Friends Are Not Your Friends

Brighter End of Dark

Better at Making Time

Someday Now

Moments

Love Is a Phase

On the Day

It All Works All the Time

Rachel Zimmerman: Rachel Zimmerman (Long Beach, CA) joined the mxdwn team in 2011 as a Live Concert Reviewer. It was the perfect intersection of two of her greatest passions- music and writing. Her love for anything artistic manifested early in life as she designed clothing, created ceramic sculptures, and curated personal playlists for her peers in elementary and high school. As an avid fan of live music, she always found a way to see her favorite musical artists play, whether it was by babysitting enough to pay for tickets to shows or by winning tickets on the radio. Several years, concerts and festivals later, she worked her way up to her current position as Concert Review Editor for music.mxdwn.com. She especially enjoys sharing her love for music with her young nephew who has an affinity for rock and roll and jazz. Rachel continues to review concerts, interview artists and annually attend SXSW in Austin, TX on behalf of mxdwn.
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