On Saturday night, Louis The Child members Robby Hauldren and Freddy Kennetta filled a crowded and sweaty WOW Hall with good vibes and an excellent set of their unique blend of EDM.
The show kicked off with a performance by the mysterious DJ Elohim. Using a set of keyboards and synthesizers, she took the crowd through a series of original songs and remixes that all featured her eerie vocals. Although only a few hundred people or so showed up early enough to catch her set, her songs “Sensations,” “Guts” and “She Talks Too Much” gave the audience a feeling that there is more to come from the talented young artist.
Norwegian DJ Bearson, the show’s second and final opener, took the stage at 10:15 p.m. Despite running into technical difficulties, his brief showcase of EDM featured a European style of house music with consistent trap drum breakdowns.
Elohim and Bearson both provided quality sets that readied the crowd for a nearly two-hour performance by Louis The Child show that featured over 20 remixes and originals from their discography.
Taking the stage at 11:15, the DJs began their set with a series of remixes that included Alt-J’s “Breezeblocks,” Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode” and a mash up of fellow Chicago artists Kanye West’s hits “Monster” and “Touch the Sky.” Their rendition of Chance The Rapper’s “All Night” perfectly described what many audiences members had been doing prior to the show.
While many EDM shows are best enjoyed at an outdoor venue that leaves room for individual dancing and relaxation, the intimacy of WOW Hall gave the audience a necessary spark of Bohemianism.
Louis The Child transformed the corner of 8th and Lincoln from a standard concert hall into a sweaty pit of students that rambunctiously slammed into each other in rhythm with the heavy synth. In place of their usual over the top lights show — which was unavailable due to their equipment truck getting stuck in a snow storm — a 4-foot by 12-foot LED screen sufficiently entertained the crowd with an endless stream of trippy graphics.
Half way through their set, the group asked the audience if they were, “Ready to get down like you never have before.” After an ecstatic response from the crowd, the group played their latest single, “Fire,” which came out in late September, as well as their remix of Miike Snow’s “Genghis Khan.” It ignited the crowd in a full-on sing along. All of this was followed by an incitement from Kennetta to get crazy after the clock struck midnight.
As the band finished their set by playing a brand new track that featured opener Elohim’s vocals, many female audience members were not-so-politely asked to get down from the shoulders of their male counterparts by WOW Hall staff members.
Hauldren took offense to the crowd’s chant of “One more song” responding, “One more song? Just one more? How about a few more?” Leading the audience to erupt as they could see the band’s hit singles “Weekend” and “It’s Strange” were in their immediate future.
The show was filled with dancing, singing and a release of inhibition that — after an exhausting dead week — was much needed for many UO students. Once the show ended, Kennetta addressed the duo’s appreciation for the audience’s engagement, saying, “How amazing is it that we all came together tonight and had a good time? I’m glad we could share this night with you.”
Seeing Louis The Child perform at a sold out WOW Hall might’ve been a once in a lifetime opportunity. The next time they come to the Northwest expect them to either be headlining a major festival or playing at a much larger venue. Look for the electronic DJ duo to completely blow up the EDM scene in the next few years.