All concerts have an atmosphere that is capable of taking you to another place, if you let them. With the lights dancing and the crowd standing close, moving their bodies to the same rhythm, it’s hard to not be affected by the altered space created. Australian indie, electronic dance band, Rüfüs du Sol, takes it a step further, making the audience feel not only connected to each other, but to the band members themselves. Skipping past the cliché “Hellooooo Montreal”, “How y’all doing tonight?” and other generic lines often shouted in between songs, the band makes all in the audience feel like what they are experiencing is not only unique, but made for this particular moment. The band members, Tyrone, James and Jon, are not only humble but emit some kind of energy that meshes so well with that of the audience. They draw you in with their intimate thank-yous and then produce sound that vibrates through your whole body, effectively captivating the whole audience and making the venue a collective experience. Their first night of two in Montreal, touring their album Solace, that came out exactly a month before, the band played to an audience completely enamoured by every note; the first time most in the audience can say they’ve heard these songs live.
They draw you in with their intimate thank-yous and then produce sound that vibrates through your whole body, effectively captivating the whole audience and making the venue a collective experience.
Starting the set off with a couple hits from their new album, Solace, the crowd erupts. The lights dive into the crowd, illuminating beaming faces and making the movements of the masses seem to belong to the same flow. The powerful build in the next song, Brighter, from their earlier album, Bloom, seems to soak in the energy of the crowd, getting faster and louder until everyone has their hands in the air, letting themselves go as the beat drops. The vibrant colours pulse in time with the beat and the band’s warm energy, bathing everyone in the room in the same light. Their next song, another energy booster, Like an Animal, lifts everyone off the floor. The band was lit up by the background of neon, and only a silhouette during the height of the song. Tyrone, the lead singer, clearly fueled by the crowd’s energy walks down, engaging closely with the front row, closing his eyes as he fills every lyric with meaning.
Next, with the cover of Radiohead’s Everything in its Right Place, the band not only paid respect to one of their major influences but showcased their ability to blend diverse genres of music in their own unique style. Mixing the dark, but deep tunes of their newest album with their dancier classics, the band displays their ability to create music that reflects their growth and evolution. Their raw lyrics fill the space in the most beautiful way that makes live performance the only way to do the band’s talent enough justice.
The vibrant colours pulse in time with the beat and the band’s warm energy, bathing everyone in the room in the same light.
Rüfüs du Sol, has somehow mastered the perfect balance between creating an intimate moment in the now, and connecting their songs to the past experiences of the audience. Before playing their long, dynamic tune, Innerbloom, in the middle of the set, the members shared that the song brought them back to a performance in Australia a few years back. By acknowledging that music has the power to take one’s mind to the past, it made the present experience even more fuller somehow. You sense that everyone who is singing the lyrics at the top of their lungs right alongside you are also existing at many places at once; their minds floating someplace else while their body moves next to yours.
Pausing to thank the crowd for their energy and say that Montreal is one of their favourite spots on their tour, the band smiles and puts their hands together as if to give the crowd genuine praise and gratitude. Of course, the audience went on to cheer so enthusiastically for what felt like forever. Rüfüs du Sol not only lit up the crowd but seemed to be equally fueled by the energy that returned from the atmosphere they created. There’s something about bands like these that make you remember why concerts are worth every penny.
