KAYTRANADA by Joakeem Gaston
Flashback to March 2020, riding the euphoric house wave that ensued with the release of 2019’s BUBBA, and KAYTRANADA was one of the shows I was most eagerly anticipating. Obviously, with quarantine-induced concert cancellations, that experience had to be put on hold until last week, when the Montreal producer and DJ rolled through the House of Blues with Sango in tow to open the show.
While it’s a bit concerning that no one seems to care about mask mandates once inside venues, it’s hard to begrudge such a high positive vibe (but seriously folks, please wear your masks indoors). Even standing in line out front in the blistering weather of another Boston December, spirits were unshakable. While I was waiting to get in, I saw two longtime friends roll up, pulling them into line with me. Considering I was low key expecting to run into an ex, two people I’ve been friends with since college were much more welcome sights.
Detroit producer Sango opened the night with some Frank Ocean, toying with our emotions oh so effectively. At the height of his set, he dedicated a section of songs to his hometown of Detroit and the city’s role in the invention of techno by queer Black communities.
Sango by Joakeem Gaston
I’d only seen KAYTRANADA spin once before in a small bar in his hometown of Montreal, where his set was much more focused on playing other people’s music. This time around, I was excited to hear more of his tracks, since he has such a distinctive sound and style. Sure enough, his set this time around was a collection of his own tracks, mostly taken from BUBBA, 2016’s 99.9%, plus a slew of his remixes for others, including Chance the Rapper’s “All Night,” Janet Jackson’s “If,” and Solange’s “Cranes in the Sky.” I was surprised to hear the Solange remix, actually; as much as I love it, it can tug on the heartstrings, so I wasn’t sure if that was the vibe for the night. But we got through it with minimal tears and reduced pining.
My only complaint with shows like this is that they tend to be a little too crowded to actually dance around in any meaningful way, but that’s no fault of the performers. It’s just… I like when I get to dance to my dance music. Overall, both KAYTRANADA and Sango are must-sees for anyone with a mutual love of hip-hop, house, and R&B.
Check out our gallery of KAYTRANADA and Sango’s sets at House of Blues below.
