Electronic multi-instrumentalist Big Wild, aka Jackson Stell, brought his Wild Child tour to Boston on Saturday September 13.

The evening at the House of Blues could best be described as a vibey dance party, with an effective opening EDM set from Shallou to warm the crowd up. With his work complete and the crowd moving, Shallou’s short set gave way to the main event, and Big Wild was able to keep the momentum seamlessly. Backed by his small band, Jackson Stell took to center stage and fluidly alternated between the instruments arrayed around him.

The project’s third album, Wild Child was the primary feature of the night. A direct response to the self-serious creative process that forged his sophomore album The Efferusphere, Wild Child is a deliberately lighter, more freewheeling journey. The album’s particular focus on reconnecting with joy and playfulness translated into the live show. Danceable and high energy but never frenetic, the music was in a word, effervescent, and the crowd was drinking it in the whole night. While the audience up front was packed together in a bouncing aggregate of raised hands, couples and singles could be spotted having their own dance party in the back of the room. If the goal of the Wild Child tour was capturing and conveying a childlike freedom and unpretentious creativity, Big Wild can claim mission accomplished.

Check out all of Greg’s photos from the show below.