Much history has been made, both good and bad, along the shores of the great St. Lawrence River, but few of those events has provided cause for continued celebration like the birth of Chromeo.
The electronic funk duo of David “Dave 1” Macklovitch and Patrick “P-Thugg” Gemayel formed in the early 2000s after the two became friends as young musicians at a school upriver from Montreal — and together as Chromeo, they’ve now released five studio albums, fostering a large population of fans and earning a Grammy nomination along the way.
While the tandem joked in its early years about their contrasting backgrounds — Dave 1 is Jewish, P-Thugg was born in Lebanon — there’s no question the successful venture and growing musical empire represents more than just the explosive, dance-inducing sounds that have made Chromeo a favorite at festivals near and far.
Listen to Chromeo’s newest release, the single “Personal Effects,” via Spotify:
With a wildly entertaining sold-out show at 9:30 Club on Oct. 12, these two longtime pals showed that they’re a model for a lasting friendship fortified and nourished through music.
Adored worldwide and connected to some of the most powerful musicians on the planet, Chromeo is busier than ever working on a forthcoming album, collaborations galore and seemingly closing the circle with Juliet Records, formed by Macklovitch and Gemayel as an incubator for on-the-rise talent.
Out on what’s being billed as the FUNK YOURSELF tour, Chromeo brought along two choice artists at 9:30 Club: Stevedreez, a Virginia-based DJ on the Juliet roster, and Chicago disco-rapper Ric Wilson, with whom Chromeo joined forces for this year’s Clusterfunk project along with Macklovitch’s brother, the in-demand DJ A-Trak.
Listen to the Clusterfunk project, featuring Chromeo, Ric Wilson and A-Trak, via Spotify:
A colorful, shamelessly funky set featuring some of the band’s most beloved tracks — illuminated by newly installed light fixtures — the evening delivered for both attendees and the musicians alike, as Macklovitch was emotional in sharing how much it meant to both him and his closest comrade to play such a storied venue to a passionate packed house.
Chromeo Setlist
Intro
Fancy Footwork
(I Don’t Need A) New Girl
Juice
Somethingood
Tenderoni
Don’t Sleep
Bad Decision
Replacements
Night by Night
Come Alive
Must’ve Been
Momma’s Boy
Over Your Shoulder
Words With You
Needy Girl
Lost on the Way Home
Old 45’s
Bonafied Lovin’
Jealous (I Ain’t With It)
Encore
Don’t Turn the Lights On
100%
Personal Effects
Here are images of Chromeo, along with opening acts Ric Wilson and Stevedreez, performing at 9:30 Club in Washington DC the night of Oct. 12, 2023. All photos copyright and courtesy of Casey Ryan Vock.
Chromeo
Ric Wilson
Steve Dreez
