Madeon, an electronic music producer, performed at The Bluestone on April 29.
Credit: Elizabeth Tzagournis / Lantern Reporter
20-year-old electronic music producer, Madeon (Hugo Pierre Leclercq) performed at The Bluestone Wednesday night. The venue, a 19th century former Baptist church with stained glass windows and gothic architecture, gave the concert a mystical feel. The evening show began at 9 p.m. with The Yacht Club followed by The M Machine. Both opening acts helped pump up the crowd with their catchy beats and light productions.
The crowd included anyone and everyone – from neon hula hoopers to an enthusiastic juggler and a man with a bubble machine. Students eager to take a short respite from finals mixed with the random loner dancers and middle-aged moms and dads looking for a night away from the kids.
The atmosphere, initially mellow, reenergized with the entrance of the main attraction. A deep bass reverberated in the near darkness, signaling the young star’s arrival. As white lights slowly illuminated the stage, the tension in the pit was nearly palpable. In an instant the room was filled with a burst of light and a skinny kid rocking a plain white T-shirt.
At this point, Madeon, his music and his fans all seemed in sync. With each drop of the beat, lights would flash and the entire performance was a captivating, synchronized sensation. Madeon is a painter and his turntable is his canvas. While the overall performance was visually incredible, it’s Madeon’s true talent that brought his show to the next level.
Two parts talent and one part humility is another way to describe the international star. The floppy hair and bashful smile don’t seem like the norm in the electronic music world but they serve Madeon well and set him apart from his competitors. He’s the kid who, even if you don’t know him very well, you can’t help but like him just the same. As the audience sang “There is a place in the distance” during “The City” it was as if Madeon had truly created a new world, a place where funky beats and light shows are an everyday routine.
One of my personal favorites, “You’re On,” had the crowd swaying to the beat and crooning the words “It’s been so long since I’ve heard your name.” Madeon’s name, surely, will not be soon forgotten.
