Sofi Tukker at the Byline Aragon Ballroom.
On October 19th, Sofi Tukker brought their electrifying energy to Chicago's Byline Aragon Ballroom for a night that seamlessly blended house music, indie pop, and Latin rhythms.
photo by Kamil Surma.
The evening of October 19th was a little chilly for my taste, but that was hardly the only reason I was eager to get inside the Byline Aragon Ballroom. That night, this historic venue’s stage would be graced by Sofi Tukker, an iconic house music duo who met at Brown in 2014 and have been creating music together ever since. The duo have received immense praise for blending electronic music, house music, hip hop, indie pop, and Latin-inspired rhythms, and their work has earned them two Grammy nominations. Their performance, which was the eighteenth of their 2024 Bread Tour, showcased their versatility, blending captivating audiovisuals with intricate choreography, and keeping the crowd moving until their encore.
Walking into the ballroom, I was immediately struck by the beautiful Spanish Baroque style of the interior. The room looked like the courtyard of an Iberian palace, lined on both sides with ornate balustrades and balconies. The galaxy-themed ceiling was equally impressive, painted with blue, purple, and black swirls and glitter, and dotted with small lights to resemble stars. As I found my place, Brazilian DJ Carola, the opening act, was already on the stage, rocking to the beat of her hit “Come with Me.” The energy of the predominantly millennial crowd was palpable as they grooved to the blaring Latin techno beats. The audience was funky, with many people dressed all in leather and donning various types of hats. I stood behind an older woman who not only wore a light-up cape but also carried an enormous Japanese fan, every so often sending a breeze our way. We were standing near the stage in the middle of the dance floor with a few rows of people in front—overall, a great location.
Soon, DJ Carola closed her set. Then, the lights dimmed before turning bright red, and the first chords of “Bread” began playing under electronic Portuguese vocals. The lights revealed the stage setup: a Roman marble table, a Roman arch, two more metal arches, a podium toward the front of the stage, and a giant screen behind the set displaying a dynamic view of palm trees from some moving vehicle. Out came Sofi—a spunky electric guitar in hand—Tukker, and four of their backup dancers as they found their places onstage and held one arm up. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers. “Bread,” the first song from their new album, set the night's tone and reeled everyone in with its melodic tune, heavy bassline, and gradually increasing tempo.
The next song was “Best Friend,” which you might have heard in an Apple commercial in 2017. An ode to the duo's friendship, it proved a perfect opportunity to showcase the strengths of their audiovisual stage setup. The same red lights from “Bread” immersed the room. The arched pillars on the stage were extended on the screen behind the stage, still from the perspective of a vehicle moving through rows of palm trees. Sofi swayed in flowy purple pants and a sparkly top, singing and strumming her guitar while Tukker worked his magic, hitting one of the metal arches to the beat and playing a row of electric synthesizers on the marble table. The crowd knew every word and sang along, creating an energy of friendship, freedom, and joy.
“Original Sin” saw the typically shy Tukker step onto the podium and sing in his deep, nonchalant voice while Sofi motioned for the crowd to sing along. The audience was hooked; everyone around me knew every word, and many hands waved to the beat. The Roman arched pillars remained illuminated, and the screen behind the stage split into 3 sections, lighting up individually at timed intervals. The screen displayed Sofi’s head being immersed in some kind of paint as she squinted her eyes.
The night’s playful energy was at its height as the bass dropped on “Throw Some Ass.” The crowd was instantly transformed into a sea of dancers, encouraged by Sofi, Tukker, and their backup dancers.. Tukker waved a fist in the air while managing the synthesizer with the other hand, and Sofi stood on the podium with her back to the audience, unsurprisingly throwing some ass, along with her backup dancers on either side doing the same. All of them moved in perfect unison. Behind them, red and purple strobe lights flashed toward the crowd, and the screen showed dancing silhouettes that mirrored Sofi and her dancers. Even the more reserved audience members embraced the moment, falling into the joyful chaos of the song.
Sofi's stage presence is almost beyond words. Whether she’s dancing freely across the stage, balancing between shredding her guitar and singing, or executing some truly flawless choreography, she maintains an incredible connection with the audience. At several points during the night, Sofi spoke directly to the crowd, thanking them for their unwavering energy and support. She even took time to express gratitude for the Brazilian members of the audience, noting how their sound inspired her and people of all backgrounds to come together and dance before she performed her acoustic ode to Brazil: “Brazilian Soul.”
As the night came to a close, Sofi and Tukker delivered two more high-energy hits: “Purple Hat” and “Drinkee.” The two stood on opposite podiums from each other and began snapping their fingers in sync as Tukker opened with a rap, "Purple hat, cheetah print, dancing on the people…." “Purple Hat” had the entire crowd jumping and dancing to its distinctive hi-hats, pulsing guitar riffs, and layered vocals.
The duo closed with “Drinkee,” the song that helped catapult them to international fame. The song’s catchy electric guitar melody served as a perfect base for the portuguese vocals and synth rhythms of Sofi’s voice. The crowd went wild as the unmistakable beat echoed through the venue. It was a perfect send-off—an explosive ode to the duo's international influences, incredible stage presence, and energy.
edited by Justin Walgren.
photo by Kamil Surma.