Review: Louis The Child at 9:30 Club
Louis The Child’s music has always been a staple in my playlists. Frederic Kennett and Robert Hauldren, who met in high school, began DJing as a duo in 2012 and have been taking over the EDM scene ever since with their brilliant mixes and new electro house/future bass sounds. Watching their growth over the years and witnessing them expand their sound has been an adventure in itself. I was more than willing to drop everything on my schedule on a random Wednesday night to catch the first show of their sold out two-night residency at 9:30 Club. This time around, they brought the musical sounds of American Alternative R&B artist R.LUM.R, and German soul rock artist NoMBe with them.
The opening acts perfectly complemented and accentuated the eclectic direction of Louis the Child’s new EP, “Kids at Play.” R.LUM.R’s set featured soulful tunes that resonated with the early crowd perfectly. He alternated between ballads and dance tunes throughout his set and warm interactions with fans made him a crowd favorite.
Following R.LUM.R’s set, NoMBe took the stage and presented an almost psychedelic rock energy to the crowd. Channeling a Hendrix like persona, he commanded the crowd with smooth, solid transitions and drum heavy tunes. In the middle of the set he pulled out his signature LED guitar and jumped into the crowd to play amongst the fans. Amping up the energy, his set was a perfect transition into Louis the Child’s set.
Unveiling an LED crown in front of the DJ booth, LTC opened with a home movie sequence before stepping out and greeting the stage. Dropping an energetic electro-trap tune accompanied by hypnotic rainbow visuals, LTC’s cool, new sound was excitedly welcomed. Their history of deconstructed beats and cool drops were also ever present throughout the set as they remixed their more notable songs including “Right To It” and “Blasé.” They brought NoMBe back out to perform their collab “Save Me From Myself” off their latest album. Each tune they played had a different feel on the subgenre spectrum; from heavier trap drops to electro house, the wave of diversity and mixing expertise was something special to experience.
In addition to the the distinct sound of Louis the Child, they brought with them some of the most fun and imaginative light displays I have ever seen. The crowd basked in the light of purple, green, blue and yellow lasers and strobes and were mesmerized by a wall of LED bulbs synchronised to the beat of the music. At times, the strobes would shine on the giant ceiling disco ball to create an epic disco dance scene.
The crowd danced around in the rain of confetti and lights, concluding yet another stop on the Dear Sense tour. As a long time fan, the duo’s growth and sound experimentation made me more than proud to be a supporter. From festival sets to more intimate venues like 9:30 Club, they expose their audience to new and futuristic sounds, opening people's minds to the eclectic nature of EDM.
All photos by Mike Kim.