It's not often you get the chance to go back in time.
Well, technically speaking, the laws of physics might make this impossible. But that's just one more reason why the Digitalism show at Bardot was so special.
When Jens "Jence" Moelle and İsmail "Isi" Tüfekçi took the stage (because the Midtown Miami club had to build a stage just for the German duo), it was almost like we were back in 2007 all over again. For a sweet hour and a half, things were good.
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The hours leading up to Digitalism's performance were pretty chill. The DJ was spinning lots of really groovy disco and the pool table was getting a work out. It took a while for the "sold out" dance floor to pack tight. But by the time the lights dimmed at about 12:30 a.m., it was like, "Good luck squeezing into the front row."
They started things off appropriately with "Miami Showdown," the dark stage flashing in blue strobe. They were hella Kraftwerkian up there, just two dudes hunched over some small equipment, rocking their bodies in perfect, almost freaky unison.
They sped up the beat as it turned into "Idealistic," the punchy single from their debut album. They kept the vibe moving up and down throughout the night, sometimes going deep and dark, while other times setting the crowd off on jumping fits.
The backdrop was the cover of their second album I Love You Dude, just a white heart on a black cloth. It's safe to say they're still running on those feel-good vibes. They led the crowd in so many claps and flashed so many heart hands, you'd think they'd never seen Digitalism live either.
In fact, it has been a while since the duo hit a stage without turntables. And this is kind of a special tour, not lined-up with the promotion of any release in particular. They were just having fun, and it showed on their faces.
They dug equally into both albums, playing jams like "Magnets," "Zdarlight," "Falling," "Forrest Gump" and "Circles." They even worked in a bit of Daft Punk homage, dropping snippits of "Human After All" and "Together." They kept the flow going like a DJ set, working each song into each other and keeping the tempo up at a good danceable speed.
A few times at the peak of their energy, the crowd threw napkins into the air like giant confetti. The place was as in love with them as they seemed with us. So, when the clock struck 1:30 and the pair mimed goodbyes and started to walk away, the crowd took the cue to chant "one more song" without hesitation. They acted like they were serious for many all of thirty seconds before re-manning their gear.
They milked it out, finishing with the effervescent chords of "Pogo," a total classic. It was the perfect way to finish our time traveling adventure, even if no one in the crowd seemed to be able to get the hand claps right.
"Thank you," the dark-haired on, Ismail Tufecki, said with his heart hands flashing. "We love you, dudes."
Suddenly, the lights were on and we were back to 2013, but at least the show we'd waited six years to see was totally worth it.
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