Jägermeister presenting Digitalism, on tour for their current release I Love You Dude, at U Street Music Hall on Monday, should have portended the night. The Hamburg, Germany electro-duo put on a show complete with both beats and multicolored lights pulsating like your heart as you race down the autobahn in yes, an American car.
UHall was unfortunately sparsely filled during Craig Sopo’s (of Baltimore’s More or Less DJ crew) fun set, as the few who arrived early milled about and found adult beverages. The aptly named Data Romance (“Is that a Digitalism cover band?”) had a few converts dancing wildly in a line in front of the stage, as Ajay Bhattacharyya made the most of his equipment, his hands moving at blinding speeds, and Amy Kirkpatrick made the most of her voice. They are a bit hesitant at first, but then get comfortable and robust, and as Kirkpatrick sings “Street Life,” I remark that there is something wavering and Irish-American brogue-y about her voice, as if Tori Amos’ little sister got lost in a room full of synthesizers.
Then in what would continue to be a heart and love-themed night, Jens Moelle and İsmail Tüfekçi lead the audience in a fist-pumping, arm-flailing frenzy during their performance, which of course included “Two Hearts,” their most recognizable single from I Love You Dude. Indeed, throughout the night, audience members made “heart fingers” adjoining the thumbs and forefingers on each hand to make a heart overhead. “Circles,” the other single from this year’s album, the body-shaking “Reeperbahn,” and “Pogo,” a single from 2007’s Idealism, were all notable standouts during the long, sweaty set.
With his bright blond hair, pallid countenance, and slender physique, “Isi” would pop out from behind the decks and channel Bowie for a few minutes here and there, if Bowie were really excited to be playing for a bunch of American kids in a discotheque basement. “Jence,” Isi’s opposite in appearance, a large, bearded bear of a man, was somehow even more enthusiastically waving and flashing bright smiles. (“I want him to be my best friend,” I whispered.)
Extended banger house intros blended with video game beats and ’80s synth riffs to leave everyone in attendance pretending that it was not actually a Monday night, but a displaced weekend night in a quirky expat club somewhere deep in Europe. This club was complete with scantily-clad Jäger girls giving away t-shirts to large men tanned in varying shades of orange. There was one attendee who wore a wifebeater undershirt with a green tie (holiday-themed, perhaps?), and as he ran up front to catch the boys up close during the encore, I have never seen a more ecstatic Situation.
While the “hipster elite” of DC may lament the impeding bro-ification of its venues, decry their chatter during sets, and scoff at Beckys’ requests for DJs to spin more Britney, I say, give me more of this! Digitalism marries indie rock and electro house and dance punk, and brings us together so that no ones cares where you came from or how you got to this little expat corner of the world.
All were dancing, fists were flying to the rhythm, and Digitalism ensured that everyone could honestly say, “I love you, dude.”
Photo: Richie Carver
