Chromeo DJs at Americas Cup Village: 2011
Chromeo, the Montreal electro-funk duo of Dave 1 and P-Thugg, DJ'd at the Americas Cup Village in San Diego. The free waterfront event brought their distinctive blend of funk, synth-pop, and humor to a casual outdoor setting.
What Is Chromeo?
Chromeo makes electro-funk - synthesizer-heavy dance music influenced by '80s funk, boogie, and new wave. Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) handles vocals and guitar, while P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel) plays keyboards and talk-box. Together they create music that's simultaneously retro and contemporary, funny and genuine.
Their aesthetic is specific - tight jeans, mustaches, retro synths, and songs about romance and partying delivered with tongue slightly in cheek but hearts fully committed. They're in on the joke but also completely sincere about loving the music they make.
The DJ Set Format
Rather than performing live with instruments, Chromeo DJ'd - mixing tracks, building energy, and creating a party atmosphere. DJ sets allow different kinds of creativity than live performances - reading the crowd, building narratives through track selection, and creating seamless dance experiences.
For a free outdoor event at the waterfront, a DJ set made perfect sense. It's less formal than a full band performance, more flexible, and designed purely for making people dance.
The Americas Cup Village Setting
The Americas Cup Village was a temporary waterfront development in San Diego connected to the America's Cup sailing races. The free concerts and events brought entertainment to the downtown waterfront, creating festive atmosphere.
Outdoor waterfront settings in San Diego are perfect for summer events - mild weather, ocean breezes, and casual vibes. Chromeo's fun, accessible electro-funk fit the setting perfectly.
Electro-Funk's Appeal
Chromeo's music is designed to make you move. The synthesizer bass lines are funky, the beats are precise, and the melodies are catchy. Whether they're playing their own tracks or mixing in influences, the goal is pure dancefloor functionality.
Their songs like "Fancy Footwork," "Jealous (I Ain't With It)," and "Night by Night" showcase their ability to blend retro funk sounds with contemporary production. The talk-box vocals (a Roger Troutman/Zapp influence) add distinctive texture.
The Humor Question
Chromeo walks a fine line between parody and sincerity. Their aesthetic - the mustaches, the retro synths, the '80s-influenced visuals - could be read as ironic. But they genuinely love the music they reference. They're celebrating funk and boogie, not mocking it.
This sincerity-through-apparent-irony confuses some people. But Chromeo proves you can acknowledge that something is kind of ridiculous while also genuinely loving it.
The Montreal Connection
Chromeo comes from Montreal, a city with thriving electronic music and indie scenes. They're part of a generation of Montreal artists (including Arcade Fire, Grimes, and others) who've gained international recognition while maintaining connections to their hometown.
Their Franco-Canadian background influences their sound - they draw on French electro influences like Daft Punk and Justice while maintaining North American funk and R&B references.
Free Waterfront Shows
Free shows at venues like Americas Cup Village serve important functions - they make live music accessible regardless of income, they introduce artists to new audiences, and they create community experiences around music.
Chromeo's willingness to DJ free shows showed understanding that not every performance needs to be a ticketed event. Sometimes you just want to make people dance on a nice evening by the water.
The Verdict
Chromeo DJing at Americas Cup Village was pure fun - electro-funk designed to make people dance, delivered in a casual waterfront setting with no pressure or pretension. Dave 1 and P-Thugg understand that music can be simultaneously retro-influenced and contemporary, funny and sincere, accessible and well-crafted.
If you love funk and electronic music, if you appreciate artists who embrace rather than fight their influences, if you want music designed purely to make you move, Chromeo delivers.
Thank you, Chromeo, for keeping funk alive in electronic contexts and for understanding that free waterfront parties serve essential musical purposes.