Sunday nights get a bad rap for being boring, as college students are usually working on assignments and getting ready for a new week. This Sunday was a little different for me though, as I made my way out to Madison to see electronic duos Machine Girl and 100 Gecs perform live. The venue, The Sylvee, is unconventionally wide which allowed for what felt like a deeper and more personal level of crowd interaction between the performers and the audience, making it one of my favorite concert venues in the state.
Machine Girl is composed of vocalist/guitarist/producer, Matthew Stephenson and drummer, Sean Kelly. Their dynamic yields a unique blend of sounds, primarily belonging to the drum & bass/electronic genre. In terms of versatility, Machine Girl’s projects have always felt extremely multifaceted to me, making them one of my favorite artists rights now, and this aspect of their sound was definitely showcased on stage.
An eager audience meant for a great show, and Stephenson did not shy away from the crowd as he performed their last few songs offstage, right in the center of the audience. Getting to hear your favorite artist play your favorite song is an unforgettable feeling, so when I heard “Scroll of Sorrow“ come on I knew it would be one of my favorite concert experiences, so far.
After the audience was mourning the end of such an amazing opening set, the lights dimmed again, then the crowd began to roar as Dylan Brady and Laura Les of 100 Gecs stormed the stage. The duo does not only turn heads through their sound but also through their appearances. They can usually be spotted wearing their famous cloaks covered in music notes and stars, Brady’s outfit complete with one of the biggest hats I’ve ever seen.
100 Gec’s meshes different elements of noise and sounds that are unconventional, but paired with memorable and high pitched vocals that have captivated their fanbase. Their unique production style can be described as independent and experimental, all in the realm of hyperpop, a subgenre of pop that’s becoming quite popular.
Crowd favorites like “money machine“ and “800 db cloud“ were played, as well as a few of their newer songs like “I Got My Tooth Removed“ from their most recent album “10,000 Gecs.” Their set was accompanied by eye-catching visuals that were almost just as striking as the sounds. Les and Brady were performing while holding handheld video cameras which displayed a distorted video of their faces, a detail that I hadn’t ever seen done at a concert before. After 100 Gecs said their goodbyes and began to head offstage, the audience broke out in a chant bringing them back on for an encore, by extremely popular demand.
In the past, I’ve attended many, many concerts and it’s safe to say that this was one of my absolute favorites. Minutes after the show I was left wanting more, and now hours have passed and I wish I could relive the entire experience. Machine Girl and 100 Gecs put on an unforgettable show and I hope to see them perform live again someday soon.
I rate the concert 5 out of 5 stars.
This story was written by Sofía Cortés. She can be reached at [email protected].
