Last Thursday and Friday, the Majestic hosted another one of their legendary two-night runs. This time around, the weekend featured The Floozies, following up on the groovy electro-instrumental vibes that performed so well last September when Cherub rocked similar back-to-back shows. In typical Majestic style, the proper social media channels were abuzz for months leading up to the shows, playing into the wave of hype that led both nights to sell out. For everyone who had the sense to grab tickets to both nights before they sold out, that anticipation skyrocketed when The Floozies announced that they'd be playing two unique sets: not a single song would be repeated.
There's something beautifully overwhelming about sold-out nights at the Majestic. When I made it over to the Majestic on Thursday, it initially felt like the usual routine: freezing walk, will call, ticket rip, hand stamp, and into the venue, where the opening DJ had already begun performing. But at that time, hours before The Floozies would take the stage, the place was already packed wall-to-wall. The main dance floor was difficult to navigate, as it had already filled in front to back, with what would be a headline-caliber energy level for your typical electronic show. But alas, this was no average show. The funk had only just begun.
After spending a miserable week with the flu, the Thursday night show was the first time in days that I had dragged myself out of bed long enough to leave the house. I felt like a zombie sneezing and wheezing my way into the Majestic, determined to enjoy the show, even if it meant standing still and straight-faced against the wall while my friends danced around me. However, I was extremely impressed by DJ/producer/instrumentalist Russ Liquid, who directly supported The Floozies on the bill. His set actually managed to get me dancing and smiling for the first time all week, a huge accomplishment given my physical state.
A man of many talents, Russ Liquid's deep beats were accompanied by live jazz solos as he switched off between his trumpet and flute. Coming from a background in instrumental music, I've always had a soft spot for electronic dance artists who incorporate live instrumentation into their performance. Russ Liquid rocked the Majestic stage behind a dark pair of shades, laying down melodies and solos over his music with a cool and collected demeanor that really set the tone for the rest of the night without going overboard on the manufactured hype that opening artists often depend on. Not once during his set did I see Russ Liquid running around the stage making the arms-in-the-air, "turn the hell up" gesture to the crowd, yet the dance floor was alive and thriving throughout his set, a small victory I appreciated. That natural energy lingered in the air even after the house lights went on as a packed house eagerly awaited the forthcoming funk explosion.
The next part of my story is a familiar one: The lights went out, The Floozies hit the stage and hundreds of fans simultaneously lost their minds. For those unfamiliar, The Floozies consist of Matt and Mark Hill, two brothers from Lawrence, Kanas who have spent years luring dance music fans worldwide into their melting pot of glitchy electro-funk, live instrumentation and heavy bass. DJ, producer and guitarist Matt Hill builds the melodic backbone of The Floozies, laying down smooth electric guitar grooves complemented by crisp electronic dance beats. Meanwhile, drummer Mark Hill throws it down on his kit, enriching the tunes with an additionally driving and rhythmically powerful energy. The set began with a driving bass groove that set the stage for some of the band's more blues-oriented, guitar-heavy work from 2014’s Tell Your Mother. One of the peak moments of the set came just a few songs in when the band played “Ice Cold,” the entire crowd reciprocating The Floozies’ energy by conjuring up all of their own. I enjoyed singing along to the vocal sample, very fitting for the occasion, which states bluntly, “I’m having the time of my muh-fuggin life,” leading into a funky, choppy breakdown.
I remember thinking about how incredible it was that I’d be coming back the following night for an entirely different set, and praying that my health would improve overnight. The rest of The Floozies’ set was filled with deep, groovy tunes, including several from their album Do Your Thing, which dropped earlier this month. While I had no complaints about the setlist, it was full of songs I didn’t know by name and included none of the band’s more popular, electrified, roof-raising singles that I had expected them to hit. I felt reassured by the band’s no-repeats warning, anticipating that The Floozies would deliver all of the fan-favorites the following night. Conversely, I felt—and still feel—sorry for all of the unfortunate Floozies fans at Thursday’s show that didn’t manage to grab a ticket to night two. As far as night one, I couldn’t say anything bad about the band’s set or the overall atmosphere of the crowd if I tried, but I’d be lying if I said it was like nothing I’d ever seen before. The following night, to a certain extent, was a different story.
I returned the next night feeling significantly healthier, accompanied by an even larger crew of my best friends, and was greeted by another packed house and another incredible set from Russ Liquid—seriously, I can’t say enough great things about Russ Liquid. As is typical of these two-night runs, the second show had sold out significantly quicker than the first, and that made a lot of sense to me. The energy in the air was tangible. Between the familiar faces returning from the first night and those who had bought their single-night tickets early enough to have their choice, it seemed like all of the most enthusiastic fans had gotten the memo: Night two was going to be one for the ages.
When The Floozies hit the stage, the Majestic crowd was wired. I spent much of the night floating around the venue, getting a feel for the different dynamics from one part of the crowd to the next. I happened to be up front on the dance floor when the energetic crowd favorites started dropping. The second song of their set, Matt Hill ripped into the guitar riff of “Stuntin,” a dirty blues groove that builds upon itself to a point of bursting. I take live music very seriously, so I’m not messing around when I say that this was no typical “bass drops, crowd goes wild” moment. When the melody finally broke down, the crowd exploded with the craziest energy I have ever seen at the Majestic. The best part was that this resulted not from a ripping, wobbly bass drop, but from a groove so funky it made my chest hurt.
This, of course, was followed by a slew of other popular singles from throughout the band’s catalog. To name a few, “Sunroof Cadillac,” “Birfday Suit,” “Love, Sex, and Fancy Things” all gave the crowd a case of the boogies that made the floor shake. The atmosphere throughout the show was incredible. Strangers missed no opportunity to exchange handshakes and hugs, making new friends under the busy extravaganza of neon lights that accompanied The Floozies on stage.
After a remix of Toto’s “Africa” that gave me goosebumps, The Floozies brought out Russ Liquid to lay down some solos. They’d done this the night before, but this time Russ graced the stage with his tenor saxophone, an instrument I didn’t even know he played. A tenor player myself, I really enjoyed watching this jam session, and wondered why he hadn’t broken out the sax during his own sets. Cool jazz sounds filled the room until he left The Floozies to close out their set, but as usual, everyone in the house knew the show wasn’t over. After a couple minutes of darkness, an encore from The Floozies was even more inevitable than the previous night. The band encored with their rendition of “Easy Like Sunday Morning,” inducing sing-alongs and slow dances throughout the venue before bringing Russ Liquid out for one final jam session. This time, however, there was no electronic track playing. The three jammed simply as a drummer, a guitarist, and a saxophonist, removing the “EDM” mask to reveal three musicians with incredible talent that would impress any traditional jazz fan.
The Floozies make feel-good music. I left the show, still feeling vaguely sick, with a sore back and beer-soaked shoes, but I still had a huge smile on my face. Whether or not you’re a fan of dance music, there’s something to be said for that. The Floozies draw on a wide range of influences, and they put a lot of heart and soul into their performance that it’s hard not to leave their show with a stomach full of butterflies. Thursday was great, and Friday was incredible. Was it the best show I’ve ever attended? Absolutely not, but that’s irrelevant. The Floozies gave the Majestic a two-night run that will go down in history. Most importantly, I had fun. That’s what really matters, and I’m sure The Floozies would agree with me.
