Article and Photos by: Jamie Reysen

Canadian electro-funk duo Chromeo performed for a packed House of Blues Boston earlier this month as part of their “Night Falls” tour. The pair, comprised of Dave 1 and P-Thugg, put on an awesome—albeit predictable—show.

Awesome but predictable? That might sound like a contradiction, but in this case, it’s not. It’s expected that these guys will show you a good time—they seem to thrive off the energy of their fans, which may be why they tour so much. Since their last album, Business Casual, was released in September 2010, Chromeo has embarked on three North American tours: “Business Casual,” “Risky Business” and “Night Falls.”

The last two tours promoted no new material, proving that a good concert is often more about providing a memorable experience than delivering new content (though, that’s always great, too). Chromeo is somewhat of a modern-day classic—they can bring nothing new to their set, and yet fans will still keep lining up at sold-out doors, looking for a way in.

As usual, synthesizers sat atop their trademark glowing leg stands. The familiar neon pink Chromeo sign dangled from the ceiling of House of Blues, as it had in February during their “Risky Business” tour. The Chromettes – three back-up singers that join the duo for their bigger gigs – rocked the same matching black mini-dresses and bright pink waistbands that they’ve been wearing since Dave 1 and P-Thugg introduced them to the public more than a year ago. And, as always, the audience beckoned them onto the stage with their signature chant: “Chromeo, ohhh ohhh.”

The duo played a slew of fan favorites across all three albums – from “Needy Girl,” off of She’s in Control (2004), to “Tenderoni,” “Bonafied Lovin’” and “Call Me Up,” off their 2009 album Fancy Footwork (and yes, they played that, too). Chromeo performed nearly every song off of Business Casual, with the crowd unsurprisingly going wildest for “Night by Night.” The set as a whole inspired a night-long audience sing-along session—after all, you almost can’t help but chime in as Dave 1 croons the catchy lyrics that Chromeo’s known for.

Dave 1 and P-Thugg, who’ve been friends since high school, make quite the team. Dave 1 brought the smooth vocals and guitar riffs, while P-Thugg worked the synth and offered robotic vocal accompaniments through his talk box. Together, they were occasionally suave, oftentimes silly, and constantly energizing the crowd.

Chromeo ended with “Don’t Turn the Lights On,” a fitting finale. While it’s always sad to see them go, it’s always just a matter of time ‘til they’re back again. The duo has said in interviews that they’re going to get started on their next album in 2012, so it’s only a matter of time until Chromeo fans have a whole new slew of tunes to sing along to.

Night By Night (Skream Remix)