The first week of Tchami‘s Prophecy Tour found him hitting up several Florida cities, one of which was surprisingly Gainesville, Florida. Not known for its robust EDM scene, Gainesville bringing an artist like Tchami for such a major tour was a shock. But, given that the line just to get into the show wrapped around the Florida Theater venue, the demand was clearly there.
Tchami’s Prophecy Tour promised intricate production and plenty of house and future bass, and the promise was delivered well in full. ANGELZ, a rising producer on Tchami’s Confession record label, held the opening slot quite well, giving attendees a taste of his unique blend of bass house and hip-hop. ANGELZ hasn’t played too many shows yet, but with a background of producing for Def Jam in the 2000s, he’s no novice to the music world. ANGELZ refrained from giving the audience too much of the Confessions-type sound, but still delivered a bass-heavy opening set.
After a few minutes of set-up, Tchami’s Prophecy Tour production rig came to light. He dove straight into giving fans the bass house anthems they craved as the stain glass-esque LEDs blinked black, red and white with light speed. The sold-out crowd’s energy could be felt all the way from the rail to the back of the venue, a rare unity among a crowd in a college town. Tchami’s hits like his “Turn It Up” remix, “After Life” and “Untrue” played well even for relative newcomers to the EDM scene, and his foray into more traditional house music such as his new track “Adieu” lured even hardcore bass house fans to the lighter side of house. Tchami’s set navigated genres swiftly yet elegantly, all while maintaining the constant attention of the crowd.
In terms of production, the Prophecy Tour really reinforced Tchami’s priest-like image. The LEDs mimicked stain glass windows and flickered with a heavenly glow. Halfway through the set, a choral track erupted as Tchami took his hands off the decks and prayed, and surprisingly the crowd was very receptive despite the lack of an eventual drop. One disappointment came from the lack of the choir that has been popping up on his other dates, but we suspect the venue’s size limitations prevented the crew from incorporating the choir successfully in the stage layout. Despite the choir’s absence, the production managed to entrance the crowd and took attendees to a rave church.
Overall, Tchami’s Prophecy Tour proved an artist doesn’t need bigroom bangers to tour with an elaborate production to a sold-out crowd. Despite the relative lack of big drops, the crowd danced and jumped with such energy it’s a wonder Tchami hadn’t toured like this already. It could be a sign of the changing times in the electronic music world, but we openly embrace an age where an artist can promote togetherness through house. We look forward to seeing what’s next for Tchami’s live shows.
