The anticipation could be felt Friday evening for the Sofi Tukker show and what was about to come. The duo had released Bread earlier that year to critical acclaim, and – known for their extravagant commitment to boisterous live show – the overwhelming sense of excitement was palpable that evening.

A duo of delightful DJs opened the show this evening – Brazilian Carola and Curaçao duo Shermanology got the crowd vibing and buzzing early with a pair of electric sets. Carola’s subdued house set was a perfect way to set up the crowd for the dynamicism presented by Shermanology, with soulful, excellent vocals provided Dorothy Shermany as brother Andy played an arresting electronic mix underneath her. The pillared set around the duo amplified this back and forth interplay, turning into a mesmerizing hour of electronic music that was easy to get lost into as the hype for Sofi Tukker built.

Then it was time for the big event – Sophie & Tucker appeared center stage, Sophie silhouetted against a fiery piece of bright orange toast (a “subtle” hint towards the first few notes of “Bread” off of Bread), Tucker emerging through a ring of light on the left, surrounded by a troupe of dancers that would come to play a pivotal role in the following night.

It was both structured and chaotic all at once – there were so many elements on stage at once that it was almost hard to make sense of it all, as LED strips pulsated and strobe lights mounted atop roman pillars flashed to each and very beat, Sofi Tukker moving all around the stage, dodging and dancing the litany of dancers – but at the same time, this chaos made a sort of sense. The unbridled, raw energy of this first song was the ambition of a monstrous live performance laid bare – taking relatable and danceable EDM music and making it feel both explosive and intimate. The first song concluded with everyone gathering stage left and a dancer passing a baton of bread to Sophie, held aloft in celebration and she belted the closing

Every song this evening played out in a unique fashion just like that, with what seems like an insane amount of forethought put into what would occur.  Highlight “Throw Some Ass” taking advantage of the massive LED screen behind the group flashing caricatures of dancers exactly in time to the band and dancers shaking their booties on stage, showing a ridiculous dedication to choreography, followed shortly by Sophie being surrounded like a queen by everyone on stage as she raised her guitar aloft to finish off the song. The craft on display was truly like nothing I had seen before, and I am certain that everyone in the Armory that night came away with an appreciation for just how special the show they had seen was.