Galantis returned to San Francisco to celebrate ten years of “Runaway (U&I)” and his iconic career at Bill Graham Civic Center.
For the past ten years, EDM powerhouse Galantis has dominated the scene thanks to his infectious records, which perfectly encapsulate the golden years of mainstream dance music. Highly recognizable tunes like “No Money” and “Peanut Butter Jelly” define an era when dance music was at its peak in pop culture, with bright melodies and catchy singalong lyrics.
Of those great records, one reigned supreme over the airwaves and festival circuit. This is none other than “Runaway (U&I).” To celebrate the ten-year anniversary of this track, Galantis returned to San Francisco at the legendary Bill Graham Civic Center and took fans back in time with a set right out of 2015.
Nostalgia is a powerful draw, and I must admit that Galantis got me with it. As soon as this show was announced, I was ready to relive that era of dance music with a greater appreciation as an older and more experienced fan. The lineup was even complete with local San Francisco talent demotapes and bass queen Jessica Audiffred, making for a unique blend of music.
I initially thought that demotapes was just another house DJ, but I was pleasantly surprised when his set was full of bouncy music that kept the dancefloor moving for his entire set. Jessica Audiffred then took the stage for a performance that was the exact opposite.
San Francisco loves its bass music, but I wasn’t sure what kind of set to expect given that Galantis isn’t known for drawing bass fans. Jessica Audiffred was still able to remain true to her sound and style with a showing that didn’t compromise her artistic vision and scatched that itch for hard music that I was hoping for on a lineup of melodic artists. I had seen her in the past during a back-to-back set, and I’m realizing I’m just not a fan of bass music b2bs. I wasn’t convinced the first time — but Jessica completely changed my mind once I saw her play solo.
Filthy bass music filled the venue and the set was still versatile with different subgenres: a sprinkle of techno and hard dance, and classic big room records like “Tsunami” by DVBBS and Borgeous reimagined for the bass audience. If this was simply a support set, I can’t wait until Jessica can come back to the Bay Area so I can experience one of her headline shows.
When it was time for Galantis, the vibe in the venue shifted and there was a slight tension in the air as people awaited the headline act. As expected, Galantis played a set that ran through his greatest hits and popular dance music from the 2010s. It was essentially a trip down memory lane. It didn’t push the project or dance music forward, which wasn’t necessarily bad thing.
I truly felt like this show exposed how little an impact the “golden era” dance music has on me today. It’s fun to revisit old times now and then, but that’s all this set was for me. All proper credit goes to Galantis for selling out Bill Graham Civic Center, but I won’t be actively seeking out this kind of experience again anytime soon.
Despite this weird feeling I have after the show, I’m still glad to get the urge to see another new-to-me artist in Jessica Audiffred whenever she’s in town again. At the end of the day, dance music evolves and so do I as a listener. While mainstream pop EDM might not do it for me anymore, there’s still a plethora of other genres and artists that get me excited as a fan, and that’s the feeling I hope to never lose.
