RÜFÜS DU SOL’s sold-out four-night run at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” was a testament to their mass appeal that spreads far beyond the electronic scene.
Four sold-out shows at New York City‘s Madison Square Garden are nothing to scoff at. The world-famous arena has been home to a plethora of historic moments since its inception, including hosting John Lennon’s final performance and Elvis Presley’s only NYC shows. The latest artist to add playing the Garden to their resume is none other than Australian dance act RÜFÜS DU SOL.
The beloved electronic band took over MSG for four sold-out performances on June 25-28, making them the first electronic artist to do so. Selling a record-breaking number of tickets for an electronic act, it felt like everyone you knew in the Tri-State Area had a ticket to one of RÜFÜS’s performances.
Making the trip up from Philadelphia, I rode the train up after work on Thursday for opening night of the highly anticipated run. The train was speedy and took me directly to the venue, saving me from navigating the Subway during rush hour. I emerged from Penn Station onto the bustling streets of Manhattan, where the energy felt electric as fans, donning Ecuador’s colors, gleefully celebrated their win over Germany, which took place just outside the city’s boundaries.
A flock of girls in mini skirts, ponchos, and other trend-driven fits hurriedly walked toward the venue as the show neared its 7pm start. In the interest of time, I met up with my friend, then popped over to LOS TACOS No. 1 to devour some food before finding our seats in the venue.
This was my first time experiencing a show at the Garden from seats rather than the floor.
Our assigned seats were in section 106, which provided a close-up view of the stage from the right-hand side. I immediately noticed how little leg room there was, but I wasn’t too concerned as I knew I’d be on my feet, dancing for the remainder of the evening.
The crowd felt sparse as Maribou State finished up their opening set. This was my first time hearing the electronic duo. Their sound and aesthetic felt akin to Cannons, one of my current favorite acts, mixed with the vocal prowess of Florence + The Machine. Needless to say, I was eager to get home and dive into their discography.
After an extended set changeover, music began to blast out of the speakers as concert-goers rushed to their seats for RÜFÜS DU SOL’s intro. The screens showed the band in real time as they made their way onto the stage. Met with the screams of thousands of fans, the trio began with “Inhale,” the opening track to Inhale / Exhale, the album they are currently supporting on their World Tour.
Over the course of two hours, RÜFÜS DU SOL took Madison Square Garden on a ride through their evocative discography, a performance that will be talked about for years to come.
My first time seeing them live in action couldn’t have been a more special experience. The setlist favored the album Inhale / Exhale, as was to be expected given the tour’s name. Fan favorites made their way into the mix as RÜFÜS made sure to include “On My Knees,” “Underwater,” and “Innerbloom.”
A special moment for New Yorkers was seeing “New York” played out in one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. The energy in the venue was through the roof as the performance came on the heels of the arena’s home team, the New York Knicks, winning the NBA Finals. Celebrations continued throughout the evening with chants from the crowd and callouts from the band.
The production felt in line with something I would expect from the band — simplistic yet impactful. Instead of relying on vibrant visuals on LED screens, RÜFÜS opted to build the show around lighting, which set the mood. Lasers were shot into the crowd on a few occasions, yet were best viewed from the floor or from the opposite end of the stage at the 100 level.
Admittedly, I really hoped for something production-wise that would set these shows apart from the rest of the tour, but nothing stood out as an addition to their current rig. I felt a tinge of jealousy toward the fans who experienced massive firework displays at their outdoor performances, but the confetti cannons filled the void as they showered the crowd with a sea of white paper strips.
I would be remiss if I didn’t shout out the extraordinary camerawoman who scurried across the stage for two hours straight, providing the coolest live shots. I was entranced by the way she spun around on stage, a perfectly choreographed dance executed in a way that provided entertainment value, whether watching the footage on the screens or watching her in action.
It’s safe to say RÜFÜS DU SOL is in a league of their own after their Madison Square Garden stint.
Maybe I was naive for not knowing the extent of extreme adoration people have for RÜFÜS DU SOL. Before seeing them at the Garden, I also didn’t recognize how wide their reach was as an act. The element of live instruments over dance beats, coupled with singalong-worthy lyrics, has created a fan base that encompasses people of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of knowledge of electronic music.
To be able to pull off not one, but four sold-out nights at a venue that serves as a ginormous milestone in any musician’s career is a massive feat. Whether you’re a massive fan or a casual listener who has an affinity for “Innerbloom,” the Inhale / Exhale World Tour is a show that should be on everyone’s radar.
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