Depending on what you’re looking for, a concert can be a variety of things. A classical concert is usually a reserved affair, full of attentive listening and passionate, detailed discussion. A hard rock concert is usually a brawny salute to big riffs and even bigger egos.

But what about electronic music concerts? If Yelle’s set at the Echoplex is any example, those start with earnest toe tapping and shimmying, and end in frenzied, disoriented, and absolutely delirious dancing.

The night’s revels began with a half-hour set by DJ Pauly V, whose lack of outward excitement was easily offset by the tracks he spun, including inspired remixes of “Hands” by The Ting Tings and “Black & Blue” by Miike Snow.

Following him was the group Hawnay Troof, fronted by Vice Cooler. While his set was filled with uncomfortable personal interjections, he made up for them by throwing himself into the crowd (literally), and performing with an enthusiasm that not even a skeptical audience could cull.

But when a demure young woman in a giant denim shirt and brightly sequined leggings walked onto the Echoplex stage, the crowd erupted, and from there the noise volume only grew, and the space between bodies on the floor only shrank.

Yelle’s set consisted mostly of newer songs, including the Kitsuné single “La Musique,” which sounds much better live than it does on the recorded track. But there were a few delightful throwbacks, such as her French cover of Robyn’s “Who’s That Girl.”  

Easily the most popular tracks of the night were off of "Pop Up," her debut album. 

“Ce Jeu” roused up her faithful, but it was with “Je Veux Te Voir” that Yelle killed the crowd. The rowdy anthem that brought her to fame (it used to be called “Short Dick Cuizi”), “Je Veux Te Voir” ridicules a misogynistic French rapper with explicitly pointed lyrics. It’s also a real clubbanger of a track, which might explain the confused looks on some audience members as Yelle sneered through her live rendition of the song.

And the night ended only as it ever could’ve, with the girl-power pop anthem “À Cause Des Garçons.” A testament to the power of her music: everyone in the audience sang and danced along, despite the decidedly feminine nature of the song. Especially thrilling was when, midway through the track, Yelle and her two backing musicians deftly transitioned into the Tepr remix, minus the tektonik dancing.

After Yelle’s set ended, many of the concertgoers were sweaty and exhausted, lethargically shuffling out into the startling cold of the night. But the one thing everyone had in common? Grins of satisfaction and mindless enjoyment.

In short, this was everything that an electronic music concert should provide. Throughout her set, Yelle kept chirping “Merci beaucoup!” as the crowd thunderously applauded her songs.

But no, Ms. Yelle, c’est vous qui devez entendre “Merci beaucoup.” For while her music is filled with foreign words, its effect is universal.

Reach Lilian here.
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