Sass meets class

Kid Sister and Chromeo fuse rock and rhymes in NYC

By Sara Graham
Published: January 29th, 2008 | 7:48pm

January 28, 2008, in New York — It’s not nicknamed the Bowery “Brawlroom” for nothin’, and for a Monday night to say things were shakin’ and poppin’ would be a grave understatement. The Kid Sister/Chromeo double bill had the wall-to-wall crowd going wild in a full-out dance party on this chilly weeknight. The historic and intimate venue — complete with art deco balcony, basement lounge, and standing-room-only floor — was the perfect space to see these class acts at their best. The audience was diverse and young, and there were enough “Thriller”-era leather jackets and Nike high-tops to make you think you just stepped into 1983.

Doors were at 8 p.m., and it was an impatient hour and a half before Kid Sister burst onstage after her collaborator, A-Trak, worked his magic on the turntables to get the crowd properly riled. Red Bull in hand, dressed in a high-waisted, neon, flower-print skirt and ruffled hot-pink T-shirt (her “secretary outfit,” she said), Kid Sister was the picture of enthusiasm. The love from the audience was immediate. An even mix of dance-happy gals who knew Sister’s smart and sassy forte by verse, and newcomers (guys and girls alike) were infected by her energy. Not only did she spit rhymes so sick you’d have to be a total square not to be on board, but her positivity and attention to her audience could make you feel like she could be your BFF.

Lighthearted humor was key in her performance: She did the flapper-era Charleston with A-Trak, performed athletically in four-inch platforms and gave a quick lecture to the femme fans about classy always trumping trashy. Solidifying her place as the most real girl you may find in hip-hop today, she hated on the gym, gave a shout out to David’s Bridal, and turned out moves including elementary school favorite “the butterfly” and a nice pop 'n' lock isolation, which put Beyoncé’s psychotic moves to shame.

Every body was in motion when the DJs played a quick sample of “Let Me Clear My Throat,” the infectious mid-'90s jam by DJ Kool, which later segued into hilarious track “Telephone” (Kid Sister’s answer to weird guys who’ve got you on speed dial). But everyone realized they were watching something great when the glossy intro to “Pro Nails” started up. A truly stylish lady, Kid Sister rocked some serious pro nails herself (they were black and silver at Monday’s show). It seems that success has not changed a thing for Kid Sister, as she mingled gratefully with the crowd after her set and hugged and chatted with everyone who approached her.

After a short break, Chromeo was ready to play for the sold-out, jam-packed house. Always sharply dressed men, the rock-electro-hip-hop duo looked like their tracks sound: clean, smooth and completely '80s. They played all the crowd pleasers, including disco-y tracks “Fancy Footwork” and “Bonafide Lovin’.” A higher production performance, complete with flashy, glittery background lights and their signature keyboards, which perch atop lit-up mannequin legs, these guys brought the party well into the night.

With Prince-like funk and vocal arrangements that reminded me of the robotic genius of Daft Punk and Kraftwerk, Chromeo did their part to bring rock and hip-hop kids together, most obviously in their genius acquisition of Dire Straits’ famed line “I Want My MTV” (which of course translated into “I want my Chro-me-o”). The awesome live guitar solos almost betrayed them as a legit electro-dance act, but indeed, everyone’s phones and cameras were in the air to document the wonder of genre cross-pollination. To add to the “we’re-all-friends-here” vibe, the two confessed their gratitude at this show being the very first time they had headlined Bowery Ballroom.

All in all, it was a night not to be missed. Save for the fact that some drunk guy spilled beer in my suede shoes, which I hadn’t even owned for 48 hours. I chalked it up as a party foul at a really poppin’ party.

Photos taken at the Kid Sister/Chromeo show on January 26, 2008 at the Bowery Ballroom.