REVIEW: KAYTRANADA @ LEADER BANK PAVILION 10/1

Photo Credit: JULI 

Review by Sophia Blair

“This is not a concert — it’s a party,” Kaytranada declared at his sold-out Boston show on Tuesday, October 1st, 2024… and a party it was. Kaytranada’s music is a captivating blend of textured electronic beats, infectious grooves, and soulful melodies, which create a vibrant and immersive atmosphere. The Haitian-Canadian artist intoxicated the crowd at Leader Bank Pavilion with a set that demanded the attention of all the senses and dissolved the perception of anything else. 

Openers Lou Phelps and Channel Tres have just performed mind-blowing sets, and spirits are high. The outdoor amphitheater in Boston’s Seaport district is packed with ecstatic fans, milling around the venue for last-minute sips and nibbles to fuel the energetic experience awaiting ahead. The murmur morphs to a roar when Kaytranada steps on stage, greeting the crowd. Suddenly, stars race by in a scenescape of space as he launches straight into the celebratory opening beats of “Pressure.”

The “Timeless Tour,” celebrating his third studio album, took the crowd on a trip through time. We began on Earth — visuals projected onto a screen the size of a building put us in a butterfly-filled meadow. As he masterfully mixes “VIVID DREAMS,” a previously inconspicuous light rig, angled over him, strikingly beams “KAYTRANADA,” illuminating the stage in bright white light. 

Kaytranada makes music for people to dance to, influenced by the Haitian Konpa and Hip-Hop, which were the soundtrack to his childhood. His unique sonic palette and talent have propelled him to carve out his own space in the electronic music scene and win a collection of awards. 

Hands ominously waved, bathed in blue light as he skillfully danced through “Hold On ft. Dawn Richard.” They became a blue ocean of glittery stars, which evolved into green, blue, and purple strobes streaming strategically as mini fireworks erupted downstage, the plumbing smoke of the pyrotechnics wafting through the air. The textured soundscape combined with the visual spectacle created an experience that felt as though the audience was submerged in the music.

It all seemed to lead up to “At All,” the screen bringing us into outer space, with “KAYTRANADA” spelled out in stars as if a constellation. Purple light pulsed with the buildup and flashed into a wormhole with the drop that we all felt in our chests. The song on its own is already a sensory journey — he weaves together sounds that wiggle through your brain in the most satisfying and intriguing way. The wormhole felt fitting for this song, as wormholes connect two points in space-time. It was as if, at that moment, the song had connected the point in time when it was created to the here and now, playing on the fittingly “Timeless Tour.” 

“Spit It Out ft. Rochelle Jordan” played next, and he “vibe-checked” the crowd. Kaytranada’s set was a masterclass in rhythm, with beats that beckoned the crowd to move, but the rowed-seating pattern of the pavilion constricted dancing. Although the energy may have been there, the crowd did not express it to its full potential. The crowd went wild when Kaytranada brought back opener Lou Phelps for the song they shared, “Call U Up.” They danced together, and it was clear that their chemistry translated beyond just their music. 

Upbeat and echoey, “Witchy ft. Childish Gambino” was accompanied by a visual journey through space-time. The bass thumped through the venue, enveloping the audience as Kaytranada expertly transitioned between tracks, each one blending into the next with a fluidity that showcased his mastery as a DJ and producer. He got the crowd clapping rhythmically to the masterpiece that is “Intimidated ft. H.E.R.,” where velvety vocals intertwined with a groovy bassline that lured you into movement. When he wasn’t laser-focused, Kaytranada danced along.

It felt like no time had passed when the show had concluded, the final fireworks showering down onto the stage; the “Timeless Tour” had cultivated a here-and-now sense of presence with how it pulled everyone into the immersive experience. The show had come to life with Kaytranada as its creator. Kaytranada’s natural genius, intentional sound design, and years of creation and collaboration have cemented him as a Timeless artist.