Seraphina Lotkhamnga on April 12th, 2014

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Who: Aloe Blacc in the Mojave Tent
In 3 or Fewer Words: Soul over electro
Memorable Because: Were Aloe Blacc fans here really Avicii fans? It was the question when a small chunk of fans trickled out of the tent after Blacc and his big band played the smash hit “Wake Me Up” (sans electronic beats!). Co-writing and providing vocals on the electro tune definitely put the soul singer on the mainstream map, but the rest of Blacc’s set proved he’s much more than just a guest vocalist. Jump-starting his set with the indisputably catchy “I Need a Dollar,” Blacc boasted his unique style with true finesse through songs from his upcoming album “Lift Your Spirit.” Dancing to tunes like the funky “Love Is the Answer” and call-and-response song “Can You Do This?,” Blacc’s showmanship made you pity the EDM heads who left early. If not the entirety, most of the crowd got a workout from participating in some voluntary fancy footwork, which the singer highlighted with his request for a Soul Train line that split the tent down in the middle. Now if only we could kill the Sahara Tent with more dance music like this.
What I’d Tell My Friend Who Was At Grouplove: I avoid that test tube happiness in the clubs at night, so why would I subject myself to that in the heat?
– S.L. (Concert photography by Scott Dudelson)