On Stage (Extra): Madeon

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By Denny DyroffStaff Writer, The Times

Madeon

Madeon

Porter Robinson was raised in America’s South and Hugo Leclercq grew up in the west of France. Both became successful EDM producers/songwriters as they moved through their late teens.

Their love of electronic dance music – and the accessibility of the internet – brought them together as trans-Atlantic friends. That friendship grew into a working partnership in creating new EDM sounds and collaborations on audio and video projects.

Now, Robinson and Leclercq, who goes by the stage name Madeon, are touring North America together with a joint show that has drawn rave reviews and sell-out audiences everywhere it has played. The tour visits the area on November 19 for a show at Electric Factory (421 North Seventh Street, Philadelphia, 215-627-1332, www.electricfactory.info),

Both artists are bringing their biggest hits to the stager for their “Shelter Live” Tour. Earlier this year, they collaborated on a new single “Shelter.” In less than a month the track garnered over 10 million streams and charted #1 on Spotify’s Viral List.

“’Shelter’ was our first serious collaboration,” said Robinson, during a phone interview Tuesday from a tour stop in Boston. “Before that, everyone was telling us that we had to collaborate.”

Madeon said, “We really wanted to do it in person – physically in person. So, Porter flew to my hometown in France and we worked together in the same studio.”

“Shelter” is a sparkling piece of electronic pop that delivers both sonically and lyrically. Using a hands-on approach to the process of composing the track, they worked together old school-style – face-to-face in real-time using the give-and-take vibe friends have.

“When we first began writing to each other on the internet years ago, I didn’t speak English fluently but I tried to learn well enough to communicate with Porter. We were both very young and music production was still a niche. We would send clips back-and-forth. We were the first to make music together totally with computer – no matter what age – and we were the youngest.”

Robinson said, “I first heard electronic music when I was really young. I was into anime and that’s what got me into Japanese culture. Every kid my age was interested in Pokemon. When I was 12, I recorded my first track. Then, I kept writing and producing music – but it was really bad for a long time. My first positive feedback came when I was around 16. That’s when I met Hugo on internet music platform.”

Leclercq said, “When I was about 10, I discovered Daft Punk. Their album ‘Discovery’ had a big influence on me. My first instinct was to try to replicate those sounds. I took music production really seriously. When I was 13, I knew I was going to do it and make a living from it. I quit school when I was 16 and started to work in music.”

In the eight weeks since the two longtime friends surprise-released their joint single “Shelter”, the phenomenon behind the collaboration continues to grow. 

With more than 30 Million combined single streams to date, 6.5 Million video streams in three weeks, and 20 sold-out shows (105,000 tickets sold), “Shelter” has built itself into a cultural zeitgeist driven by two artists, one song, one video, and an enthusiastic fanbase across the globe.

The track, which hit #1 on both HypeM and Spotify Viral Global and US charts upon release, recently hit  #1 on Japan’s Viral Spotify Chart following the live reveal of the “SHELTER” animated short film via jumbotron in Tokyo’s Shibuya District (where Porter was swarmed by enthusiastic fans upon arrival). 

Last month, Porter dropped an anime video accompaniment for “Shelter” and it went viral. The video has garnered over 6 million streams in only a few weeks, and the single has now hit over 30 million. The video trended worldwide on YouTube and Facebook, and drove strong increases in track streams across platforms and around the globe since its mid-October reveal.

For our live show, we have a lot of production – a lot of effects,” said Robinson. “It’s a pretty visual experience with lights and special effects. We’re both onstage playing live. I’m singing. He’s singing, playing drums and playing keys. It’s all original music and we each do versions of the other’s songs.

“It’s a 75-minute show. We wanted to do greatest hits rather than a three-hour deejay performance. It’s pretty special. This tour is a celebration of our decades-long friendship.”

Video ling for Porter Robinson and Madeon – https://youtu.be/fzQ6gRAEoy0?t=3

The show at the Electric Factory will start at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $45.

CRX

CRX

On November 19, there will be a show featuring more straight-ahead rock when CRX takes the stage at Coda (1712 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 267- 639-4630, http://www.codaphilly.com/).

CRX is a rock band formed a few years ago in Los Angeles by The Strokes’ Nick Valensi. The band’s line-up includes Ralph Alexander (drums), Richie Follin (guitar, keyboard, backing vocals), Jon Safley (bass) and Darian Zahedi (guitar, backing vocals) and Valensi (lead vocals, guitar). CRX released its debut album “New Skin” last month on Columbia Records.

“Making ‘New Skin’ was an on-and-off process for about three years,” said Valensi, during a phone interview last week while riding in a can to a gig in Schenectady, New York. “I started wiring for it a while ago – demoing and writing songs on my laptop. I wanted to get onstage more than I was doing with The Strokes.”

“It was my first time to write lyrics and really focus on my singing voice. That took me about a year to get used to. Then, I reached out to some friends to help finish the album and finish the lyrics. I recorded it at Pink Duck Studio in L.A. and Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme came in to produce it.

“Because a lot of the album was demoed before, a lot of the demos were elements that became songs on the album. Josh really liked the demos and all the elements they had. We kept the elements he fell in love with on the demos and built around them. The other half was stuff we did from scratch. Josh even sings backup on some tracks.”

Valensi recorded a killer album and is now touring with a killer band.

“Richie, John and Darian were all in a band called People on People,” said Valensi. “It was about two years ago that I reached out to them as friends. We ended up jamming on things and then the whole thing morphed into a band. They helped me finish the album after I started it. These are my friends and now we’re on tour. The collaborative nature of the album led to this being a band.”

Live shows are a relatively new thing for CRX.

“We’ve only done a few CRX shows – 15-20 at the most,” said Valensi. “We did a string of dates in the Midwest opening for Beck. It was nice to get in front of an audience that didn’t know us. It’s good to get introduced to a new audience.

“With this band, I don’t want to play with any restrictions. I like to change things. This project has evolved into a whole new creative outlet for me.”

Video link for CRX — https://youtu.be/V8Wq2mO5XyM?t=3.

The show at Coda, which has Streets of Laredo as the opener, will start at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $15.

Candiria

Candiria

For fans who want their music even harder, there is another option for November 19. Candiria will be headlining a show at the Voltage Lounge (421 North Seventh Street, Philadelphia, 215- 964-9602, www.Voltagelounge.com).

Candiria, which was formed in Brooklyn and still calls that borough in New York home, is a hardcore/metal band – and much, much more. The quintet – Carley Coma, John LaMacchia, Michael MacIvor, Danny Grossarth, Julio Arias — plays heavy music that also features elements of hip hop, fusion, ambient and jazz.

“This band has a lot of influences,” said LaMacchia, during a phone interview Wednesday from a tour stop in Albany, New York. “What we enjoy most is when all things come together. And, they do come together in an organic way. We’re always satisfied at the end of a recording session. It’s a fluid, natural way that things come together. It’s never forced. The challenge is to make it sound natural.

“Most of our fans have their roots in metal, hardcore and punk. I would hope that our long-time fans have diversified and started listening to jazz, ambient and electronic. I do think that our fans listen to more than metal. But, the core is still Based in aggressive music.

“We’ve always done what has felt natural. At the start, we played a lot of metal shows and then mixed-audience shows. It was in the mid-90s that the line-up of bands on a bill got so diverse. We’ve always worked on getting our listeners to expand the palette of their musical tastes. We like to push the boundaries.”

Candiria’s latest effort at pushing the boundaries comes with the release of the band’s new album ‘While They Were Sleeping,” which was just released on Metal Blade Records. “While They Were Sleeping” is a concept album conceived by the band’s lead vocalist Carley Coma. It tells the tale of a failed musician who revolts against a monarchy in New York City.

“We began working on getting stuff together for the studio in early 2014,” said LaMacchia. “The process to make it all happen took a little time. Some of the material – writing and drum performance – goes back to 2010. This line-up has been together for about a year when Danny and Julio joined. For the most part, the album has Dan playing the drums.

“We recorded the album at Spaceman Sound Studio in Brooklyn with Tom Tierney and Alex Mead-Fox. We finished tracking it in January and then mixed it in February and March. Our home base is Brooklyn and we all still live in the N.Y. Metro area – me Cory and Mike in Brooklyn, Julio in the Bronx and Dan in Queens. We’re a New York band.”

Video link for Candiria – https://youtu.be/Bkwj-IqS360?t=6.

The all-ages show at Voltage Lounge, which has Dalek as the opening act, will start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15.

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