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Chromeo and Mayer Hawthorne: Silky-Smooth Retro Soul Sounds in SoDo Next Week

When Chromeo took the mainstage at Sasquatch earlier this year, they were shocked by the size of the crowd. “We did not expect this from an afternoon set,” said one-half of the Montreal-based electro-funk/pop duo. Despite the 2:45 set time—a time when, let’s be honest, many festival-goers were still sleeping off their hangovers back at camp—a massive, cheering crowd turned the mainstage into a dance party like no other that weekend:

The party continues this Monday at Showbox SoDo when Chromeo returns to Washington—this time for a proper, headlining gig, with Mayer Hawthorne supporting. It’s true, Chromeo isn’t for everyone. Their R&B/funk/pop sound, dripping with Moog, is straight outta the ’80s, with slick, modern production values. Think: an edgier Hall and Oates. So if you’re considering hitting up this show, there’s one question you’ve got to ask yourself: “Am I cool enough to dance in public?” If the answer is no, stay home. But if your boogie shoes are itching to come out, tickets are $27.50 (not including Ticketmaster fees) and still available.

As for Hawthorne, he’s an old-soul Michigander heavily influenced by the Motown and Detroit sounds he heard as a kid—but, like Chromeo, he brings a modern twist to his retro grooves. Celebs (including Justin Timberlake, Kanye West, Erykah Badu, and…Deepak Chopra?) have tweeted his praises, but Hawthorne’s name may also sound familiar if you’ve visited the iTunes Store in the past few days; his track “No Strings” is the free single of the week.