SBTRKT @ The TLA.

Text and images by Holli Stephens.

After an immense performance at Governor’s Ball on Saturday, SBTRKT took the stage Sunday at the TLA for an intimate show with supporting opening act, Post Malone.

The masked electronic artist has done an ample amount of DJ sets in the past nationally and internationally. Catching him alongside live vocals and a drummer is both visually and aurally entrancing.

The audience was sparsely populated for Post Malone. As he exited the stage, the crowd seemed to come together in anticipation. The lights dimmed and a blue light cast down on the stage. Amongst the shouts of joy, Aaron Jerome, outfitted and a tribal mask covering the top of his face came into view.

An entourage of controllers surrounded Jerome as he and vocalist Tev’n started off the night with songs from his first self-titled album.

SBTRKT is meant to be heard live. He blends his songs together, throwing in jazzy beats and looping sultry vocals on top to create stunning segues into new songs. The drums add a certain realness to the atmosphere and the live vocals create an air of soulfulness. Together, they help foster the unique sound that Jerome is known for.

When the crowd heard the familiar, upbeat synth intro of “Pharaohs,” they went nuts.

Jerome then announced that he wanted to play some tracks off of his newer album, Wonder Where We Land, and introduced “Wonder Where We Land” as well as “NEW DORP. NEW YORK,” complete with the visuals of the music video.

After another insanely erratic transition, the drum beat of “Wildfire” snuck in, which sent the audience into a dancing frenzy.

SBTRKT left the stage for a brief moment and was called back by the audience with shouts of “One more song!”

“This is one of my favorites,” Jerome said softly after returning to the stage and dropping the trance-like beats from “Lantern.”

The audience then got the first listen of SBTRKT’s down-tempo cover of Radiohead’s “Weird Fishes.”

“We haven’t played this one out yet,” Jerome told the audience. “But I’m a big fan of Radiohead.”

SBTRKT ended the night with “Trials of the Past” and “Right Thing To Do” and then Jerome thanked the crowd for their enthusiasm.