Source: Deniqua Campbell
On Saturday, (Oct. 5), my man randomly asked me if I wanted to go to a Kaytranada concert, six hours before the show—spontaneity and I are more like distant cousins rather than sisters. however; I agreed to go, and I’m glad I did because Kaytranada aka Kaytra, alongside Channel Tres and Sam Gallaitry, arguably threw the biggest R&B/electronic dance party at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York.
I had just left the gym when I saw his text message: a screenshot of StubHub tickets and the eyes emoji. I called him immediately. “We out!” I said, already trying to put an outfit together in my head.
Scottish producer and DJ Sam Gallaitry kicked off the party, and from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. he warmed up the expanding crowd with a medley of his music including his 2023 single, “Assumptions.” I was growing restless, noticing the slight hue change in the sky as it neared 7 p.m.
Where. Is. Kaytranada?
My man on the other hand was vibing hard to Gallaitry, who wrapped up his set to big applause from the audience. It still wasn’t time for the main act, though. Channel Tres was tasked with taking shit up a notch.
Channel Tres brings main character energy and fire back up dancers.
Channel Tres brought the kind of energy that prepped me, prepped us all, for Kaytra’s set. Shortly after 7 p.m., he emerged on stage: black tank, black shades and black, leather kilt glory. His “ crew ” consisted of four male dancers who slid across the stage with precision, executing flawless choreography.
I wasn’t familiar with the 33-year-old Compton, California, artist before the Timeless album or tour. And just like that he was added to my Apple Music library. Tres appears on Kaytra’s Timeless album on the dizzying and anthemic “Drip Sweat,” which he performed including “Candy Paint” and “Cactus Water” from his June 2024 offering Head Rush , Jungle’s “I’ve Been In Love,” and “Topdown” from his 2018 EP.
Saturday marked night two of the Timeless tour’s stop in New York. Forest Hills Stadium boasts a 13,000 capacity “designed to optimize acoustics and with no obstructed views,” AEG Worldwide notes . It is the only outdoor music stadium of its size in New York. And let me just say this…capacity was met!
“You would have thought people came to see Beyoncé!” one girl said.
Kaytranada reminds us that he is him .
The Haitian-Canadian producer, DJ and songwriter didn’t just get on stage and play songs. Nah, he put on a production. Kaytra partied and danced his ass off on that stage, too. I can still feel the verve of the stadium as he opened his set with “Pressure,” the energetic first track on Timeless . For fans who are new here, Kaytranada’s catalog is extensive . For the next 90 minutes, he was in his bag.
The Masego-assisted “Need It” off his Bubba project is the exact song I needed to hear early on followed by GoldLink’s “Meditation” featuring Jazmine Sullivan, which I played in the car on the way there. There’s nothing more satisfying than an artist you love performing one or more of your favorite songs. Hearing “Lite Spots” from 99.9% and “At All” from his 2013 EP, At All/Hilarity Duff, live, was ethereal.
Kaytranada did a quick vibe check before continuing the party to see if his day ones were in attendance, garnering screams and cheers when he began calling out projects like Bubba, Timeless, and earlier EPs like 2012’s Kaytrap when he was known as Kaytradamus.
“What about that Kaytranimé? ” he asked, referring to his 2023 collaborative album with rapper Animé.
I could have popped my vocal cords the way I yelled when he asked if there were any 99.9% fans, his 2016 debut. I was an instant fan the moment I heard “Glowed Up,” featuring Anderson .Paak while working at Urban Outfitters in 2016. Several EPs and a few albums later, I’m reminded why I became a fan in the first place.
Victoria Monét’s “Alright” blared through the speakers. It was surreal to watch him navigate in and out of pockets, hit after hit.
Kaytranada does. not. miss.
“Second verse!” he yelled out to the crowd as we sang along to the Childish Gambino-assisted “Witchy.” You know a song is fire if the DJ plays the second verse at a party.
Kaytranada’s “Cuff It” remix took the party up one more notch—as if it wasn’t already at the precipice. It was a friendly reminder that no, we were not here to see Beyoncé, but we sang her song like she was onstage belting out the lyrics in real-time.
It was almost 10 p.m. As if to signify the party was wrapping up, the penultimate moment happened in the sound of a single chord, the intro to Teedra Moses’ 2004 hit, “Be Your Girl.” This is the moment I came for. Kaytra teased the intro of his 2018 remix before letting the verse drop. “Sing this shit for me!” he sang to the crowd. He went full instrumental until the second verse. I sang the song like I penned the lyrics myself.
And just when I thought the party was over, Channel Tres joined him onstage for another performance of “Drip Sweat,” an electrifying song to end an electrifying night.
Kaytranada is in his shy boy era no more.
In a May 2024 Rolling Stone interview, Kaytranada shared that he used to be shy in the studio, often letting artists take the reins instead of taking the lead. He admitted that he lacked “a leader mentality.”
“I’m learning to do that now,” he said. I think he’s mastered it. He was confident on stage, exuberant but at ease; secure, the very opposite of shy. From his stage presence and visuals to his exquisite song selection, Kaytranada carefully curated a set list that will forever live rent free in my head.
My lower back and feet ached. My legs were stiff and sore, and it was all worth it for a Kaytranada party.
Find out when the Timeless tour aka the “biggest dance party of the year,” as Channel Tres said in an Instagram caption, is coming to your city by clicking here .
Local News
Comments / 0