Pop arrived in Atlanta on Monday night when Dragonette performed for the first-time ever in Atlanta at the debut of my Superfraiche Pop Night in that city. And what an incredible night of pop it was! Martina, Dan and Joel of Dragonette popped the roof of the legendary Drunken Unicorn with their electrifying, stomping blend of pop, dance and electro that had the crowd on their feet and waving their hands for the entire show.
Local Atlanta electro-pop crooner Barry Brandon opened the night with a fun, four song set, including the beautifully-performed "Where Do I Go From Here," which is a timeless pop ditty. Barry performed with a full-band (including an electronic violinist), which gave his sound a rich and robust flavor that neatly fits his confident stage presence and heartfelt delivery.
While Dragonette was doing some press interviews backstage and the crowd was listenting to a brew of Ellie Goulding, Florrie and Sky Ferreira, their road crew set up an elaborate stage set that featured sophisticated LED light torches to glam up their show.
At showtime, I took Martina by the hand and guided her and the rest of the group to the stage and an anxiously awaiting crowd. I took a brief moment to introduce the band and thank them for extending their Northeast tour to drive over ten hours, straight through the night, to come to Atlanta to headline my Superfraiche Pop Night. As one of Dragonette's earliest supporters, I couldn't be happier to show the group a warm welcome in Atlanta.
Martina, Dan and Joel gave the crowd everything they wanted and more. They blasted onto the stage with "I Get Around," continuing with audience favorites "Gone Too Far," "Liar," "Take It Like A Man" and the magical "Pick Up The Phone." The group stirred the crowd in a hot frenzy when they rocked "My Things" and "Volcano" from their new "Mixin' To Thrill" EP. "Volcano" especially is a powerful, feel-good pop anthem that fully comes alive on stage. The group performed not one, but two encores - "Fire In Your New Shoes" (their Kaskade collaboration) and the empowering "We Rule The World."
Sensual, sweet, sassy and shining brightly, Martina's enigmatic stage persona completes Dragonette dynamic live show. She is truly one of a kind and has that "it" thing - that special quality that defines a true star. Dan skillfully controled his synths and backing tracks to orchestrate the set in one tight and cohesive package. And Joel kept up the tempo, hitting the drums and feeding off the crowd's energy.
The group stayed around for quite a while after the show to take photos and meet with fans - some of who had traveled from other states to see their favorite group finally take stage down South. So incredible. I hung out with the group, sipping and chatting, until the weehours of the morning. It was a phenomenal experience and a great start of the Superfraice Pop Night series in Atlanta. A city that has an emerging pop scene that got fueled by the hotness that is Dragonette and is now hungry for more.
(A very special thanks to Dragonette for showing their love and support, Barry for warming up the crowd during the show and the weeks prior, Samantha for giving it exposure, Knyckolas for giving it a cover, Brian for being a relentless Superfraiche supporter and the Atlanta fans for coming out to the show. I heart you all! - Photos by Omar Vega and Mikey Lewis.)
