On a cool Sunday summer evening, a line of people wrapped around the Park West theatre in Chicago, Illinois, for “An Evening with St. Lucia,” with their recent album Fata Morgana: Dusk.
St. Lucia is a band formed by Jean-Philip Grobler. In New York, he began shaping the band’s colorful, synth-heavy sound. Alongside his wife and longtime collaborator Patti Beranek, Grobler turned St. Lucia into a blend of ’80s-inspired pop, electronic music, and soaring, feel-good melodies. Since releasing their debut album When the Night in 2013, the group has continued to expand that sound across several albums while earning a reputation for energetic, dance-driven live performances. More than a decade into their career, St. Lucia has carved out a distinct place in modern synth-pop by embracing nostalgia without sounding completely stuck in the past.
After I got my ticket from will-call, I entered the theater before everyone else in line. I love Park West. It’s so comfy and organized, and you feel, as a viewer of the show, like you’re getting the red-carpet treatment. A thick fog filled the air, prepping for the show to begin soon. St. Lucia had no opener; it was two sets back-to-back of groovy jams.
People started walking in, and obviously, the people in front of the line went straight to the front and center of the stage. It was relaxed. Everyone came in; some went to the merch booth, a few grabbed a seat at the bar, and a few grabbed drinks. Seats filled the theater as friends waited in the pit.
People came here to dance and have fun with their friends and family, and you could tell. People chatted, strangers conversated, and kids were dancing already to the music before the show.
I looked up before the show started, stared at the ceiling, and thought to myself, “Man, I hope they use that disco ball.”
As the lights went down and David Bowie’s “Life on Mars?” grew louder, people started to move in, as did I, to the right of the stage.
Lights off. Dead silent for about 10 seconds.
A voice sings, so out of place I thought it was a mic check. Then again. Patti Beranek starts singing the opening song, “Something’s in the Way,” from the left of the crowd. I had no idea; I couldn’t see. Eventually, she made her way across, repeating the same verse, causing the audience to laugh, thinking the song would continue to the next verse.
After a handful of “something’s in the ways,” frontman Jean-Philip Grobler (vocals, guitar), Ross Clark (bass guitar), Nick Paul (keyboards, synthesizers), Dustin Kaufman (drums), and Patti Beranek (keyboards, percussion, backing vocals) finally hit the stage wearing their signature red jumpsuits (as were some people in the crowd).
People were excited, starting to groove with the bright lights and the thick fog that kind of made it hard to see, but it was definitely a great vibe, feeling the bass under our feet and synths tingling our ears, and the disco ball up high shining brightlThe light show was quite good, with a blank-canvas background and built-up, slanted red carpet onstage. Every song blended into each other, leaving the show never at a standstill. From amazing keyboard solos, guitar solos, and even cowbell solos during “Ready to Love,” there was a crowd having a blast, dancing to each one.
But before “Ready to Love,” they took a quick halt to say how much they love Chicago and introduced my favorite song, “Summer Nights.” This awesome song is so good, with the catchy synths so good you can imagine Napoleon Dynamite dancing his heart out. This was definitely my favorite part of the show.
A quick intermission followed with spacey, atmospheric music. It gave people a chance to rest, grab a drink, and chat with friends before Act 2. As I watched the crowd from above, it was chill. Everyone was having a great time just enjoying themselves. I go to a lot of concerts, and there’s always something crazy going on. Not here. We came to party, have fun, and enjoy the great music by St. Lucia.
As the ambience got louder, the band came out in new attire: white jumpsuits, which, in my opinion, looked great. After starting their first song after intermission, about 20 seconds in, Jean stops his wife Patti from dancing and says, “Stop the track.”
A gift he has in his hands, he says, is a bottle of Malört, which Chicago’s traditions are popular for. He opens it and takes a swig. He hates it! Patti, on the other hand, grabs the bottle and quite likes it, although she says, “It’s quite sour towards the end.”
The band continues performing, and the crowd is loving it. Suddenly, each member of the band is holding high-beam flashlights, and they do a synchronized flashlight show until Jean-Philip starts running through the crowd, waving it in circles like a siren, if you will, as the rest of the band performs onstage.
Jean-Philip then continues to start singing in the crowd with fans, what he calls an “audience outreach,” during the title track “Love Somebody.” Song after song was transitioned smoothly, keeping your toes tapping. I was crazy impressed. They were putting on an amazing show.
A quick pause to catch their breath. Patti jokes about how the show is going to end soon, and Jean-Philip responds, “In four songs.” He continues to talk about how he heard the song “End of Beginning” by Djo and talks about how much he likes it. Suddenly, a surprise cover! The band covers Djo’s “End of Beginning.”
Before the final three songs, Nick Paul lights a cigarette, and Patti drinks more of the mixed-opinion Malört.
You could feel the energy in the air as the party rocked Park West Theatre as the final song, “Elevate,” was played. Rainbow lights lit up the crowd’s eyes. The whole crowd was jumping as Jean and Patti’s kids arrived and danced onstage with their family.
It was definitely a great summer night in the city of Chicago with St. Lucia, and I had an amazing time. The band’s electronic-rock dance style is an amazing sound, which was even better live. The chemistry between the band is a fun, energetic showmanship that doesn’t feel like a concert in the traditional way. It feels like a party with friends and family.
If you have a chance to see St. Lucia this summer, with only three shows left in their tour. I would definitely recommend it. Make sure to bring your dancing shoes as well. Even if you don’t dance, I guarantee those toes are gonna be tapping.
