Review by: Killian Fay
Electronic music producer and DJ Buku performed in the Catalyst Atrium earlier this month, on Friday April 6th. Originally slated to play in March, he got sick and was unable to perform, so apologized to fans and rescheduled. The Catalyst Atrium, for me, is a more enjoyable concert experience than the main room; it is a lot smaller, and the stage lower, providing a more intimate live experience. The first opener played a bunch of trappy rap songs, which didn’t quite fit the vibe of the space or audience. The second performer, whose name I wish I could recall, warmed the crowd up well with a more EDM oriented set, and was neither too heavy nor mellow.
From Pittsburgh, and a graduate of Music Technology, Buku’s set was unapologetically dirty, having concert-goers happily headbanging until past midnight. Another advantage of the Atrium is that it is quite spacious, and never as packed as the mainroom: everyone had ample room to dance, even right up at the front. The crowd was upbeat and high energy, and many LED flowtoys could be seen around the room, including poi, light gloves, and several light whips. Later on in Buku’s set, a man in a wheelchair came into the crowd and enthusiastically rocked out with his fellow humans, headbanging and balancing and moving back and forth on the two big wheels of his wheelchair. He definitely added to the hype; everyone loved it, and was stoked to see him in the crowd rocking out and doing his equivalent of dancing.
Buku’s set was significantly over an hour long. He teased the crowd a few times with small snippets of his most popular song ‘Front to Back’, the track that fueled his fame as he started to make his way in the electronic music scene. It features a driving beat and strong synth; it is the type of song that makes you want to drive fast. He played it as the closing song of his set. After serenading the crowd with bass galore, he left the stage after coming back on for an encore, heeding the crowd’s chanting request for another song. Buku put on a solid show, and is definitely a name to watch as he continues to make waves with his music.