Last night as snow began to cover the streets of NYC, I was once again had the opportunity to attend Keys N Krates at Terminal 5. This was my first time seeing them since EZOO 2015, where I was only able to catch the last ten minutes of their set. Their sound which I remembered as a boisterous hodgepodge of base, was last night amended to an enjoyable mellifluous take on trap. Though the crowd lost a lot of energy due to an unprepared opener, Keys N Krates never the less pulled through with a high energy set that left me begging for more.
The show began at 8pm with the duo Stooki. They were the perfect act to warm up the crowd, as their energy was nothing short of contagious. At one point mid-set, one of the members jumped up and delivered an impressive rap that lasted for nearly a minute. Though they stuck to primarily popular song remixes, such as Rihanna's B**** Better Have My Money, they succeeded in maintaining a high energy crowd. By the end of their set, Stooki earned a like on my soundcloud I would attribute most to the genuine good vibes they instilled.
Following Stooki, Metro Boomin took over the stage intending to maintain a high energy crowd. To my dismay, his set list lacked congruency and flow which I would assume was due to a lack of preparation. He continually changed songs without any clear direction for his set, cutting songs such as Pursuit Of Happiness short when all I wanted was for him to play them out. Though he had initially jumped on stage exuding energy, his intensity quickly fell and my eyes turned instead to his hype man friend. Someone completely unrelated to the set and show carried more energy than the set itself, dancing next to Metro Boomin until Terminal 5 cut the sound mid-final song. Overall, the energy generated by Stooki had nearly all but disappeared by the end of a disappointing set by Metro Boomin.
As the lights returned and the music played, Keys N Krates easily overcame the weak opening act with a powerful set. The three man group played remixes of popular songs including Habits by Tove Lo and U Can't Touch This by MC Hammer. My absolute favorite was their remix of Bittersweet Symphony, which tiptoed on the line of heaven like trap. While Stooki and Metro Boomin left me forgetful of opportune light shows, Keys N Krates dazzled with one of the best light shows I have seen at Terminal 5. They made use of the glistening disco ball to scatter white lights onto the wall, meanwhile creating a false barricade on stage with similar white lights. The music was perfectly timed to switch between blue, red, and white lights, magnifying in my opinion the intensity of their set.
Based on what I had seen at EZOO, I was skeptical of whether or not I would enjoy last nights show. I expected a base that would blow out my ears alongside a cacophony of sounds not necessarily harmonious. Following Metro Boomin, I was prepared to walk away from the night thoroughly disappointed due to a waste of time and money. However, after witnessing the power of the three man clan, I walked away hyped for the next available opportunity to attend their set.
Until then : A little piece to keep me going
