With RAC comes the promise of smooth electro-pop beats and stuck-in-your-head repetition whether recorded or live, as proved by the fully realized band backing what’s otherwise the solo project of André Allen Anjos at Webster Hall on Friday night. Diving headfirst into a cover of Joywave‘s “Tongues”, the group rotated between three singers throughout the entire set. One of them was André’s wife Liz, whose band Pink Feathers was the first opener of the night. André coolly strummed his bass, occasionally leaning into the mic to thank the crowd for being there. True to the group’s name (RAC stands for Remix Artist Collective), hyped-up versions of songs such as “Something Good Can Work” by Two Door Cinema Club and “Houdini” by Foster the People were performed, as well as original tracks off the newest album Strangers, such as the laid-back “Hollywood”. The band never missed a beat, feeding off the frenzy of the crowd and giving New York City a damn good reason to dance like nobody was watching.
After Pink Feathers’ set – their first NYC show, as a matter of fact – came Filous, an 18-year-old producer from Austria. Alternating between an acoustic and electric guitar and supported by nothing else but a Macbook and a keyboard, he seemed like a natural opener for a RAC show. Putting his own synthed-out spin on a multitude of songs, he was the perfect segue into Big Data, who provided plenty of neon, blacklights, and synchronized dance moves. Fronting duo Alan Wilkis and Liz Ryan wore black while the other three members were decked out in white, most of them wearing sunglasses. Sandwiching their set with two versions of the hit song “Dangerous”, they provided everything you’d expect from a Big Data show – computerized voices, techno rhythms, and flashing strobe lights, with enough sincerity to make the over-the-top production worth it.
RAC closed out the encore with “Let Go”, inviting Filous and Big Data as well as a few others back onstage for one last hurrah. Liz Anjos sang her heart out as everyone danced around her and grinned like mad. The moment certainly called for confetti and balloons, but instead the crowd was forced to take the pop-infused anthem at face value. No real complaints there, though – the sheer joy radiating from the stage was undeniable, and only reassured everyone in the room that RAC is a true hidden gem.
