As lovers of live music, we are always on the quest for shows that makes us move and shake, the shows that take us away from our current realities, the shows that make us wish the night would never end. This last RE:Search Wednesdays at Cervantes, was one of those shows. This week was nothing short of magical with electro-soul French trio: The Geek x Vrv.

The night started out with Jordan Polovina, resident DJ to Cervantes RE:Search shows, throwing down the beats and getting the crowd excited for an incredible night filled with tunes. He was joined by the smooth sounds of JusChill from Potent Productions. Together they collabed with some more electronic and bassy sounds, before the vibe would change completely in the sets to follow. Polovina ended strong and hard, not missing a beat with his drum machine and jumping down into the crowd to finish his set by dancing about like the rowdy king he is.

Mikey Thunder, who is no stranger to RE:Search Wednesdays, was the designated tweener jockey for the night. Without hesitation, he jumped on stage to keep the music flowing between sets with funky jams, remixes, and of course, played music from his side project The Party People.

The crowd couldn’t help but involuntarily dance to the international soulful beats of Belgium’s Thomas Schillebeeckx (Poldoore), next on stage. Poldoore is known for his blend of hip-hop, jazz, funk, and soul, mastering his production with electronic and melodic beats. He threw in a remix of Lauryn Hill’s “Doo Wop (That Thing),” which got everyone grooving and ready for what was to come of the hip-hop filled night. Poldoore and The Geek x Vrv aren’t strangers to performing together and have much of the same soulful vibes. Their back-to-back performances make for a flawless night of jams.

As Mikey Thunder threw down another dance-worthy tweener set, Basile Verschaeve could be seen warming up his saxophone in the dimly lit backstage hallway, clad in a black bomber jacket with “The Geek x Vrv” written in white on the back. The room was brimming with anticipated energy when The Geek x Vrv (TGXV) finally took the stage. The original members, Axel Rondeau and Vincent Téoulé, headed to their respective sides of the stage, controlling the “electro” part of the tunes. While Basile, who became a member of TGXV back in 2015, took his place in the middle, bringing in all the sax and keyboard wonder we all crave. Many might recognize Basile who has played side-by-side with the notorious Gramatik in past years. With that being said, it can be expected that he wouldn’t be shy about bringing the soul and pizzazz that TGXV is known to have. The trio held nothing back, as they performed songs from their BEATS OF and Btos, Vol. 4 albums and performing hit tracks such as “Origami” and “Say It.”

The three performed seamlessly together, an honestly awe-inspiring performance that resonated with everyone in the building. The energy throughout the entire set was intoxicating and infectious -- the room filled with friends from all over, making it feel as if it were a private party. Both Axel and Vincent said kind words to the audience, expressing how much they enjoy performing in Denver and reminiscing of times in which they have performed at Cervantes before. Toward the end of their set, Axel proclaims, “Yes Denver, you are the one!” And at that moment, I believe that we all felt that unique feeling of being “the one,” a feeling that is hard to replicate. The three exit the stage to endless hoots and hollers from a more than fulfilled crowd

The night ended with a late-night set from award-winning turntablist, Chris Karns. Chris switched up the vibe, bringing bassy, trap house, but nonetheless funky beats. His performance and dedication are unmatched. There aren’t too many DJs out there that have perfected the craft of working a turntable as he has. He kept the people dancing until the venue closed its doors for the night. An incredible way to ring in a night that many of us won’t soon forget.

Next week, catch yet another funky and disco filled night of music with Luke the Knife (of Lotus) & Friends, Marc Brownstein (Disco Biscuits), and CASIO CATS! Peep the interview below with frontman Blake Mobley from CASIO CATS to get a feel for the band and get hyped for next week’s RE:Search Wednesday show! The event page can be found [here].

SharedViews: CASIO CATS is still a new band. You've only been performing live for about a year now. Where do you see yourselves in your second year as a band together? Any big goals or accomplishments on your list?

Blake Mobley: A new band but old friends! We've only played a handful of shows as CASIO CATS but each one seems to build nicely upon the last. I think going into 2020 means really refining the sound of the band and to have some fun while we're at it.

SV: Your music is described as Live Electronic Music. What can you say about your live performance and why it's a different experience than seeing other electronic artists?

BM: So we are a bit of a producer/live band hybrid. Without getting too nerdy...our drummer Seth and I are triggering loops (mostly percussion and arpeggiators) while the band crushes house beats and synths over top. Our goal is a simple, but big sound that lends itself well to a dance party!

SV: Who would you say are your biggest influences?

BM: We are a trio made up of players who were formerly in EDM influenced bands (The Malah, Sci Fi, Damn Right!). While I can't speak for everyone, some of the acts I'm personally pulling inspiration from for this project include Bonobo, The New Deal, LCD Soundsystem, Brazilian Girls, James Blake, etc. That probably seems all over the place because it is!

SV: Working in the music industry, you meet a lot of interesting people and can experience some rather odd happenings. What is the strangest experience you've had as a band?

BM: You know, this band hasn't played enough shows to really hit on anything too weird yet, but we have some good stories from a previous life on the road with these guys. Perhaps stories not meant for print though...

SV: With all of the candidate debates happening for the upcoming presidential election, if CASIO CATS ran for president, what would your campaign slogan be?

BM: I feel like “Make America Dance Again” is the low-hanging fruit but not a fan of the association with the Cheeto so how about... 'CASIO CATS - A synthesizer for every cat!'

Re:Visit - The Geek x Vrv, Poldoore, w/ Chris Karns, JusChill and More!