Sofi Tukker Takes Over White Oak Music Hall

The eccentric duo, Sofi Tukker, brought the jungle house party to White Oak Music Hall on Thursday as they stopped in Houston on their RIP Shame world Tour. The duo is multi-talented — playing instruments, singing, as well as doing their own production/DJing. Combined with their fierce and unique style which screams retro yet modern at the same time, their overall sound and style as a band are unlike anything I’ve seen before. With their passion for Brazilian culture and the influence of Portuguese poetry, they also attract a diverse fan base with their vibrant beats and Portueges lyrics in some of their songs. I was so excited to see what the duo would bring us in this live set.

With their jungle-inspired stage production, there were faux plants, flowers, and greenery all around the stage. Their openers were Haiku Hands, an alternative dance/indie pop band from Australia, perfect for warming up the crowd and getting everyone engaged in their set. Their songs “Squat” and “Dare You Not to Dance” definitely got the crowd moving as they brought high energy and fun choreography to the stage. They did a fantastic job of connecting with the audience, and their energy spilled over as everyone started singing and dancing along with them. Haiku Hands also joined Sofi Tukker on stage later for one of their songs, and they were a great choice to bring along on this tour as they complemented the duo perfectly.

Photo by Parnia Razinobakht

When Sofi Tukker came on, the crowd went wild as they opened with “Fuck They,” a high energy song with carefree lyrics and a great house beat. Going between playing their guitars, singing into the audience, and keeping up some great bass with their electronic drum set-up, I was most impressed by all the elements included in their production and how on point they were in keeping up with all of it during their set. Not only that but also how authentic and genuine they were, stopping to talk to the audience occasionally and Sofi even crowd-surfing at one point, you could tell they were having so much fun and their energy was highly contagious.

Photo by Parnia Razinobakht

Being familiar with most of their discography, I was satisfied with their setlist as well. Picking the perfect songs every fan wanted to hear live with a mix of their older and new tracks, as well as some fun interludes and collaborative tracks like “Mi Rumba,” it was versatile and a perfect compilation of their best songs. Of course, the audience enjoyed hearing their hits like “Best Friend” and “Drinkee,” but it was nice to also have them slow it down with heartful tracks like “Fantasy” and “Benadryl.” Sofi Tukker put on one of the best and most fun shows I’ve experienced in a while. If you missed them this time, definitely follow their Twitter and Instagram for updates and check out their remaining tour dates.

White Oak Music Hall has a fantastic and diverse lineup of shows for the fall season that you won’t want to miss out on — follow them for new show announcements and more!