Caravan Palace w/ Zayka, Brooklyn Steel, Brooklyn, NY 4.11.25

One of the most exciting aspects of concert journalism is the ability to encounter music you never would've experienced if you only covered one specific style of music. Prior to about a month ago, I had no idea the genre of electro-swing even existed. It’s one thing to listen to the blend of electronic sequenced beats on top of old-timey swing music, but it’s another to experience it live, and I had the unique opportunity to capture the excitement of an electro-swing show in all its grandeur thanks to Caravan Palace.

Caravan Palace is the Paris-based poster child for electro-swing who quickly rose to prominence thanks to their work within the niche genre, the use of multiple tracks in animation videos, and a cult online following. While waiting for the doors to open, I overheard a couple talking about how they traveled from Canada to see the band, as well as some fans in the venue who mentioned how they had already seen the tour in Texas. These interactions go to show Caravan Palace’s fanbase isn’t an exclusively online community born of a viral social media presence: they actually show up to experience the thing live. Touring off of their latest record “Gangbusters Melody Club,” the six-piece took the stage at a sold out Brooklyn Steel with an excitement only matched by the crowd in front of them.

One of the defining characteristics of the show was the multi-instrumentalist qualities of each of the members, with prime examples being vocalist Zoé Colotis switching to clarinet in the opening track “Clash” and one member switching from bass to electric cello to keyboards within the time span of a few tracks. The stage became a playground for every member of the band all having just as much fun as the audience. I haven't seen this much energy at a show in a very long time, and this could be attributed to a combination of the upbeat energy of the music and the rarity of the band's appearances in the US. It truly felt like there was nonstop dancing for the hour and a half of the band’s set time.

Opening for the sextet was Caravan Palace’s touring trombonist turned DJ, Zayka. His 30-minute set was packed with electronic dance grooves as well as occasionally bringing out his trombone to play on top of the tracks. I found Zayka’s interactions with the crowd, such as his playful smiles when he switched up the music and his vocal desire for connection, to be quite charming, and it brought out more of a human nature amidst the electronic landscape. Zayka was a fantastic beginning to the evening, as his energy brought out even the more laid-back crowd members and got them warmed up for the main event.

I walked out of Brooklyn Steel that evening feeling much better than when I entered, which is always a telltale sign for a great show. While their tour may be wrapping up next week, there is no doubt in my mind that Caravan Palace will always get a recommendation from me when people ask what live bands they should keep on their radar. You can check out their music on Spotify and Apple Music.