Major Lazer
RodeoHouston
NRG Stadium
March 8, 2024
Less than a decade ago, only a couple of years prior to him joining Major Lazer, Katy’s own Eric Alberto “Caddy” Lopez could be found behind the decks at Boondocks on Westheimer. By then he was already seen as a gifted producer and DJ, with a talented ear for mixing and remixing dance tracks with Reggae, Dancehall, and many varieties of Tropical/Caribbean sounds.
On Friday night, he played RodeoHouston as part of Major Lazer, which includes Diplo and Walshy Fire. It was a loud and blinding show that shook the windows and the stands of the football stadium, pushing the limits of the audio system to the max. A modest Rodeo crowd of 53,857 danced along for the hour-long set, jumping and getting low at every opportunity,
The trio wore custom Major Lazer baseball jerseys, with Ape and Walshy also donning their cowboy hats. They performed alongside a bevy of talented dancers, with Walshy Fire taking over as host and hype man.
“Is Houston the No. 1 city in the world?!” asked Diplo as he started the show with fan favorites “Watch Out For This” and “Que Calor”. Most of the cowboys and cowgirls in the crowd were up on their feet dancing to the beats, smiling wide when the arena camera displayed them on the jumbotron.
“Shout out to all my Latinos!” added Ape Drums.
Although I don’t doubt that a loose set list was agreed upon beforehand, you could certainly tell that Ape Drums and Diplo were making track selections on the fly depending on the vibe of the crowd. Playing the RodeoHouston stage is much different than the festival shows the trio is used to, but their party centric set still translated well despite the distance between the audience and the stage.
Walshy Fire led the fans in several call and response routines that kept the atmosphere electric. Ape Drums asked for cell phone lights, and then lead everyone in a left to right dance routine while holding the lights towards the sky, They proceeded to pay homage to Houston with “Mo City Don Freestyle,” “Still Tippin’,” and a new remix of Beyonce’s “Texas Hold Em”.
Experiencing a Major Lazer show is always fun and fresh because you never really know what song they will add into the playlist. It could be hits such as “Pon Da Floor,” “Leon On,” or “Bubble Butt,” and then they slide in something like “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver. And amazing, it all works! The one track that was missing was “Get Free,” which is one of my personal favorites.
“This is the biggest rodeo in the world!” shouted Diplo before ending the show. “We love you so much!”
Thank you Diplo, and welcome home Ape Drums!
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2024.
