Whethan @ The Sinclair

by Zoe Lozano-Strickland
2017-11-05

Whethan
featuring Ashe and SAINT WKND

October 27, 2017 @ The Sinclair

By: Zoe Lozano-Strickland

[three_fourth]Whethan’s show at the Sinclair last weekend lived up to the hype that surrounds the 18-year-old producer, despite him being such a new and young face to the music scene. At 16, Chicago-bred Ethan Snoreck gained recognition from his remix of ‘XE3’ by Mssingno on Soundcloud and soon took on the stage name Whethan. At 17, he was touring with the Chainsmokers and was one of the youngest producers to release a record with Future Classic. Now at 18, Whethan has performed at South by Southwest and is now on tour utilizing a sound that has both hints of futuristic synths and indie pop vibes, and is unique to Whethan’s remixes and original music.

Ashe, who has a song ‘Can’t Hide’ out with Whethan, started the night off with a medley of some of her most popular songs. Wearing a vintage ’50s floor-length coat, Ashe brought a vibrant and dazzling vibe to the stage that got the audience warmed up and filled with an energy that would last the entire night. Right before she handed the mic off to the next opener, SAINT WKND, Ashe went out with a bang, debuting one of her new songs to be released on November 10th, which was met with screams, hollers, and jumping fans as they got an exclusive sneak peek.

Next to take the stage was SAINT WKND, a German DJ who’d been travelling with Whethan for the past week. SAINT WKND started off with more mellow sounds and remixes with no vocals and then worked his way up to classic songs that everyone could sing along to like ‘Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe,’ ‘Caroline,’ and ‘Love$ick.’ The majority of his set was filled with throwbacks that lit up the room with recognition and excitement one song after the next. SAINT WKND went out with crowd favorites like ‘Humble’ and ‘The Real Slim Shady’ that got the crowd just in the right headspace for Whethan’s entrance.

Whethan entered in a blackout, accompanied by a remix of the Stranger Things theme song, as the concert fell on the same day as the hit TV show’s second season debut. For those of us who recognized the intro, the clever entrance music hyped us up to the next level. You could just feel the anticipation radiating through the intimate crowd found at the Sinclair. Whethan started the night with original music like ‘Good Nights’ and ‘Sleepy Eyes’ and then transitioned into energized remixes. The height of the show was when the lights changed to a deep red and he played a base-driven remix of ‘Wild Thoughts’ that transitioned into an epic ‘Hyper Paradise’ rendition that got the entire crowd on their feet dancing and moving to the all too familiar beats.

When it felt like the night was coming to an end and Whethan played more mellow songs like ‘Perfect Places,’ Ashe ran back on stage for a reappearance and the two performed their hit single ‘Can’t Hide.’ The crowd couldn’t stand still as the duo rocked it out for a great ending to a seamless show. The entire night you could feel the crowd and the performers feeding off each other’s energy that created an unwavering electricity in the air. Whethan’s set at the Sinclair was filled with a youthful and upbeat energy that kept the crowd going from start to finish.

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