LiFT Nightclub in downtown Buffalo sure picked the right guy to blow the doors off its grand opening this past Friday night. The club brought Audien to town who was fresh off his Sunday stint at TomorrowWorld and is generally blowing up as of late. His set was sandwiched between local support from Jesse Aaron & DJ3 who also added stellar performances to the night. Formally known as Rendezvous, the club changed names and moved uptown, settling in between Darcy McGee’s and Skybar on Franklin Street. The spot is a perfect one as it was near capacity for its kickoff.
The club is located on the second floor, but walking in, patrons were greeted with a friendly bartender named Sara who was keeping busy as nearly everyone stopped for a drink to start the night off before heading upstairs. The club itself had an exceptional layout with an array of lights spread throughout, a balcony if you wanted to step outside, and an elevated DJ booth that allowed everyone in the room to keep a close eye on the artists while they kept the music going.
First up was Jesse Aaron, and judging from the already assembled crowd, you would have thought it was the ten-year anniversary of the club and not its opening night. His set had bodies packing the dance floor and bouncing off one another as he got the night started on the right foot. The sound in club was exception and no matter where you were dancing, you could feel the music hitting hard. You could tell the crowd was ready to go and weren’t waiting for Audien who was up next.
As seamlessly as Jesse Aaron dipped in and out of songs, the transition between his set and Audien was just as smooth with many not even noticing the switch as they were deep into the music. Factory Nightlife, the promotion group who put together the lineup did a fantastic job as the three DJ’s fit together extremely well. As Audien’s hands touched down, the energy in the room reached its peak and his layering of classic and contemporary pulsated through the floor. He had complete control over the rhythm, slowing things down to a grinding tempo before building it back up to a peak full of momentum and drive. The slow rolling builds between the blissful highs and ambient passages kept the crowd transfixed. His remix of Michael Jackson’s “Slave to the Music” was so tight and its incessant beat propelled the night forward.
Thanks to Justin Bondi, here’s a video recapping the amazing night and the start of something great at LiFT! Check out his website here for more information.
As his set wound down, the energy was certainly not. DJ3, also known as Jillie Wags, was up and the crowd wasn’t going to let her off the hook. The near capacity crowd was staying the night until they were pushed out the door. Throughout her set you could feel her energy and the crowd parlayed that back, continuing to dance well past 2am. Speaking with her following her set, she said she played that night for her brother who passed away earlier this year after his 25th birthday in May. You could tell she was laying it all out as the set was dripping with emotion. It’s no wonder the majority of the crowd closed the place down and stayed the entire night.
All and all, the three DJ’s put together an incredible night of music and the club played a great host as it kicked off its opening night. Clearly this is the place to be if you’re looking for solid electronic music in and around Buffalo. Factory Nightlife’s next show at LiFT will be NIGHTMARE ON FRANKLIN ST. on Halloween featuring EDX and local support from Jesse Aaron & Swagglerock. Grab your tickets here and make sure to check this place out if you’re ready to dance late into the night.
Photos by: Micheline V.
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