On October 9, more than 17,000 stood in awe at the historic Hollywood Bowl in California, as RÜFÜS DU SOL performed for the first time in Los Angeles since 2021’s lauded three-night stint at Banc of California Stadium. Although the trio have not released new music in the year since those 2021 shows, the energy and VIP edits of their hits proved to be more than enough to satiate a crowd of thousands. At the time, the band’s Tyrone Lindqvist told Peter Larsen of the Orange County Register that while Australia was of course the group’s native land, LA has been their stateside home and the Banc of California run felt like somewhat of a homecoming affair. Comparatively, a year later, the iconic Hollywood Bowl felt like a comfortable victory lap for RÜFÜS, now indisputably cemented as one of the most beloved electronic outfits of our day. Though, by the end of the evening, it would feel like the fabric of the group and its relationship with the Hollywood hills would be undoubtedly changed going forward.

Opening with “Eyes,” RÜFÜS DU SOL immediately captured the crowd with a fan-favorite classic from their 2018 Solace album. The bar was instantly set for the night—Lindqvist effortlessly engaging thousands of fans singing in unison. While the performance began with the trio’s more lyrically forward outputs, it didn’t take long for Lindqvist to ask the crowd if they were ready to dance. As the subversive, dark melody from the intro to “On My Knees” materialized, droves of fans roared in excitement for the deep-house inspired select. As if it wasn’t already clear, at this moment, the crowd seemingly agreed telepathically all at once that we were all in for a special evening.

Around the night’s halfway mark, RÜFÜS DU SOL treated Los Angeles to a guest appearance from Curtis Harding. The vocalist on “Surrender,” Harding also provided direct support for the group as the lone opener for the Hollywood Bowl show. As the bassline dropped on the group’s beloved collaboration, confetti shot into the night sky, flanked by strobe flashes and hissing clouds of smoke, charging the Bowl’s already powerful ambiance with a little added flair.

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RÜFÜS wouldn’t miss a beat across a string of crowd-favorites, rinsing “I Don’t Wanna Leave,” “Underwater,” and “Alive,” which landed as some of the most thrilling, engaging moments of the set. However, the talk of the night was during a brief intermission when Lindqvist began to thank the crowd. The singer announced Surrender was created in a Los Angeles studio only a couple of miles from the monolithic concert venue, which felt like a serendipitous full circle, even within LA’s city limits. Interestingly, what would happen next proved to spawn a trove of headlines speculating if the Hollywood Bowl performance was actually somehow the beginning of the end. Shocking thousands, Lindqvist announced that this would be the end of a chapter for RÜFÜS DU SOL, as he would be moving to San Diego where he would raise his child, while Jon George and James Hunt would move to Miami.

Jon quickly interjected as it seemed like he had no intentions of announcing his move to Miami and quickly dispelled the thought. Obviously an unplanned on-stage conversation, thousands of attendees were left concerned about the future of the band, and if they were in fact ready to hang it all up at the top of their game. It wasn’t long before RÜFÜS DU SOL confirmed to Dancing Astronaut that the group would not be splitting up, putting the electronic world at ease after days of speculating with bated breath. While the future of the RÜFÜS DU SOL is still largely at question in regards to new music and tours going forward, fans can at least be assured that the trio will remain intact.

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After the emotional moment for Tyrone, Jon, and James, RÜFÜS DU SOL reconnected with the crowd over one of the most well known melodies in modern dance music, as the ubiquitous “Innerbloom” gushed from the speakers for one of the most magical moments of the evening. The near 10-minute song felt almost too short after the group departed the stage, leaving the magic hanging in the air for a moment that seemed to go on forever. Then, the trio came out for an encore and performed “Treat You Better” and “No Place” to cap off a miraculous and memorable night in Hollywood.

Despite the fleeting momentary drama concerning a rumored hiatus or breakup, selling out the celebrated Hollywood Bowl certainly felt like the last chapter in a really good book. Though, the story seems to be a series of good books. And while the next installment in RÜFÜS DU SOL’s story may look a little different with children, geographic distance, and more, that’s the natural evolution of a band. If October’s LA affair signaled the changing of the tide for one of dance music’s most esteemed outfits, their Hollywood Bowl sellout was the perfect was to turn the page.

Featured image: Michael Drummond

Tags: banc of california stadium', hollywood bowl, house, melodic, review, RÜFÜS DU SOL

Categories: Features