Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter performs first DJ set in 16 years
Daft Punk‘s Thomas Bangalter performed his first DJ set in 16 years in Paris on October 25th.
Bangalter made a guest appearance with Fred Again, Erol Alkan, and Pedro Winter for a DJ set at Paris’ Centre Pompidou as part of French music label Because Music’s 20-year anniversary celebrations.
It marked the first time that Bangalter had taken to the stage since he last performed with Daft Punk with The Weeknd at the Grammys in 2017, and was also his first unmasked DJ set since 2001.
Fred Again later shared on Instagram: “Thomas told me in this lift on the way down to the show that the first time he fell in love with electronic music was in this building in 1992.”
The English DJ continued, “He also told me hasn’t played a proper set without the mask on for 24 years. I didn’t know what to say to either of those things and I still don’t. All I said to him at the end is that I hope it isn’t 24 years til the next.”
During his set, Bangalter treated the audience to a number of Daft Punk classics, playing ‘Rollin’ & Scratchin’’, ‘Digital Love’, and ‘Contact’. He also aired The Chemical Brothers’ dance-floor filler, ‘Galvanise’, and Jonny Greenwood’s score for One Battle After Another.
Since Daft Punk announced their split in 2021, Bangalter has remained involved in music, creating a series of soundtracks, such as Mythologies and Daaaaaalí! in 2023.
In a rare interview with BBC 6 Music in 2023, Bangalter explained why he was glad that Daft Punk had quit while they were ahead, sharing, “There’s a moment where it ends and I think it’s actually interesting to have this opportunity to start, have the middle and to end it… [I was] relieved and happy to look back and say: ‘OK, we didn’t mess it up too much.’”
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.