Stereolab @ The Royale 9/26
Design by Kristen Lee
By Madison Decina
On September 26th, Stereolab played the Royale Theater as the tenth stop on their “Play Live in 2025” World Tour. It was a mellow hour and a half set featuring trombone solos, Paul Thomas Anderson shoutouts, and a whole lot of dancing.
Just four minutes away from Emerson’s campus on Tremont Street, the Royale is one of the coziest venues in Boston. It’s tight but never feels cramped, and there isn’t a bad view in the entire room.
Due to some unfortunate box office issues, I missed most of MEMORIAL’s opening set, though it sounded great from the lobby. I listened to their 2024 album Memorial Waterslides after the show and really enjoyed it. The duo offer a fresh, modern take on the avant-pop sound that Stereolab themselves helped popularize. They finish their run in October and should definitely stay on your radar in the coming months.
Stereolab swiftly took the stage at 8:00PM, opening with “Aerial Troubles.” It was a fitting opening to a routine, minimalist show by absolute vets. The median age was probably 55, and I’d never seen a crowd so present. It was genuinely refreshing, everyone together, enjoying the mystical powers of live jazz-pop.
Most of their set was pulled from May 2025 album Instant Holograms On Metal Film. I’ll admit I didn’t love this album at first, but seeing it live really changed my perspective. Songs like “Melodie Is A Wound,” which didn’t quite translate on the record, were a joy to hear live. Maybe I was just having a good time.
It was popular tracks like “Peng! 33” and “Miss Modular” that got the crowd buzzing, but the inclusion of “Percolator” sent everyone over the edge. The set was a perfect balance between their pop and more electronic based works, showcasing the band’s timeless range.
They closed with a quick two song encore and were off the stage by 9:40. While maybe a little formulaic, it felt fitting. There was a certain charm to how neat the show was.
Now the real star of the night was the legendary Lætitia Sadier. Switching from keys to guitar to trombone and from English to French without missing a beat, she set the tone for the entire show. Every move was effortless and brilliant; I’d never seen such a raw display of technical skill.
It wouldn’t be right to see Stereolab without taking a moment to remember the late, great, Mary Hansen. As one of the band’s vocalists from 1992 until her untimely death in 2002, she helped define much of Stereolab’s 90s sound and, in turn, an entire genre.
This show served as a sort of homecoming for me and made a perfect start to this fall concert season. I have been a Stereolab fan for years, and catching a show has been long overdue. Not many bands can make music for over three decades that sounds both fresh and true to their original sound; Stereolab does it effortlessly. I walked out of the Royale onto the buzzing Saturday night street and felt grateful for music that bends the gap between past and present.