Caravan Palace sounds like steampunk if it came through a nightclub speaker — all brass, bass, and futuristic swing. The French band — known for fusing swing-era jazz with thumping electronic beats — played to a packed house at The Novo in Los Angeles, and for a couple of hours, the crowd was thrown back in time. Not so much to the 1920s, despite the upright bass and bursts of brass, but to a very particular moment in the early 2010s — a time of sepia-toned YouTube videos, glitchy animations, and the first algorithm-driven discovery of a genre that felt like a novelty, but stuck.
Caravan Palace was at the center of that moment, along with artists like Parov Stelar and Swingrowers. The genre they helped define — electro swing — pulled together Django Reinhardt guitar licks, house beats, vintage vocal samples, and modern pop sensibilities into something that felt at once retro and futuristic. Over time, the initial spark of mainstream curiosity faded, and electro swing drifted into the margins. But hearing it live, delivered with precision and energy, it’s easy to understand why it continues to resonate with the people who found it then — and still return to it now.
The band played a generous, high-octane set — opening with “Clash” and hitting nearly every corner of their catalog, from the infectious bounce of “Wonderland” and “Moonshine,” to the darker, more textured “Reverse” and “Aftermath.” Zoé Colotis remains a charismatic frontwoman, balancing charm and control, and the band’s musicianship was as sharp as ever. Even a bold move like reworking “Black Betty” into an electro-blues dance track somehow worked — a testament to their ability to walk the line between theatricality and precision.
And then, of course, there was the crowd — many dressed for the occasion, some in full vintage flair, others simply dancing alone with a kind of joyful abandon. What might seem like a scene from a different cultural moment — vests, fedoras, swing dancing by yourself — felt oddly alive. There was no self-consciousness, no posturing, no irony. Just movement, and joy, and a shared sense of belonging.
Electro swing isn’t chasing innovation — and maybe it never was. Caravan Palace offers a self-contained world: sharp musicianship, theatrical flair, and a commitment to joy. In a time when music often feels built for playlists or brands, their strange, specific vision feels like a relief. You don’t go to be surprised — you go to step into their galaxy for a while, where everything moves, sparkles, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. Sometimes, it’s just more fun this way.
Words and photos by Eric Han
