Chet Faker Turns The Van Buren Into a Late Night Fever Dream
Photographer: Kili Goodrich
Chet Faker delivered a moody set at The Van Buren. Smoky electronics became one with soulful vocals. From the slow-burning pulse of “Drop the Game” to the emotional weight of “Talk Is Cheap,” the night was a soundtrack for empty streets and neon lights.
Chet Faker
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Chet Faker ✰
Chet Faker turned The Van Buren into a hazy and hypnotic room. Phoenix, Arizona was suspended in an atmosphere that matched the aesthetic of a warehouse afterparty and a dream. The lighting stayed dim and smoke soaked for most of the night. This allowed the weight of his voice to do the heavy lifting. He opened with “Drop the Game,” easing the crowd into that familiar pulse of burning synths and aching vocals. “No Diggity” followed with playful looseness. The audience instantly sang along while Faker twisted the iconic cover into a moodier layer.
“Remember Me” and “The Thing About Nothing” carried the set deeper into its emotional fog. Faker barely rushed a moment. During “A Level of Light,” the bass hummed through the floor. Flashes of white light cut through the darkness. The crowd swayed becoming fully locked into the atmosphere he built.
The middle stretch of the set leaned into the night drive energy that defines so much of his music. “Birthday Card” floated. Cool and effortless. “Can You Swim?” was sharp. A groove that pulled movement from the audience from swaying to fully dancing. “Low” was one of the strongest performances of the night. Heavy. Pulsing. Almost suffocating in the best way. “Talk Is Cheap,” became the emotional centerpiece of the entire show. The crowd’s voices carried the chorus back toward the stage.
“Far Side of the Moon” drifted into the set. The room felt completely hypnotized. Faker never over performed. That’s part of what makes him absolutely magnetic. He lets the mood consume the space. Closing with “Gold,” he gave the audience one final rush of shimmering synths and soul. Ending the night not with a bang. There was a slow fade into darkness that somehow was the perfect beautiful ending.
Article by: Kili Goodrich
Plug In. Tune Out.
Chet Faker is the stage name of Australian musician Nick Murphy, known for blending electronic production with soulful, intimate vocals. He first gained major attention through his haunting cover of “No Diggity” and later with his debut album Built on Glass. His music often blends smoky synths, loose percussion. There’s a warmth and vulnerability to his sound that makes even heavily electronic tracks feel deeply human.