Le Youth tickets

Le Youth – The 2016 Tour

Le Youth, the rising house DJ and producer known for his signature use of '90s R&B samples, will be packing the biggest and most iconic clubs all over North America. You can see him at Primary in Chicago, The Hoxton in Toronto, Avalon in Hollywood, The Independent in San Francisco, Webster Hall in New York, the U Street Music Hall in Washington, DC, Club Downunder in Tallahassee, and more! Le Youth always puts on one of the most summery and sensual shows in the electronic music scene today. Don't miss out on your chance to see this legendary house DJ in the flesh! Get your tickets today.

About Le Youth

The musical career of Wes James, the Toledo, Ohio-born producer and DJ better known as Le Youth, began in high school, when he became a drummer in a band. Upon leaving school, he relocated to Seattle, Washington. He started exploring electronic music when a co-worker at the record store where he worked introduced him to the realm of drum machines and sequencers. Upon moving back to Ohio, he split his time between writing his own material and touring with his friends' bands. By 2012, he has settled in Los Angeles, and he issued a free download that summer, titled Dance with Me, under his new moniker Le Youth. The track's '90s-era vibe was an immediate favorite in the blogosphere, which was drawn to the inventive way the song mixed house and R&B. During this period, James also remixed material for artists such as Goldroom and the Hint. In July of 2013, he made the U.K. Top 30 singles chart with his proper debut single, Cool, released through Sign of the Times.

The super-smooth Cool propelled James and the name of Le Youth into the mainstream electronic music scene. He then went on to develop a sound that is rooted in '90s R&B yet uniquely modern at the same time. He favors the incorporation of vocal samples from classic pop stars like Mary J. Blige, Brandy, and Cassie. He has turned his nostalgic sensibilities into a highly sought-after craze that is taking dance floors by storm.

In 2015, Le Youth worked with noted producer MNEK. He also embarked on a highly successful tour that included stops in Los Angeles, Chicago, Vancouver, and Seattle. Traveling and a hectic touring schedule is just part of the package of being a well-known DJ and producer, and it has its perks and drawbacks. James finds travel very exciting, and is grateful for his chance to see the world. It also takes a lot out of him. He is constantly on the go, and weird hotels, unfamiliar places, jet-lag, late nights, and a constant stream of new people can be draining. To relax, James likes to spend time in his studio with his dog.

Previous Hits

Le Youth's hit singles are Cool and Dance with Me (featuring Dominique Young Unique). Cool, sometimes stylized C O O L, is Wes Le Youth James' debut single. In 2013, the track was issued as a digital download in the United Kingdom in late June, and in the United States in early July. On the UK Singles Chart, the song would peak at number 26. On the Danish singles chart, it peaked at number 19. The track samples heavily from Cassie's tune Me & U. It amassed more than 200,000 listens on Soundcloud within a short time. A music video accompanying the release of the song was initially issued on YouTube in April of 2013, with a length of about three and a half minutes.

Dance with Me is James' follow-up to Cool, and features vocals by Dominique Young Unique. The track was issued as a digital download in the United Kingdom in February of 2014. James wrote the song in collaboration with Ronald N. Bell, Nathan David Leftenant, Claydes Eugene Smith, Robert Spike Mickens, George Melvin Brown, James Warren Taylor, Robert Earl Bell, Tomi Jenkins, Tameka Cottle, Shawntae Harris, Kandi Burruss, Eumir Deodato, Charles Singleton, Kevin Briggs, Jermaine Dupri, Lisa Lopes, Larry Blackmon, and Dominique Clarke. The track samples the hit single No Scrubs by TLC and The Party Continues by Jermaine Dupri (featuring Da Brat and Usher). In an interview with Digital Spy, James stated that he knew his track was good from the first few reactions it received, but that he had no idea how big it would get. A music video accompanying the song was first released on YouTube in January of 2014, with a length of about three minutes. The video depicts a number of dazzling models participating in a color-coordinated, retro fashion shoot.

In Digital Spy, Robert Copsey gave the track a warm review, stating that few were more astonished by the sudden success of Cool in 2013 than the artist himself. Apart from the radio and online hype, the fact that his Cassie-sampling song only managed to peak at number 26 was, in Copsey's eyes, a chart travesty. For Dance with Me, James' follow-up, the choice to sample No Scrubs was extremely brave, given that the song has attained an iconic status among music fans. It was also a sensible choice, given that '90s pop is now old enough to be part of a revival trend. Given that James is essentially following the (considerably successful) formula of his last hit single, the impact of Dance with Me is somewhat diminished, but its slinky electro grooves and clever clipping ensure that the tune never once sounds gimmicky.

Trivia

As Le Youth, Wes James had a monthly radio program on Capital Xtra called Friday Night House Party.

The Le Youth Concert Experience

With a pair of hit singles under his belt and an ever-growing fan base, Le Youth is rapidly becoming one of the foremost house producers in the scene. Whether he is drawing from his extensive catalog of R&B-inflected tunes or busting out his dancefloor smashers like Cool and Dance with Me, the Le Youth concert experience is one that revives those classic '90s sounds within the artist's own unique take on house music. Don't miss out on your chance to see this up-and-coming electronic music artist live and in the flesh!