Hannah Maerowitz
Staff Writer

Up-and-coming electronic DJ SG Lewis brought his emotive musical stylings to a small but engaged audience at The Hub on Wednesday, Nov. 15.

Taikon warmed up the crowd for Lewis, playing remixes that had both downtempo and trap elements. Lewis, who flew in from England for the concert, seamlessly transitioned into his set after Taikon finished.

Lewis, who grew up in Reading, United Kingdom, has built a loyal following ever since being signed to PMR Records in 2014. Since then, he has released two EPs and many songs that combine atmospheric pop with hard-hitting beats.

At the Wednesday performance, one crowd favorite was “Smart Aleck Kill,” a song peppered with casual, contemplative lyrics embodying youth culture, such as “You think you know it all / You little girl, you’re so thoughtless” and “You play with my emotions when you feel it’s right / I play with my pinky ring when I need to.” Moody and nonchalantly introspective but also exceedingly danceable, the song is an excellent example of what makes Lewis’s music so appealing to listeners.

Other songs that elicited positive reactions from the crowd were the ethereal but bassy “Yours” and the downtempo, introspective “No Less.”

Although there were a few technical blips in the performance, Lewis handled them with the same ease that is present in his music.

Midway through his set, Lewis further engaged the audience by asking “If I show you something, can you promise not to tell anyone?” He then proceeded to lead into a new song, telling the audience “You’re the first to hear this.”

Lewis’s music includes elements that resemble those of other popular artists like Blackbear, Khalid, and Dream Koala, but the way in which he combines those elements contributes to his unique style.

Showing off his range of songs throughout his performance, Lewis alternated between downtempo, sultry songs, like “Warm” and romantic, poppy jams like “Meant to Be.”

Lewis’s stop at The Hub is part of a tour that also brought him to Philly, Chicago, and San Francisco. Tour stops in the U.S. may be a strategy to build buzz around his music outside of the U.K., since his last musical release was in 2016.

Although Lewis focused on musical transitions rather than colloquial ones throughout the performance, there was a palpable connection between him and the crowd throughout the set, frequently smiling at the crowd as they cheered for him.

Towards the end of the performance, Lewis thanked his audience, saying “I appreciate you guys staying with me, even through the downtempo stuff. You’re awesome.”