The Luminary – which recently relocated and reopened on Cherokee Street next door to Los Punk, and across from Melt – set off its summer concert schedule in high style with a performance by Durham, NC electro-pop (synth-folk? I don’t know how genres work) duo Sylvan Esso. Amelia Meath (Mountain Man) and Nick Sanborn (Megafaun) took to the stage with wide grins and a bottle of Andre; it stayed closed until midway through SE’s set, when the two joked about their choice of alcohol, then cheerfully toasted the The Luminary’s first show on Cherokee while thanking the venue and the considerable crowd.

The band, washed in pink and purple light, cooked up a sublime combination of Meath’s opulent vocals and Sanborn’s dense, warm beats. The atmosphere elevated the experience of listening to their already much talked about debut album. The night was a success barring a couple opening night snags (toilet troubles, somewhat bizarrely slow bar service that involved the near constant rinsing of a single stirring spoon) that were easily forgotten when considering how much fun it was to be in the interesting and vibrant mixed-used art space.

Hip hop fusion artist Thelonius Kryptonite opened the show with a live drummer and a DJ/trumpet player, thus providing a shot of energy to an audience that desperately needed one (it was a breezy, sleepy Wednesday night after all). Kryptonite’s performance of “Breaker Brakah” was a highlight of the evening.

The Luminary’s remaining 2014 concert calendar is small and stacked. Check it out here.

Sylvan Esso:

 Thelonius Kryptonite: