La Roux in Chicago
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About La Roux
La Roux is Elly Jackson, a British synth-pop artist who emerged in 2009 with a sound that felt both retro and immediate. Her debut album was built on sharp, angular synth lines and Jackson's precise vocals—the kind of production where every element is deliberate and nothing feels wasted. In for the Kill became her calling card, all cold efficiency and 80s-inflected attitude. She followed that success with Trouble in Paradise, which showed her willing to push into different territory, but it was that first album that made her name. What set La Roux apart from the synth-pop revival happening around 2008-2010 was a refusal to be precious about it. Her songs had the melodic smarts to stick but the production clarity to cut through noise. She's kept a lower profile in recent years, but the appeal of her best work remains straightforward: perfectly built pop songs delivered with the kind of restraint that makes them feel more powerful.
La Roux's sets are controlled and precise—the opposite of loose jamming. Crowds are there for the songs, and Jackson delivers them cleanly, often with minimal between-song banter. The energy is focused rather than wild, suited to people who actually want to hear the music clearly.
Known for In for the Kill, Bulletproof, Kiss and Not Tell, Fascination, White Noise
La Roux + Chicago
La Roux last stopped through Chicago in 2014, playing Concord Music Hall when the project was still riding the wave of her synth-pop debut. Elly Jackson's cold, precise production and deadpan delivery made for a natural fit in a city that's always appreciated artists who don't try too hard to be likeable.
La Roux in Chicago News
- DS Exclusive: Chicago lipstick-punk band Sweetie release new video for “Bulletproof”: a love letter to queer joy Dying Scene · Mar 26, 2025
- Chromeo announce fall tour (listen to "Replacements" ft La Roux) BrooklynVegan · Apr 27, 2023
- La Roux's Elly Jackson On Joni Mitchell, Misogyny And Being 'Bulletproof' WFUV · Jan 2, 2020
- La Roux’s Uncomfortable Paradise VICE · Jul 31, 2014
- Lilith Fair Chicago Reader · Jul 15, 2010
Live Music in Chicago
Chicago's electronic music scene runs deep—from Warp Records' experimental roots to the thriving house and footwork traditions. La Roux's cold, precise synth-pop sits somewhere between that clinical production approach and new wave swagger. The city gets this kind of music: smart, constructed, unapologetically weird. It's not about warmth; it's about the idea.
Chicago road trip to see La Roux?
Stay in Lincoln Park or Wicker Park depending on your vibe—both neighborhoods have real character and plenty of late-night options. Book dinner at Alinea if you're feeling ambitious, or hit RPM Italian for something excellent and less impossible to get into. Spend an afternoon at the Art Institute, then walk along the Lakefront. The city's got enough to fill a weekend without feeling like you're checking boxes. Catch the show, eat well, and remember why you liked this band in the first place.
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