On a typical weekday night, audiences file quietly into Krannert Center for the Performing Arts for a diverse range of music, theater or dance. But Tuesday’s performance in the Studio Theatre looked different before a single note was played. 

Rows of seats faced a stage washed in cool blue light. A wide, empty space stretched between the audience and the musician’s setup, hinting that something more than a seated concert was about to take place. 

Grammy-nominated ensemble Wild Up performed a roughly 90-minute interpretation of “24 to 24 Music,” a genre-blurring album by composer Arthur Russell that merges experimental minimalism with the ecstatic pulse of disco. Originally released in 1981 under Russell’s disco alias Dinosaur L, the piece draws inspiration from New York’s underground dance scene — particularly the influential parties hosted by David Mancuso at the Loft. 

The Los Angeles-based ensemble, founded in 2010 by conductor and artistic director Christopher Rountree, is known for pushing classical music beyond the traditional concert hall experience. Their performance transformed the theater into something closer to a dance club. 

Before the show began, KCPA Director Mike Ross walked through the venue, greeting guests. 

“You’re in for a surprise,” Ross told them. 

Sidney Hopson stepped on stage first, alone at the congas. His steady, rhythmic solo echoed throughout the room as the audience sat quietly. 

Then, slowly, musicians began emerging from the shadows. 

A saxophonist appeared from the back of the theater, dancing as she walked toward the stage. A cellist approached from the opposite side. Tambourine, bass, cowbell, guitar, drums and synthesizer followed. Rountree joined in last, picking up his trombone. 

Each musician added another layer to the groove, gradually building a swirling foundation of sound. Nearly six minutes later, Rountree shouted, “One, two, three, four!”

Suddenly, the mellow blue lighting exploded into gold and pink, as reflections bounced off a disco ball hanging overhead. The venue transformed into a glowing dance club, and the 10-piece ensemble launched into a driving disco rhythm. The music was chaotic yet cohesive — a vibrant collision of percussion, synth textures and propulsive bass lines. 

Rountree occasionally shouted rhythmic vocal lines into the microphone, with other musicians echoing him in response. The electric guitar rang out in an intricate solo while drums and congas pushed the beat relentlessly forward. 

Soon, Rountree raised his arms toward the audience, encouraging them to leave their seats. A few people hesitated at first, then the dance floor filled. 

“It was wild, as the (ensemble’s) title is,” said Amanda McWilliams, a Champaign resident who attended the show. “90% of all ages were up there dancing, having the best time.”

Throughout the entire set, the music never stopped. Instead, it ebbed and flowed, shifting between pounding disco grooves and airy, atmospheric passages. During quieter moments, synthesizer and violin floated over soft percussion, creating dreamlike textures before the rhythm surged back again. 

Even in the calmer sections, the crowd continued to move. Violinist Darian Donovan Thomas roamed through the audience ringing a cowbell, encouraging people to clap along with the beat. Later, he stepped into the center of the room and spun freely while the audience formed a semi-circle around him, feeding off his energy.

Charlie Kaffer, freshman in LAS, was among those dancing, fully immersed in the music from start to finish. 

“You can just tell (the musicians) were in it,” Kaffer said. “They completely embodied the music they were performing.” 

The ensemble members themselves rarely stood still. They danced, shouted and traded solos as if they had an infinite supply of energy. 

As the performance neared its end, Rountree stepped offstage and faced his band from the floor, admiring them as if he were part of the audience. He clapped and danced alongside concertgoers while drummer Max Jaffe performed a solo, eventually building into a frenzy of sound. 

“(The drummer) was fantastic and did not quit, not for a second,” said Rosie Hamilton, senior in LAS. “I was like, ‘I would’ve died 20 minutes ago, and he’s still going!’”

The ensemble burst back in together for one last explosion of disco-fusion as rainbow disco lights filled the theater. After 90 uninterrupted minutes, the music finally came to a powerful halt. 

And if Wild Up had anything to prove, it was that disco — and experimentation — are still very much alive and well. 

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