The last thing you would expect at a concert would be a random man from Costa Rica hugging you and telling you that your photos will turn out amazing. This is the kind of community that Benjamin Booker and Kenny Segal cultivated through merging their musical styles together.

With Segal as his opener, his performance at the Lodge Room Wednesday night was Booker’s third stop on the tour for his third album, “LOWER” — co-produced and co-written by Segal. 

Booker and Segal’s collaboration created something special and new that attracted their respective audiences. Ranging from teenagers with their parents to old men wearing cowboy hats, the diversity of the audience was a wonderful sight to behold. Regardless of who they were, everyone in attendance was grooving to the music.

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The Highland Park venue included a small stage with standing room and a bar. Downstairs was a restaurant called Checker Hall. The cozy atmosphere made for a more intimate concert experience. 

The show began when Segal stepped onto the stage, illuminated by bright green backlights that flashed behind him and into the audience. The moment his fingertips brushed the DJ board, the electronic hip-hop beat resonated through the room. Every spin and movement of Segal’s hands was meticulous and skillful. 

As the set continued for an hour, the audience danced and new friendships blossomed. Fog shrouded the back of the stage, creating a mysterious atmosphere when the light shined through it. After Segal left the stage, members of the audience met one another and embraced. 

After a short intermission, Segal returned once again to the stage, followed by Booker’s drummer, then Booker. The moment Booker picked up his guitar, the chatter stopped and the delighted cheers began. Booker stunned the stage with picks off of his new album. Segal mixed and turned the knobs beside him.

Booker’s low voice melted the hearts of the onlookers. His voice was soft yet had a gravelly nature to it. The combination of purple, pink and blue light perfectly back-lit the rock star. The crowd bopped their bodies to Segal’s electronic punk hip-hop rhythm. Segal generated a distorted effect on Booker’s voice and created an exhilarating industrial-pop vibe. This effect was prevalent in his song “SPEAKING WITH THE DEAD.”

At the midpoint of his performance, Booker put down the guitar and started to dance. He picked up the microphone and made his way to the front of the stage. His vocalizations expressed raw emotions and feelings of longing and pain.

One standout song was “LWA IN THE TRAILER PARK” off the album “LOWER,” which truly resonated with the audience. Growing up in a trailer park on the outskirts of Tampa, Florida, Booker explores feelings of isolation and judgment due to his race and religion.

Following a technical difficulty, Booker interacted with the audience, asking what songs he should play next. A cacophony of voices shouted song names from every part of the room. One man shouted that he was from Costa Rica and that he had come all the way to L.A. to watch Booker perform. He was very excited by the performance and ran around, embracing different fans around the room.

Throughout the entire performance, Booker and Segal were able to seamlessly blend their sounds. Booker wordlessly communicated with his drummer, each crash of the cymbals perfectly complementing Booker’s vocals and guitar shreds.

Booker and Segal ended their performance with a thrilling encore, which resulted in rapturous applause. Booker and Segal made their way to the merch table, announcing that they would be chilling and hanging out with the fans. 

Benjamin Booker’s new album “LOWER” is definitely worth a listen. It is truly the best of both worlds, combining Booker’s voice and Segal’s DJ talents. Their presence on the stage together proved just how well they fit as a team. It introduces audiences to new styles and brings fans together.