Photos by Andy Argyrakis

The French electronic duo Air, consisting of Nicolas Godin and Jean-Benoît Dunckel, made international waves with their “Moon Safari” debut, and considering it just turned 25, are in the midst re-visiting the envelope-pushing album in its entirety alongside a drummer.

Locally speaking, the historic Auditorium Theatre was sold out to the top balcony, serving as a majestic environment to experience the band’s otherworldly blend of dreamy space pop, downtempo, psychedelic and chilled-out grooves.

The sonic palate was just as expansive as it was intriguing throughout the extended instrumental opener “La Femme d’argent,” followed by the arty yet accessible front half favorites “Sexy Boy,” “All I Need” and “Kelly Watch The Stars.”

Besides a chance to sit back and listen in the acoustically immaculate venue, Air provided a visual feast of vibey projections, while being located within a lengthy rectangular platform that substituted for a traditional stage set-up.

Of course, further flashbacks, such as the robotic revivalism of “Remember” and the lounge leanings of “You Make It Easy,” were just as unconventionally alluring and sensory satisfying, while ethereal tail end tunes “New Star In The Sky” and “Le Voyage de Pénélope” sent everyone soaring on the one-of-a-kind creativity that could only be Air.

In fact, hearing all of “Moon Safari” in a single setting a quarter century later also pointed to how influential it’s been on mounds of subsequent musicians and producers, both those aiming for the charts and appeal on the underground.

However, there was a ton to come as Air turned in an additional set gleaned heavily from the beloved follow-ups “10 000 Hz Legend” and “Talkie Walkie,” including “Cherry Blossom Girl” and “Don’t Be Light.”

Air encored with “Alone In Kyoto,” a title that certainly didn’t feel like the case as Chicago and the surrounding regions roared, though “Electronic Performers” hit the bullseye of exactly what transpired by some of the best in the business.

For additional information on Air, visit AirFrenchBand.com.

For a list of upcoming Live Nation concerts, visit LiveNation.com.

Upcoming concerts at the Auditorium Theatre include Hip-Hop Orchestra (Oct. 11); Sonic Symphony (Oct. 12); “The Thorn” (Oct. 16); Step Afrika! (Oct. 19); Leon Bridges (Oct. 24-25); Sting (Oct. 28-29 and Nov. 1-2); “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” In Concert (Nov. 9); Chelsea Cutler and Jeremy Zucker (Nov. 15); Bobby Weir & Wolf Bros featuring The Wolfpack & Chicago Philharmonic (Nov. 17-18); Amos Lee & Chicago Philharmonic (Nov. 20); “Mean Girls” (Nov. 26-Dec. 1); Mavis Staples (Dec. 6); “Love Actually” In Concert (Dec. 7); Dave Koz And Friends (Dec. 12); Joss Stone & Chicago Philharmonic (Dec. 18); “Too Hot To Handel: The Jazz-Gospel Messiah” (Jan. 11-12) and “Black Panther” In Concert (Jan. 18). For additional details, visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

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