Watch Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter play his first U.S. DJ set in nearly two decades

Thomas Bangalter has delivered a rare solo DJ performance in Brooklyn, giving fans an unexpected look at his post-Daft Punk musical journey.

Thomas Bangalter just gave dance music fans something they never expected to see in 2026. The Daft Punk co-founder popped up for a surprise DJ set at Brooklyn’s The Lot Radio, marking his first solo set in the United States in more than 17 years.

The appearance came with almost no warning. The underground radio station announced the stream as it was happening, sending fans scrambling online to catch a rare performance from one of electronic music’s most influential artists.

For 75 minutes, Bangalter took listeners on a deep dive through some of his favorite sounds. Instead of relying on obvious crowd-pleasers, he pulled tracks from artists like Burial, Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada and Flying Lotus, showing off the wide-ranging taste that helped shape his career.

The set also featured music from ‘Mirage,’ his latest solo project. While many fans still associate him with the iconic robot helmet, this performance felt like a reminder that Bangalter continues to push forward creatively years after Daft Punk called it quits.

Of course, he couldn’t leave without giving longtime fans at least one throwback moment. The set ended with Daft Punk’s “Contact,” bringing a fitting close to a performance that balanced his past and present in equal measure.

As clips from the set spread across social media, reunion rumors quickly started making the rounds again. But Bangalter has made it clear that he’s focused on new projects these days, making this surprise appearance feel less like the start of a comeback and more like a rare chance to watch a true electronic music legend do what he does best.

Featured Image Courtesy of The Lot Radio

About The Author

Neil Bayless

Hey everyone, I’m Neil! I first joined the dance community back in 2019 when my friend dragged me to Moonrise, my first-ever music festival, and I became hooked ever since. I like to dabble in most genres with my favorites being tech house and melodic techno. When it comes to studio output, Camelphat is part of my daily listening rotation and for a live performance, I’ll never miss a Solomun set. You can likely catch me on the dance floor somewhere in Brooklyn!

See author's posts