Over the weekend, Fred again.. performed a back-to-back DJ set with Thomas Bangalter, co-founder of Daft Punk, in a surprise appearance at Centre Pompidou in Paris. This marked Bangalter’s first live show in years, performing without his famous robot helmet.

The performance took place during Because Beaubourg, a two-day celebration marking the 20th anniversary of Because Music, held just before the Centre Pompidou’s temporary closure. Fred was joined on stage by Bangalter, Pedro Winter (Busy P), and Erol Alkan for an unannounced closing set that quickly became one of the weekend’s most talked-about moments.

This event was Bangalter’s first appearance since Daft Punk’s surprise Grammy Awards set in 2017 with The Weeknd, and the first time in over 20 years that he performed without wearing the robot helmet.

“Last night I played with Thomas Bangalter, Erol Alkan, and Busy P at Centre Pompidou in Paris, on its final night before renovation,” Fred wrote on Instagram.

“Thomas told me in the elevator that the first time he fell in love with electronic music was in this building in 1992. He also said it had been 24 years since he played a full set without the helmet. I didn’t know what to say then, and I still don’t. The only thing I told him after was that I hope it won’t take another 24 years to see him play again.”

Clips from the performance show the group mixing Daft Punk’s “Digital Love” with Fred’s “Billie (Loving Arms)”, and playing tracks like DJ Mehdi’s “Signatune (Thomas Bangalter Short Edit)” and “Contact” from Random Access Memories. At one point, Fred told the crowd, “This is the craziest two hours of my life.”

Bangalter ended Daft Punk in 2021 but continued his solo projects, including Mythologies (2023) and CHIROPTERA. Meanwhile, Fred again.. has launched the USB002 Series, starting with the single “you’re a star,” the first of ten upcoming releases tied to DJ sets in ten cities worldwide.

The sight of a dance music legend sharing the booth with a new-generation artist created a moment fans will remember for years. It was a rare meeting of eras that celebrated the past, present, and future of electronic music.