Eric Prydz at Prime Boston: A Review

By Mike H: 

Going into this show, I wasn't terribly sure what to expect, besides of course a killer performance from progressive house legend Eric Prydz. Although I wasn't all that familiar with Prydz, I knew he had been making some noise with his semi-monthly podcasts, which spotlight songs and artists that the vast majority of the population have never heard of. I also knew that he had recently been offered residency at Wynn nightclub in Las Vegas, where he displays his new show concept, Black Dice: a minimal-lighting, back-to-basics approach to the growing EDM craze. All in all, I couldn't wait to see what Prydz had to offer.

Read the full review after the jump:

When he first got into the booth, Prydz was met with a roaring ovation and a chorus of "PRYDA, PRYDA" from the packed-in crowd at Prime, and began a with a slow, steady build-up. Adding layer upon layer to stir up the place, Prydz let the beat build slowly but surely, starting off with his unreleased single, "Welcome to My House". Although it took several minutes for the crowd to get some air between their feet and the ground, after about five or ten minutes they really seemed to be into it.

Although he was off to a promising start, a build-up that any true house head would go crazy for, the crowd seemed to flatten after the first few blasts of confetti rained down on them. Notorious for his refusal to play strictly crowd-pleasers, Prydz continued on, transitioning seamlessly from one song to the next, before bringing the crowd back to life as he mixed in his hit single, "2night". From then on, things got rowdy.

Prydz continued to switch between remixes of songs by DJs known and unknown, as well as playing a few of his hits (thankfully "Call on Me" was noticeably absent from the set). Just as I had hoped, the Swedish legend started strong, built the momentum throughout, and closed out with a stirring finale, going from his remix of M83's "Midnight City" into an instrumental version of "Every Day", and finally ending on top with his 2012 single, "Allein".

Although Prydz put on an incredible performance, the show was not without its detractors. Fans took to Facebook to voice their concerns over the crowd at the club, and its apparent lack of respect for the DJ (at several points throughout, splashes of champagne made their way onto the decks). Some fans felt a different venue could have provided a better atmosphere, or a more receptive crowd. However despite the various complaints about the somewhat unsavory crowd, one user approached the situation with an attitude we could all learn from, stating, "Do I wish [the crowd] had more respect? Yes, a thousand times yes. But I went for [Prydz] and his music and fuck what everyone else does." I couldn't agree more.

Even the DJ who opened for Prydz, the relatively well-known Boston-based, Bamboora, was in awe of the Swedish house icon's set. After the show he said, ""I didn't know what to play. I mean, how are you supposed to open for a guy like that? I don't know." All in all, despite getting pushed once or twice and receiving an unwanted shower or two, I left the club with a smile on my face and a tune in my head, and the next time Prydz comes to town, I'll be sure to save the date.

Check out Eric Prydz's recent Essential Mix, (which we think could win Essential Mix of the Year) below:

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