By Mike Hurowitz
As an overwhelming majority of Bostonians now know,
German Dj, Zedd's show at the House of Blues ended in terrible tragedy. While Zedd's performance was truly memorable, we lost a member of Boston's vibrant electronic music community, and EDM Boston would like to extend its deepest condolences to anyone affected by the young woman's passing.
Although we in no way downplay the significance of this event, our community must move forward, and one of the most important steps in that process is to remember the reasons behind our passion for this music. I believe that had the tragedy not occurred, this show would have gone down as one of the best to hit Boston in some time. While it has received a tremendous amount of negative publicity, the show was a positive experience for most of those in attendance.
After a summer in which there was essentially one venue in the city that attracted major electronic acts, it was a welcome change to be back within the friendly confines of the House of Blues Boston. The building was packed near to capacity, and from start to finish, there was an atmosphere of excitement and electricity. With fans practically spilling over the railings, Zedd took the stage to a thunderous round of applause.
As the first stop on Zedd's Clarity Tour, we were among the first to witness his new high-grade production. Combining eye-popping stage visuals with impressive Dj skills, Zedd kept the crowd in a frenzy from start to finish. While hits such as his chart-topper "Clarity" were inevitably included in his set, he went beyond his own production to make it a true DJ set. He played tracks by house music giants such as Swedish House Mafia and Hardwell, as well as remixes and mashups of his own, lacing each track with his own original interpretation.
Displaying his remarkable ability to read his crowd and pick his songs accordingly, Zedd seemed to control the pulse of the crowd. While there were moments when it seemed like the roof would blow away, there were also melodic points in his set during which the crowed seemed to sway and move as one. During his encore performance of "Spectrum", the crowd seemed overcome with a sense of joy and togetherness.
While we can by no means disregard the tragedy that took place, we should use this opportunity to move in a positive direction, and focus on our love of this wonderful music. It is our responsibility to learn from these events, and move the community in a positive direction. And if we can harness the unity that was felt that night, I like our odds.
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