BY NICK WOLDESALASIE
Friday night was a special night in San Francisco for many fans of deadmau5 and Electronic Music. A wave of Synths, Bass, Beats, and Light flooded the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and the fans loved every single minute of it.
To open, Bay Area native Lupa (@its.Lupa) returned home to set the tone as the doors opened to the Public. Heavy bass and a primal, natural electronic rhythm pulsed through the Auditorium. Pulling the crowd straight to the front row while holding their attention for the rest of her all-encompassing set. Keep an eye out for her music going forward. She’s really in a realm of her own.
Next up was the Anjunabeats duo Kasablanca (@kasablanca) that carried the crowd into Synth City. Kasablanca is a very cool duo with fresh sounds. They bring an energy that feels much like a Party that everyone will be talking about for the coming weeks. An impressive set to say the least, and a duo I highly recommend seeing if they are in your city anytime soon.
NERO (@nero) cleared a path for deadmau5 as the final opener of the night. This is where things really began to turn up. The DJ set made for an immediate turn-up and the crown was very much in tune with it. The range of music played during this set seemed to have been a culmination of all the artists that came to the Bill Graham that night, and it was a great welcoming energy for the Headliner that was about to put on a show to be remembered for the San Franciscans.
Last, but not least, was deadmau5 (@deadmau5)! He doesn’t need much of an introduction for those who are familiar with EDM. For those who may not know who he is, allow me to paraphrase. He is a legend. The Canadian DJ and producer is widely known for making mostly progressive electronic music, but don’t think he won’t break past any supposed limits. He treated the crowd with classics like “Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff” while putting us on game with what already are Kx5 Classics like “Escape”. The Fans sang along song-for-song. If they weren’t singing they were dancing, embracing, and simply ‘vibing’ with the Mau5 (“mouse”) himself. Seeing him with and without his world famous helmet brought what felt like another dimension to his set. There was a reality of duality that he brought to the show. Showing the crowd ‘this is who I am’ and the crowd loved it. It was an absolute epic Performance that will be remembered for some time.
For some, it was their 20th time seeing deadmau5. For others it was a first. For everyone, it was a show they will never forget. The Tour’s next stop is at the absolutely unforgettable Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado. If you have yet to see deadmau5, or are unfamiliar with the world of Electronic Music, the “We Are Friends” Tour is the perfect place to start!
