Tiesto, easily the world’s most recognizable trance and progressive DJ, played at Washington, DC’s Fur on Sunday night to a sweaty, pulsing throng in a venue that if it were any more crowded, was a literal fire code violation, small town population, or energy source for the entirety of the Northeast quadrant of Washington, DC. Touring for his latest release, “Kaleidoscope,” the Dutch master has switched his style considerably from pure trance leaning to a progressive style to something akin to to the best of both worlds of trance and electro, a move lambasted by the international EDM community, but as far as a monetary situation, an obvious victory. As electronic music has moved further into mainstream top 40 radio playlists in the past year, everyone seems to be making the concession to catering to that with a sound that definitely leans more electro, a concession to the dancing feet of North American record executives more than anything. Haters be damned, last night, when the throng of literally thousands saw Tiesto’s chiseled European features on the 200 square foot video wall smile, then explode into a world of stars, into the video for Tiesto’s collaboration with Sneaky Sound System “I Will Be Here,” it was clear that the party was on and was going to be an insistent groove of racing synths and emotive rhythms.
The album sounds phenomenal live. The voices on the album, be they Tegan and Sara, Nelly Furtado, or Calvin Harris on the true electro migration “Century,” clearly are up to the challenge of being featured on Tiesto’s orchestral stylings, as his arrangements in his productions, while still quite different from anything he’s ever attempted before, still maintain a giant, classical feel and style. In now having created the Musical Freedom label to be released by Ultra Recordings, it’s clear that Tiesto as an auteur now feels the ability to be able to maximize his artistic vision without the distraction of expected norms to be beholden to by label executives. It’s clear from the literal sea of bodies undulating to his turntable ministrations last night that his shift in direction isn’t necessarily a loss, but a step towards a financially stable career, and the ability to work with arists that can cement his legend and cross him over.
Giant trance and techno acts like Tiesto tend to get a bad rap from the independent ranks or hardcore scenesters because of the methods to their madness and their lack of adherence to their expected prior norms as artists. However, facts are facts. In a recession, a man sold out a venue with tickets priced somewhere in the realm of five, to ten to twenty times as much as the average EDM community event. Yes, you may rightly call these people in many cases “rich douchebags,” but, at the end of the night, when stripped down, these were kids and adults who were having the party of their lives, though they could neither move, breathe nor drink to the music of a man who understands synthesizing a sound to create a global message.
From humble beginnings grow noble aims. If you shoot for the stars, even if you miss, you’re still amongst the clouds.
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