Armin Van Buuren @ Showbox Sodo

Event Review

Once in a blue moon, a trance show is so amazing, so full of energy and positive emotion that the music serves solely as a backdrop to what can only be called a phenomenon. Last Friday, Seattle's trance fans were treated to one of these rare delicacies.

In just one month, USC Events put together one of the most epic, back-to-back lineups of the biggest names in trance. In April, Tiesto played a packed WaMu Theater, followed up one month later by the world's #1 DJ, the one and only Armin Van Buuren. Want to know why he's number one? Armada Music, Armin's flagship label, continues to put out sensational tracks from ground-breaking artists, including Dutch duo W&W, Markus Schulz, and Blake Jarrell. Armin's "State of Trance" series continues to please, year after year, while other trance mainstays (cough, Tiesto) have strayed from their roots and left diehard fans out to dry. And finally, Armin has one of the best stage presences of any major DJ. He interacts with his fans, he signs autographs for guys in wheelchairs, he shakes hands, and he enthralls his hoards of followers with the most pristine, freeing and beautiful tracks around.

On Friday night, Armin played a few of what are now considered "classics", such as "Lost" from Sunlounger vs. Zara. He played a few of his new tracks, such as the crowd-pleasing, mind-numbing "Not Going Home" from Faithless off his latest release "A State of Trance 2010". But like I said, it wasn't so much the quality of the tracks that Armin played, nor was it his unparalleled skills on the decks, that made Friday night such a great show. Everyone expects nothing but the best from Armin, and he always delivers. What made that night at the ShowBox Sodo so phenomenal was the energy Armin brought to the crowd. Standing from the photo pit, mere feet from Armin's Pioneer CD-Js, I got a full view of the crowd. Beaming faces, the lights and lasers streaming across the crowd, the carefree people dancing fearlessly. We witnessed the seamless meshing of the crowd with the artist, a factor so commonly overlooked in massive venues.

It's really quite simple. You can just feel it when you're at one of his shows. He's so much more than an entertainer, or a musician, or someone who's out to get as much money from his fans as possible then retire. Armin loves his fans, he loves his music, and the feelings are mutual.
A major shout-out to USC Events/Insomniac for bringing huge, huge names to Seattle. These people know what they're doing and are a top-notch group. For more info, please check them out at: Uscevents.com. Keep it up!! Seattle appreciates it!!!