SHOW REVIEW: Anjunabeats North American Tour 2016

Show: Anjunabeats North American Tour
Date: Saturday, February 6th, 2016
Venue: Echostage, Washington, DC

On Saturday, February 6th, Above and Beyond’s “Anjunabeats” label took their star-filled North American tour to Echostage in Washington, DC. The night included and extended set from DC native and hometown hero Andrew Bayer leading things off, and included notable sets from Myon & Shane 54 and Jason Ross. The special guest of the night, California’s Seven Lions, and his mix of his signature liquid dubstep and old school trance vibes were a welcome departure from the marathon of progressive and progressive trance that enveloped the night. The real standout for those of us in attendance, however, was one of our favorite producers over the past year: Ilan Bluestone.

Especially when compared with some of the other, especially animated artists of the night, Ilan was more subdued in his approach. The visuals played into this nicely, conveying the feeling and vibe of what was being played without feeling over the top. Contracted against the visual opulence of someone like Seven Lions, whose gorgeous visuals of giant, sweeping landscapes perfectly meld you into the moment, Ilan’s seemed to rely on the music to hold the listeners attention. He was able to keep the crowd on their toes the whole, mixing in some fun, unexpected surprises to go along with his original productions that embody his epic, bombastic style of progressive trance that have made him so popular.

The crowd was one of the biggest we’ve ever seen at Echostage, including a 30+ minute wait just to get through security and into the venue; and it seemed not a single person left early. The shortened set times (each artist got an hour) allowed for a fluid, exciting night. The tour continues through March, and based on our experience, have no other choice that too highly recommend it!

Highlight of the night: Ilan Bluetone — “Cloudchaser”