By: Carissa Aguirre
On September 28th, Zedd headlined a sold-out show at 713 Music Hall in Houston, Texas, marking an epic end to the month. Although I wasn’t a huge fan of the new album, I was hoping his live performance would change my mind. To get a little taste of what to expect, I watched Zedd’s EDC 2024 set. It instantly brought on waves of teenage euphoria with remixes ranging from Lana Del Rey's Summertime Sadness to classic hits from Daft Punk and Empire of the Sun. However, the production is what really caught my attention and left me wondering what it would look like in an enclosed venue.
Upon arrival, I encountered a long line of concertgoers eagerly waiting to get in. I knew the show was sold out, but witnessing this level of excitement for Zedd was amazing. As soon as the doors opened, people were running to the barricade to claim their spots on the rail. Openers Mesto and Ellis were fantastic, energizing the crowd with popular remixes and a hint of dubstep.
When the show finally kicked off and Zedd came out, the stage erupted with lights and fog. Visually, this was one of the best EDM stage setups I had ever seen in an enclosed venue. The DJ booth was centered, with an arched screen displaying live footage and album visuals that looked like stained glass. The lighting effects created an atmosphere that one attendee described as feeling like they were in church, but better.
Although Zedd played many of his well-known remixes, the standout moment of the show was his drum solo to Sona from the new Telos album. This was one of the songs that didn't make sense to me until hearing it live with drums. It made me realize that this new album wasn’t meant to sound like all of his other songs. It was meant to be different and showcase more of his musical ability. He even told Grammy.com that Telos “isn't going to be that pop album that some people may have wanted me to make.”
After watching his EDC set, I was fully prepared for the production. There were thousands of lasers, smoke, and fire. I’m pretty sure the lights shone every color on the spectrum, lighting up the entire venue. As I watched the rest of the show from the back of the GA crowd, I felt that sense of euphoria, and I could tell that everyone around me was feeling the same. And naturally, no Zedd show would be complete without Clarity. He closed the night with his most popular song, prompting the crowd to lift each other onto their shoulders. Soon, the sea of fans became so packed that I couldn’t even see the stage anymore. Everyone had their phone up, hoping to catch the last moment on camera.
With only a few more stops left on the tour, I can only imagine the tickets will be selling quickly. So, if you have a chance to snag one before the show sells out, like Houston, this is your sign to press buy! It will be worth it to see Zedd in this new light, but with the word 'telos' meaning an end or completion to some, who knows what we will see next from him.
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