On Saturday night at Madison Square Garden, Eric Prydz pushed the boundaries of what an electronic music live show really can be. In previous interviews, Prydz has mentioned that this would be a once in a lifetime event; one that won’t end up making money, due to the extravagant production that will be brought into MSG. One look at the stage, and you could see why.
Throughout the Swedish producer’s three hour set, the Garden was lit up with an unbelievably impressive display of laser beams, towering digital screns, and what has been described as the world’s biggest hologram, creating a once in a lifetime visual experience that rivals many major music festivals. It was completely over the top, right down to Prydz’s enormous holographic head hanging over the crowd.
At a time when many DJs have pyrotechnics and effects synched up to specific songs and times, Prydz publicly stated that he barely knew what he was going to play heading into this set. It just makes the whole experience that much more impressive, knowing that the visual effects team was so on top of their game, making a completely improvised set synch up with visuals that you’d have thought was rehearsed fifty times. One major highlight saw the laser beams out in full effect upon the drog in Green Velvet + Harvard Bass’ ‘Laser Beams’, one of the few non-Prydz originals that was appropriately played.
Throughout the show, Prydz mixed in songs from his storied career, including tracks from his alter-egos Pryda and Cirez D, and a bunch of unreleased tracks that may appear on the upcoming Pryda ten year anniversary album. It was a fantastic three hour musical journey, but the real highlight was the visuals. At the end of the day, Prydz is just one guy playing music on a huge stage – if you’re going to perform in this large a venue, you need to bring an experience.
With dance music festivals attracting record attendance numbers all over the world, including a number within a drive of New York City, there just needs to be something special to play in a venue like the Garden. Prydz’s EPIC 3.0 spectacle has set a new standard for production, which will be hard to match by future DJs and producers who attempt to perform at the Garden’s famed halls.
Thanks to In The Mix, you can stream the full audio from the show below: