The boards that usually absorb blows from hockey checks and off-the-mark slap shots dealt with a different kind of shock as Deadmau5 rattled the grounds of University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Tsongas Center Monday night.
The “Lots of Shows in a Row” tour kicked off in Lowell with guest DJ Feed Me opening for fans who strolled and danced into the arena early, awaiting the curtain hanging in front of the massive LED-lit cube to drop at 9 p.m.
Deadmau5 began his two-hour set in front of both casual and diehard fans with kick drums that had the entire complex shaking beyond its usual Hockey East noise standard.
As with any electronic dance concert or festival, the clothing was minimal and the dancing was energetic. The initial atmosphere was somewhat disorderly as fans wandered around not sure whether they belonged on the dance floor or seated in the River Hawks arena. The initial confusion is fairly ordinary for stadium events as they often don’t feel very natural for electronic dance shows.
Some concert-goers may have been surprised to see so many young children with parents and teenagers roaming throughout the arena, but it was fairly obvious this show was aimed at giving a wide range of fans what they wanted — the live stylings of Joel Zimmerman, better known as Deadmau5.
Cube 2.1, the extravagant LED stage and DJ booth designed by Deadmau5, commanded the show almost as much as the music. But considering it is of Zimmerman’s design, and perfectly timed with his set, Cube 2.1’s powerful presence is nothing short of a visual bandmate.
This time around there were no obvious technical glitches as there have been in previous outings. Have no fear, in the unlikely event that it cuts out, you may just get an impromptu vocal session from Zimmerman himself. The honest Twitter troll is known to be comedic when issues occur, often poking fun at unfortunate circumstances that arise.
Spoken vocals in Deadmau5’s mix added a euphoric human element to the out-of-body experience that he creates using synthesizers and compressors. It is no doubt that Zimmerman is a modular-based artist. His simplistic approach to music turns quickly into something that sounds impossible to create, for those unfamiliar with production equipment, and impressive for those who are.
Some call it deep or electronic, some call it progressive, but when the candy kids leave the bickering behind for the dance floor, it’s agreed upon that it is some variation of house music.
Monday left little room for any discussion about progressive intent, and the deep stuff must have been left back at the studio, because the event seemed to be all about gut-twisting bass with the electric sounds that are fairly exclusive to Deadmau5. Of course, his radio play tunes were mixed in to please the crowd.
When “Ghosts N Stuff” hit the audience’s ears, the decibel meter at the arena, if Tsongas had one, went up a notch with screams of approval. It’s not the playoffs, it’s commercial recognition at its finest.
Deadmau5 jumped in on the fun himself, using his theatrical self as another bonus for spectators catching a breath between steps or staring at the cube in awe. One of the many bonuses of being a DJ running your own show is that the ‘no smoking’ signs truly only apply to those who aren’t on stage.
To be completely fair, touring and playing sets for people who pay to see you perform is stressful. No one could blame an artist for needing a few swigs of a preferred drink during an event. It’s nothing new to the world of music, but it’s slightly comical to see an artist remove an LED mouse ear helmet to spark a lighter and throw back a brew.
The signature helmet made several appearances throughout the night and each time a roar would erupt from the energetic crowd. Of course, the mock helmets bounced around in the audience as devoted fans would get as close to the stage as possible.
However, the show seemed to be missing some of the visual elements that most stadium tours love to utilize — laser shows. In fact, other than the cube and a few fixtures projecting lights onto the arena seating area, Tsongas was nearly void of visual stimulation away from center stage.
That may be an intentional design of Zimmerman to draw attention to the intricate work put into Cube 2.1, or a pre-tour decision based on venue selection, but the lack of incentive to look about the stadium may have taken away from the experience for some.
These concerts are often a way for fans to escape everyday life and be in awe of what is occurring around them, but other than Deadmau5 and the occasional fan being escorted out in a hurried or dramatic fashion, there was very little to be captivated by.
Most fans seemed to revel in what they came to do, dance with others to the deafening music of Deadmau5 and a chance to say they saw the mouse-eared tattooed musician in person.
