Afrojack’s Sold-Out NYC Show Was a Much Needed Nostalgic Trip [Interview]
Afrojack might have played a lot of throwbacks, however, in addition, he revealed a track before Ultra.
Co-written with Nisha Stickles
Performer Nick van de Wall, better called Afrojack, headlined his first concert at Brooklyn’s Avant Gardner this Saturday. And before the series, EDM.com had the opportunity to catch up with the Dutch DJ happening and talk about what goes in to his live performances.
EDM.com: Last yearyou were on an immense excursion from early October until late December briefly after publishing your EP Press Play. How does it feel to be vacationing soon again, after playing a very lengthy stint? Can you ever do anything to recharge and get yourself psyched for each one of the continuous traveling and shows that are back-to-back?
Afrojack: As a DJ (if you love what you do), you are basically on excursion consistently. These days I only do the displays and places I like, and I are focused on building LDH, developing the WALL Recordings artists, also also spending time at the studio. Should you accompany me on socials it is possible to see how I maintain it fun and easy with personal jets and custom Playstation suitcases, big tour buses and nice hotels, but the most crucial thing that keeps me going is my team. Wherever we go, MC Ambush, cameraman Frits, excursion manager Sam, and sometimes a number of those WALL artists, are all like family to me personally. I don’t think I’d ever have the ability to continue touring when I wasn’t surrounded by friends all the time.
You have been headlining concerts for many years now. Are there any gaps to preparing for a set, like that at the Ultra Music Festival?
The fan experience is your #1 priority. The production team, the regional promoters and I will be always focused on establishing the very fun and astonishing experience when preparing for something like Ultra where the place is broadcasted and functions as a signature for your own brand. You are not only playing for the folks on the dance floor, but also huge numbers of individuals around the world, and you are creating your title for the coming year. So for some time, all of us prepare three or two weeks beforehand, new records, new party tricks, and generation components. It’s the Beginning of the season.
Talking about big festivals like Ultra and AMF, just how can you go about picking the music for those rather than a show at a place? Are there any variables?
Nighttime, no wall back wall or daylight, roof or no roof makes a major gap in acoustics. Some music may seem great in a subterranean warehouse with cement walls and high ceilings for each click, but the identical record may seem horizontal in an location.
When it comes to playing this place, are there some songs you are excited to perform for the NYC audience?
“Take Over Control” because it’s born in NYC, first time on the radio, and the label is outside there, and my first U.S. fans began from there. “The Spark” is the same story. And, needless to say, I’ll play a few IDs also, as New Yorkers are ready for something fresh.
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For all those of you who missed Afrojack’s sold-out series at Avant Gardner, it was as epic as and possibly.
Liquid Todd, Wall Recordings artist Chico Rose, also snare king Grandtheft heated up the audience and set the mood at that evening. From now Afrojack chose the stage, everyone was ready to hear a few throwbacks and whatever else he had in store for them.
At the start of his set, an Afrojack picture montage filled the place and the screens was bathed in crimson and white light beams. A voice echoed,”This is my city,” and fans went wild upon viewing with the Dutch DJ pop up in the booth and then greet the audience. However, the party did not begin until a huge beat dropped and streams of CO2 blasted from cannons at the foot of the stage.
With his mix of snare room and electro house monitors, Afrojack’s hour-and-a-half place was a trip back into the 2011-2014 era of dance music. He performed remixes and mashups of radio hits like Calvin Harris'”How Deep is Your Love,” Dua Lipa’s”One Kiss,” Post Malone’s”Congratulations” and Ke$ha’s”Tik Tok” to name a few.
Of course Afrojack also played some of his own hits like “Ten Feet Tall,” “SummerThing! ,” “Lost” and “The Spark.” He also included some throwbacks to his early days with”Turn Up The Speakers” and”Take Over Control.”
What made it all the more entertaining and unlike other DJs who play their own tracks, is that each of these songs weren’t actually played in their entirety. They were all part of a mashup with some throwback like Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams,” Dr. Dre’s “The Next Episode,” the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ “Heads Will Roll,” and Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven Is a Place On Earth.”
Though old festival favorites and anthems from Swedish House Mafia, Alesso, Avicii and David Guetta played a huge part in hyping up the crowd, MC Ambush and Afrojack’s contagious energy combined with the grungy text graphics flashing messages like,”make some noise” and”hands up,” also greatly added to it.
Quite a few times, MC Ambush had fans chanting, “Aye oh,” while moving in sync to his raised arm, while Afrojack encouraged them to sing along to some of their favorites by turning down the music when the chorus hit. During the last mashup of his set, which was fittingly Daft Punk’s “One More Time” and his “Ten Feet Tall,” the Dutch DJ went along the front of the stage, reached his hand out to fans and got them to dance along in a last hurrah.
After he finished his set, the crowd immediately shouted for an encore. For a good minute or two Afrojack looked out at the packed warehouse taking in the moment and then, despite saying he was supposed to end his set twenty minutes ago, he gave the people exactly what they wanted.
He played a seemingly acoustic version of Avicii’s”Wake Me Up” and weaved it together with Swedish House Mafia’s”Don’t You Worry Child.” As white confetti rained down on all of his fans, it was the perfect bittersweet ending to his nostalgic set.
Though the tail end of his set was pretty great, the biggest highlight of the show was when Afrojack brought Chico Rose out onto the stage and played their latest collaboration in its entirety. It was supposedly planned to premiere at Ultra later this year, but, as he promised, Afrojack let New Yorkers be the first to listen to his latest banger.
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As for other new releases he told us that a”brand new album is new and coming EPs in the WALL artists” and that he’ll keep everyone posted through social media.
Follow Afrojack:
Site: afrojack.com Facebook: facebook.com/djafrojackTwitter: twitter.com/afrojackInstagram: @afrojackSoundcloud: soundcloud.com/afrojack
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