Deadmau5 Celebrates '5 Years of Mau5' at NYC's Knockdown Center
Joel Zimmerman has had a busy year. He released the ambitious, heavily Trent Reznor-influenced while(1<2) double album in June, swooped into Miami to replace ailing headliner Avicii at Ultra Music Festival, continued to post episodes of his mobile Coffee Run talk show on YouTube and competed in the international Gumball 3000 motor rally. Last night's Honda Stage Custom Concert with Live Nation is in keeping with the overarching car theme of his 2014 extracurricular activities.
Tuesday's show resembled a classic underground rave in several respects: Sternum-rumbling dance music and hypnotic lights filled a cavernous, off-the-beaten-path industrial space with no alcohol for sale (the Knockdown Center is a “dry” venue). As Montreal DJ-producer Eekkoo warmed up a crowd that had started lining up after lunchtime to ensure their free entry— that's no easy task, but he rose to the challenge—fans swayed in glow stick mouse ears and LED-rigged shutter shades. The 50,000-square-foot converted factory was full but not overcrowded, and the occasional mau5head bobbed just above the fray.
Deadmau5, dressed in his customary jeans, t-shirt and cap, took the stage right on time and immediately called out crowd members who'd been inexplicably chanting "U-S-A!" "Hey! We've got two Canadians up here." After making sure the YouTube stream was a go ("Are we on the Internet?"), Zimmerman launched his seamless 90-minute set with "Some Chords" and cheers erupted as he finally donned his black mau5head.
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