Paul van Dyk Explores Space (And Brings You Along For The Ride) @ New City Gas, May 13th, 2017

In today’s music scene, electronic dance music (EDM) is most widely represented in the form of artists like The Chainsmokers and Zedd, who produce a more pop-influenced style of EDM—but the trance subgenre is still alive and thriving. Award-winning DJ and producer Paul van Dyk proved this on Saturday, May 13, when he and the opening acts Alex M.O.R.P.H. and Heatbeat successfully filled Montreal’s New City Gas. The venue, a large industrial warehouse-type structure, was crowded by people both on the floor section and in the V.I.P. booths which line both sides of the venue.

Known for being one of the pioneers of the trance genre, Paul van Dyk’s show in Montreal excited many fans of all different ages. As could be seen in the crowd at the show, there was no specific age group that were present—from 20-year-olds to middle-aged men and women, van Dyk’s music visibly appeals to individuals of an extremely wide range.

While the shows’ openers set the tone for the night early on with some chest-rumbling trance songs, the entire atmosphere in the venue transformed when van Dyk’s set began. At around 1 a.m., Paul van Dyk took the stage to unleash epicness upon the hundreds in the crowd, and took each and every attendee present, on a futuristic journey of exploration.

As the first track of his set rang out, slowly increasing in speed and intensity, confetti was released from the ceiling, showering the crowd in colourful pieces of paper. As many attendees tried to catch some of the falling paper, after the pleasant surprise, the powerful light beams that light up the stage and crowd, changed from red to blue, and continued continued to alternate, creating an even more trippy experience.

Paired with the psychedelic, colourful visuals displayed on the huge screen behind the DJ table, van Dyk’s voiceless electronic songs simulated some type of voyage through space. Almost every human sense was triggered as his set progressed, and it is safe to say that reality seemed a little less concrete for those few hours, in the dark, rumbling warehouse.

Photo by Immanuel Matthews.