By Spencer Lobdell

There wasn’t an open seat in LA’s Staples Center on December 7th. The energy and excitement were palpable as 20,000 people anxiously awaited for a performance from their shared idol. In contrast to normal rave attire, the majority of the concert-goers wore different styles of baseball jerseys, all of which read “ILLENIUM” in big letters on the back, a trend that has become a staple to the San Francisco DJ’s fan base. The anxious excitement instantly turned to pure joy and the lights dimmed and a slow guitar riff echoed eloquently through the stadium. As the spotlight turned on revealing ILLENIUM standing center stage with his beautiful Fender Telecaster, the building erupted with screams which powerfully communicated that he was far more than just a DJ to majority of the people in attendance.

Photo By Jeff Yumi — *Photo By* *Jeff Yumi*

Nicholas Miller, more commonly known as ILLENIUM, began taking music seriously in 2012 after seeing Bassnectar perform at Red Rocks. In 2013, he moved to Colorado and began releasing free projects full of exciting remixes and promising singles. In 2016 he released his debut album Ashes and began to establish himself as one of the most prolific EDM DJs of the decade. Last August, ILLENIUM delighted fans with the release of his third studio album Ascend. Due to bangers like “In Your Arms (With X Ambassadors)’ and “Good Things Fall Apart (With Jon Bellion)” Ascend became the DJs first record to reach number one on the Billboard top dance/electronic album chart. Through releasing compelling music, cool merch, and maintaining a personal relationship with fans, ILLENIUM slowly built an army of dedicated listeners who will always have his back.

ILLENIUM’s live performance for a sold-out Staples Center was nothing short of electric. The charismatic DJ performed for nearly two hours playing all of his hits without ever missing a beat making it nearly impossible to stop dancing. While I expected excellent lighting, I was far from prepared for the hundreds of lasers and epileptic strobe lights that turned the area into the best party I have ever attended. This all goes without mentioning the fire cannons that were used multiple times during the show. The massive flames were equally cool and terrifying delivering a wave of heat throughout the area upon use.

The visuals that ILLENIUM had projected on the three giant screens were mesmerizing and kept the audience 100 percent engaged the entire time. From stunning landscapes to beautifully detailed rotating objects, the awe-inspiring visuals made it so a deaf person would’ve left the venue satisfied.

Overall, ILLENIUM put on one of the most exciting EDM shows I’ve ever been to and exposed me to one of the most dedicated fan bases I’ve seen in action. While his recordings are special, listeners cannot fully understand the sheer power of his music until it is experienced live. ILLENIUM looks so natural on stage and every one of his songs sounds better when it’s backed by the thousands of screaming fans proving that he was truly born to perform.

Photo Gallery By Jeff Yumi:

Thanks for reading! Make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter to get notified whenever we post!