Deadmau5 at VELD Music Festival – August 4, 2013

Photographs by Dale Benvenuto

This was Deadmau5’s second year at VELD. An undoubtedly large factor in promoting the young festival this year, as in 2012, Deadmau5 has been a perfect opportunity for it’s creator, the Canadian progressive-house producer Joel Thomas Zimmerman, to pursue his mission to bring electronic music to larger and larger masses. Sunday night at VELD, a quick look around would have proved Zimmerman’s mission to be a complete success.

Deadmau5 started around 9:30PM. Right from the beginning, a massive low-frequency spectrum along with a combination of lasers, lights and strobes surrounded the crowed, just to be a reminder that it’s time to party, and it was, indeed! Goin’ through the series of songs, singles and re-mixes, Deadmau5 shared his mastery in production and performance, mixed with his unique musical interpretations, in a relatively non-stop an hour-and-half long set. And as for the fans, we danced, we screamed, we laughed, and we lived.

While this “hometown gig” seemed to be a rather rare opportunity for Deadmau5’s enormous fanbase to experience a show first hand, Joel Zimmerman is “building a new tour” for sometime in 2014. My suggestion, whether you’re into electronic dance music or not, go and experience a show, but don’t forget reliable ear-plugs. 5-times Grammy & Juno Awards nominee and 3-times Juno winner, Deadmau5 has already taken the mainstream electronic music to the commercial and financial heights that the style of music has never experienced and enjoyed before. It’s because of the artists such as Deadmau5 that the younger generation of artists and musicians would be given a chance and an opportunity to be heard, and ultimately succeed.