Deadmau5: 27 July 2010 – Montclair

At this point in time, it is an understood fact that when Joel Zimmerman comes to town, his one man show is able to sell out venues. Zimmerman, the successful DJ, Producer and Remixer who performs under the moniker of Deadmau5, was able to completely sell out The Wellmont Theater in Montclair, leaving fans purchasing scalped tickets for upwards of $100.

The lobby was the meeting spot for friends and fans of all ages and social statuses – for the first time the fist pumpers were mingling with the nerdy in harmony. Fans came decked out in danceable attire, bejeweled with glow sticks, and some had even purchased their own Deadmau5-styled mascot headpieces. The merchandise was flowing, the liquor was flowing and the beats were flowing compliments of the openers, JDH and Dave P.

The highly anticipated deadmau5 performance started promptly at 10PM. Zimmerman was ready for battle as he climbed up into a control room atop a 15 foot tall cube, fashioned with neon lighting capabilities. The crowd went nuts as he dove right into his first song, “Some Chords”. His unique and highly accessible brand of Progressive House and Neo-Trance was well received by the crowd, one that couldn’t stop dancing or crowd surfing. Following his opening songs were “Sofi Needs a Ladder”, “Cthulhu Sleeps”, “Reward Is Cheese”, and “Bad Selection”. As Zimmerman progressed through his set, the theme of the performance seemed to change. The earlier portion of the set seemed to have an ‘earthy’ feel, LCD vines seemed to climb up the cube and and completely cover it. Later on in the set, the cube was engulfed by LCD flames reminiscent of a trip to purgatory. “Ghosts ‘n’ Stuff”, “Sometimes Things Get, Whatever”, “Strobe”, “I Said”, “I Remember”, “FML”, and “Not Exactly” were all very well received by the crowd as well. Deadmau5 took the mouse ears off of his head towards the end of the set, a transcendental moment that shows acceptance of both the human and animal kingdoms. “Arguru” and “October” were the set closers for the evening. It was also noted by a dedicated fan that Joel Zimmerman, was seen creeping out of the venue amongst his unknowing fans.