Though fraternity parties and the bars on Route One (or what’s left of them, at least) provide endless fun, I’ve discovered that many University of Maryland students also fill their weekends with plans to rage at various concerts in the area. Luckily for students in College Park, artists of every genre are constantly coming to nearby venues to perform at generally low prices, and there will be many much-anticipated shows in the next few months.
One significantly popular music genre in the D.C. area is house/electro, and for students who love pounding beats and a heavy bass drop, there’s three major shows coming up. House fans everywhere should be very familiar with the names Steve Angello, Laidback Luke and Tiesto, all of whom will be performing at events hosted by Glow D.C. in March and April.
Dutch DJ Laidback Luke quickly rose to fame by remixing artists like Daft Punk and Wynter Gordon. He has collaborated with Swedish House Mafia on tracks like “Get Dumb” and the 2009 house banger “Leave The World Behind You.” He also teamed up with Swedish House Mafia member Steve Angello on the hit song “Show Me Love,” which is now a widely recognizable club anthem that has been remixed by countless other artists. Glow D.C. will be hosting Laidback Luke on Thursday, March 17, at Lima Lounge, located at 1401 K St. NW in D.C.
DJ Laidback Luke
Glow D.C. will also be hosting Steve Angello, the Swedish House Mafia member who collaborated with Laidback Luke on “Show Me Love.” Angello, along with his fellow DJs Sebastian Ingrosso and Axwell, comprise the famous Swedish trio responsible for hits including “One” and “Miami 2 Ibiza.” Each member has made a prominent name for himself in the industry since the group’s successful debut and after only a few years in the house music scene, Angello is now ranked at #14 on the DJ Magazine’s annual list of top 100 DJs. This upcoming show will be Angello’s second appearance in D.C. within the past six months; his last performance took place at Fur Nightclub on November 20, 2o1o. For those who missed his last performance, he will be blowing up the stage at Fur Nightclub once again on Thursday, March 31, at a special Thursday Glow event. Fur Nightclub is located at 33 Patterson St. NE in D.C.
Last but not least amongst the upcoming Glow events is Tiësto’s performance in April. Tiësto has been ranked in the top three of DJ Magazine’s Top 100 DJs list for four consecutive years and has had five top-selling electronic albums, all featuring hits like “Adagio for Strings” and “Escape Me.” Though Tiësto is best known for his trance style of music, his fifth album, 2009’s Kaleidoscope, showcased his transition from trance to a more house-influenced sound for the first time. The Dutch DJ’s newly energetic style now sounds more similar to the bass-drenched and increasingly popular genre of electro house.
Last year, Tiësto embarked on a year-long tour all around the world and across the U.S., and I was lucky enough to catch his show over the summer in Asbury Park, NJ. The rumors of Tiësto’s six-hour long sets are true; the concert I attended went from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., and the set was highly energetic from beginning to end. Speaking from personal experience, I can promise that any show put on by the prestigious Tiësto will be more than worth the time and money: I came home the next morning, exhilarated and covered from head to toe in sweat and glitter. I will definitely not miss the chance to see Tiësto again when he comes to D.C. and other house music fans most definitely should not either. Tiësto will be at the D.C. Armory, located at 2001 East Capital St. in DC, on Saturday, April 9.
For students who are not fans of house music, there’s something for you too! Lil’ Wayne will be bringing his ‘I Am Music II’ tour to the D.C./Maryland area twice. The rapper will be performing alongside Nicki Minaj, Rick Ross and Travis Barker at the First Mariner Arena in Baltimore on Sunday, March 20, and at the Verizon Center in D.C. on Sunday, April 3. Bon Jovi will also be coming to the Verizon Center on Sunday, Feb. 27, and Cold War Kids will be performing on March 26 at the 9:30 Club, located at 815 V St. in D.C.
So to all my fellow Maryland students: Gather up all your rave candy and glow sticks, purchase your tickets as soon as possible and prepare to absolutely lose your mind at any of these upcoming shows. I know I’m ready.