Written by Bridget Benevides
Yesterday (March 31st) was a long, but exciting day, start to finish. I woke up in California and ended my day in a crowd of sweaty strangers in downtown Seattle at the ODESZA concert. This was by far the biggest concert I have been to in my entire life, but I was lucky enough to get a spot near the front, in full view of the artists performing.
The first opening act, Pluko, came on at promptly 8:00 PM and warmed up the crowd with his original and chill mixes. He had very little gear but managed to make a big sound, which was very impressive and a good way to start the evening.
Next came Phantoms, the second performer before ODESZA. This duo got the audience screaming and dancing quickly with their upbeat remixes of songs like “Work” by Rihanna, and other popular songs. They told us that March 31st was the one year anniversary of the release of their first album so they were in good spirits. They had an infectious energy and had no trouble rousing the crowd during their half hour set. WaMu started to get warm as the bodies in the crowd jumped, swayed, and danced.
I was starting to get very hot and a tad annoyed standing around waiting for ODESZA, but fear not, after much anticipation, they made their way to the stage at 10 PM. Tensions rose, and the crowd of adoring fans cheered enthusiastically as a video of a space journey shone brightly on the screen. ODESZA came out with their hands in the air and began playing a song that slowly ascended into a powerful, loud, and moving drop that roused the crowd.
The music was so loud that the hairs on my arms were vibrating, and I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me. The visuals playing behind the duo as they performed were attractive without being obnoxious and enticing without being too mind boggling. It was good to have something to focus on when they crowd was very thick, sweaty and smelly, and mildly anxiety inducing, but it is all part of the experience (I tell myself). Needless to say, the visuals at this concert were the best I have seen so far; they made me feel like I was transcending through time, space, and art with an exciting musical soundtrack.
Odesza really got my heart beating and blood pumping. The music was exciting but also calming in a way. You could dance to it or have an existential crisis at the more mellow parts. The crowd was so big, but every person had a smile on their face and their hands in the air. The night was truly a work of art.
The duo was thankful and enthusiastic to be in Seattle, their hometown, for the final performance. They told us that this show was the first to sell out when their tour was announced and expressed their gratitude to their loyal fans. I respect that despite their growing fame, and despite how large the concert was, they were humble and kind.
After swimming through hundreds of concert goers to find the exit, the fresh Seattle air felt good after such a fiery few hours. I took a seat outside the venue to decompress and recoup after having my mind blown. The only thing missing from that night was a water bottle and hand-held fan, but I will come more prepared next time.
Odesza shook me to my core. Connect with the duo on:
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or on their Official Website.
BRIDGET BENEVIDES | “Maybe the best weekend of our lives.” -Odesza | KXSU Music Reporter