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Considering my music tastes are more rock than rave, I reluctantly trundled down towards the BIC stage with the words of Avicii’s most famous hit ringing true in my head: “Wake me up when it’s all over …”
I’ll never even remotely love this type of music and still can’t fathom how someone pushing the play button can be so popular and adored by the younger crowd as opposed to talented instrumentalists, but that’s a debate for another day.
However, to my surprise, what unfolded over the next hour or so wasn’t actually that bad, and I certainly appreciate the Swedish superstar’s ability to get the crowd on their feet and partying.
Children and adults alike, from many cultures and creeds, came together in one arm-waving, head-bopping mass like a swarm of bees to a honeycomb.
It was a pleasure to see so many people lost in the moment and enjoying the occasion.
Whilst I perched myself near the sound technician’s area at the back to avoid the cramped pushing and shoving stage-side (I’ll be getting enough of that in festival mosh pits this summer), it afforded me a view of Avicii’s delightful laser show and lavish visuals from the diamond-shaped screen behind him.
No expense was spared and the energetic tunes kept on coming, although the artist rarely took the opportunity to truly get the crowd going from his podium, only occasionally popping up for a look like a cheeky soldier on a parapet.
Avicii played a mixture of his smash hits such as Levels and Wake Me Up and a few deeper cuts from his catalogue, but all were greeted with reckless abandon by the crowd who continued to dance and jump around regardless of familiarity.
The disappointed groans which greeted the finale were telling; Avicii was a very popular choice and truly brought the house down. Considering this will be the last time almost everyone in attendance will see him perform after his retirement announcement last week (it’s a hard life being paid millions to press a button, the 26 year-old must be on his last legs … ), he went out with a bang.
–Kristian Harrison
