Tiesto - Home Depot Center - October 8, 2011

Roselle Chen

Tiesto

See also: Our Q&A With Tiesto
Tiesto's Home Depot Center Show in October Billed as Largest One-DJ Gig in U.S. History

Tiesto
The Home Depot Center
October 8, 2011

Better than...shows that aren't the biggest of their kind ever.

The last time I saw Tiesto was February 2002 at Exit in New York City, when all the cracked out ravers wanted nothing more than to huddle together and dance. He sent shivers down spines by the sheer power of his keyboard. I thought of him as what it meant to be young and free.

A decade later, performing before 26,000 people at the Home Depot Center in Carson on Saturday, I assumed he would be jaded, but when he came on stage a smile lit up his face, while smoke and streamers sprayed all around. He spun the pretty, feminine songs that he's known for, mixed with hard beats. His show came alive with William Naraine's "If I Could Fall." "If I could fall, in love with you, would you be just a little bit stronger."

Roselle Chen

"Jeans Too Tight" flashed on the main screen behind Tiesto and the six vertical screens in front of him while he rocked sparkly headphones. He thrust his hand in the air to the beat. The crowd danced hard while a smoke machine, pyrotechnics, strobe lights and firecrackers kept everyone engaged.

Tinie Tempah's "Pass Out" played, and someone shouted, "Fuck yeah! I can't get enough of this song!" ("Yeah, yeah, we bring the stars out, we bring the women and the cars and the cards out, let's have a toast, a celebration, get a glass out, and we can do this until we pass out.")

Dozens of people (mostly girls) took advantage of the mist and dark and jumped the barricade to try and get closer to the DJ. Security escorted them out, grabbing them by the wrist, but the ladies continued dancing while being shoved out of the blockaded area.

Perhaps Tiesto's most famous remix -- "Silence," composed by Delerium and sung by Sarah McLachlan -- was greeted by a universal chorus of cheers. As McLachlan's voice rose up -- "In this silence, in this white wave, in this silence, I believe" -- the fans' screams bordered on hysterical as people fist pumped and convulsed to the hard beat.