There is something about deadmau5 that take me back. Back to my college days when I was learning and growing. Back to the days that really shaped who I am today. deadmau5 has also grown so much since when he first began and now he back touring with his Cube v3 North American Tour.
Joel Zimmerman aka deadmau5 isn’t a DJ; he is a producer. Something that I have always admired about him. deadmau5 has been making music for nearly 15 years and he is still LIT AF. His music has been able to transcend generations and even a whole decade. deadmau5 has stayed true to himself and has yet to “sellout” like many of his entertainment counterparts.
The show begins with Zimmerman hidden behind the CUBE where he is able to communicate with the audience using text on the screens on the cube and through a mic. He opens up the show with the 2016 release, “No Problem,” before the production picks up steam as he delves deeper into his catalog and more of the graphical capabilities of the new cube are revealed. In the wrong hands, a show like this could turn Vegas-esque, quickly, but Zimmerman deftly mixes up the imagery so that things never turn too showy. At times graphics are otherworldly, celestial, humorous and, at times, dark, especially during “Avaritia,” where satanic imagery, flames, old Latin words and drawings of goats are projected onto the panels. The show is rarely dull, and only becomes a bit ordinary toward the middle of its two hours, when things start to feel like a “real” concert as longtime deadmau5 collaborator (and fellow Canadian) Lights takes the stage to join deadmau5 for “Raise Your Weapon.”
Abner Martinez, 27, from San Antonio, TX had this to say about the show that night:
“After attending Deadmau5’s Cube v3 tour at the ACL Live Moody Theater I feel that the Cube v3 can be summed up in one word: mamalon. We got there early to catch the opening acts & we were not disappointed. After the openers played, the Cube lit up with info about the cube and some jokes which built up the anticipation. As the show started we could tell we were in for something magical. Visuals started playing on the many pixels laid through out the cube, putting the audience in awe! Joel played many of his hits all while trolling the audience from time to time. The production along with deadmau5’s ability to read a crowd made for an overall great experience. It is an experience I recommend for everyone at least once in their life.”
The CubeV3 experience seems to work best when the audience is transfixed and transported elsewhere via the next-level light show. That’s not to say fans don’t want to see and interact with Zimmerman as the cube occasionally turns around to expose the musician; they do, just as he likes to interact with them at strategically timed turns. But the best parts of the visually dazzling show are escapist, which the rotating cube provides in spades. It helps to be familiar with deadmau5’s catalog to fully enjoy the experience, but even without knowing Zimmerman’s music, it’s possible to walk away from seeing this iteration of the tour smiling.
So much effort and love went into the programming of the experiential audio-visual happening that fans feel it and won’t soon forget it.
Just Listen,
Disclaimer: Thank you to ACL Live for having me review this concert. Although I received a media review ticket, all thoughts expressed here are my own.
