REZZ Transports Armory to Another Place During Epic PORTAL Set
TIt takes something special to get me out of the house late (for me) on a Saturday night in the middle of a dreary February. If it wasn’t for the promise of what was sure to be a masterclass in visuals and sound for REZZ’s PORTAL set at The Armory, I would have happily cozied in for the night. However, the buzz and excitement surrounding REZZ’s all new stage design and set gave me a serious case of FOMO and I just had to be there to see it for myself.
When I got to The Armory, it seemed like most of the crowd was either in the FOMO boat with me or just ready to let loose and dance the night away. I have a history of showing up to EDM shows earlier than most (ask me about the first time I saw deadmau5, also at The Armory), but I was pleasantly surprised at how many people had already packed in as I walked into the main floor midway through Canadian opener FISE’s set. I didn’t know it at the time, but this show seemed to be sonically bookended; FISE’s sound felt like it was a relative of REZZ’s, a perfect way to kick off the night.
Unfortunately, our photographer was stuck in the line to get into the venue and missed not only FISE’s set, but a majority of the next act of the night, a Lumasi. A neat minor detail about their set is not only was this a hometown show for Lumasi, The Armory rooftop is also where they played their first ever set. As the crowd continued to pile into GA floor of the venue, more and more people started to vibe with the music; it was hard not to during Lumasi’s set. The rising bass artist brought a sonic adventure to the crowd, not only through their music, which had plenty of hard hitting bass lines and melodic elements, but through the visuals on the LED screen. It was hard not to vibe along during and be immersed with the show.
After an insanely quick changeover, it was time for Blanke to take the stage. I’m not well versed in the intricate differences in the EDM music spectrum, but once Blanke took the stage a completely different energy took hold. Maybe it was the Skrillex samples interwoven into his music, the charge of the crowd, or the heavy (and I mean heavy) bass thumping in The Armory, but there was something electric about Blanke on stage. The lighting surrounding the first half of the venue, lasers, and LED screen behind the DJ booth made for an all around fun experience. It was during Blanke’s set that the crowd seemed to turn up the energy, and honestly how could it not. This was my first time experiencing Blanke and I couldn’t help but think during their set how much fun it was going to be to rediscover their music on future trail adventures.
Finally, it was time for the massive crowd gathered inside ofThe Armory to experience what we all came for: PORTAL. REZZ took the stage to an immediate and seismic energy shift in the venue. The seriously massive PORTAL and all of its incredible visual effects was revealed and ready to take the crowd on an insane journey. The hypnotic and industrial sound of REZZ filled every nook and cranny of The Armory, and there was not one person in sight that was able to stand still. From the start of the immersive PORTAL experience all the way to the end, the crowd was brought on a career spanning sonic journey (bringing in classics like “EDGE” and “Relax” to newer releases from “As the Pendulum Swings” like “Contorted” and “Glass Veins”) that was only matched by the immaculate visuals inside of the circular PORTAL. Even on the outskirts of the venue, near the back of the GA floor for the best view of the production, it felt mesmerizing to witness this set in person, my eyes glued to the stage for nearly the entire 90 minutes REZZ was onstage. One of the big moments of the night was when REZZ worked in not one, but two covers, “Killing in the Name” and “Closer”, seamlessly weaving her signature moodiness into these classics. Every once in a while, something special comes along, and for me and the thousands of others in The Armory, that something was experiencing PORTAL and being able to see REZZ’s return to the Twin Cities after nearly four years away. Here’s to hoping that we don’t have to wait that long for the next round of whatever REZZ has up their sleeve.
