Birthdays are supposed to involve excitement, entertainment, happiness, new experiences, and occasionally a raging party. Luckily, I got to have all of the above for my birthday weekend! On September 10th, I attended a Steve Aoki concert here in London. I will admit, it was the greatest way to kick off a birthday weekend and bond with my fellow UC students. The venue, Koko, was in Camden Town. I have been to many live shows and seen many venues, but this had to be one of the most impressive venues. The dance floor was wide open and above were multiple balconies for people to watch overhead.
Upon first entering the venue, I was overwhelmed by the multicolored strobe lights, the eccentrically dressed masses of people, and the intense electronic/house music reverberating from the gigantic amps. I was immediately energized and felt a pulse of excitement run through my body. I absolutely love live music. The bass shook the entire venue, as most house music does, and created an intensity like nothing else. The lighting for the performers definitely added to the captivating atmosphere. Whoever does the lighting design for Steve Aoki deserves a pat on the back. Steve Aoki himself is not only a great DJ, but a great stage performer. He was engaging with the audience, interacted with people and even sprayed us with champagne. At one point, Aoki blew up a rubber boat, put it in the crowd and jumped into it. His attitude was outrageously fun and adventurous. He seemed as if he just wanted to enjoy himself on stage and share his experience with the audience. He is definitely a veteran in crowd pleasing.
As soon as I could, I grabbed a friend and dove straight into the crowd. Crowds are always the best part about concerts, and this one did not disappoint. The people in the crowd made this experience all the more exhilarating and exciting. We jumped, we pushed, we danced, and we did everything that one should do at a concert. I spent most of my time in the crowd, soaking in the music and the excitement of it all. This wasn’t my first time seeing Steve Aoki, but this was a much grander experience compared to the last time I had seen him in a small tent outdoors. He had full lighting and a full stage to compliment his performance. I am not the biggest fan of house and electronic music, but I am a fan of Aoki’s and I thoroughly enjoyed his performance.
Probably the funnest and funniest part of my entire experience involved an intoxicated man who stood next to me in the crowd. He turned to me and asked if I would like to go up. He pointed up. I was confused. He then explained that I should sit on his shoulders. I was very skeptical at first, but then agreed as he assured me it would be alright. Birthdays are about new experiences right? He crouched down and I climbed onto his shoulders. He lifted me up and for the first time, I could see the entire stage despite my height. I was laughing and singing the entire time. It was incredibly fun and I got to experience everything from a new perspective, literally.
This concert was definitely a multi-sensory experience which I will not forget. I enjoyed everything including the performance, music, people, and overall atmosphere. It was more about the experience and stage performance than the actual music, but I had fun regardless. It was definitely a great way to spend my 20th birthday weekend.
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