Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike bring the Madness to Philadelphia
WRITTEN BY: MICHAEL CAREY @MichaeICarey
On Thursday, one of the most iconic duos in Electronic Music brought the madness from Tomorrowland to Philadelphia for a celebration during a rare US tour.
Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, currently ranked as the No. 2 DJ’s in the world by DJ Magazine, played hosts as the headlining performance for the 1-year anniversary celebration of the NOTO Philadelphia Nightclub in North Philadelphia.
A reader’s choice award as the Best Nightclub in Philadephia by Philly.com, NOTO Philadelphia aims to show that they are “Not Of The Ordinary”, with its performances being complimented by “superior service and unmatched energy.” The venue uses the same L-Acoustic sound system as seen at Coachella, and Tomorrowland. Opening in February of 2017, the venue has already played hosts to many other big-name performers including Yo Gotti, Meek Mill, Playboy Carti, Oliver Heldens, and even the 2018 Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl Party with rapper Lil Uzi Vert. At its location on 12th and Vine Street, the outside is discreet, but inside – it is a whole new experience that serves as a fantastic venue for those ages 21 and over. Featuring over a dozen VIP tables around the DJ booth and lining around the outside of the second floor, NOTO Philadephia wants to be “THE” premier place for late-night action.
Hundreds of eager Electronic Dance Music enthusiasts packed NOTO when the doors opened at 10 PM – many have waited years for this moment. Fans were held over by a nearly 3-hour performance by a handful of up-and-coming DJ’s who hope one day, can headline their own shows.
At 12:45 AM, the Belgian Duo emerged to ear-piercing screams, ready for the Tomorrowland madness they are known for. The duo performed many of their hit songs including Complicated, Ready for Action, Higher Place, and many others., and two fog blasters positioned on the ceiling point downward at the crowd with confetti cannons propped on top of the DJ booth. A vast LED Screen behind the DJ Booth illuminated to the music, as well as LED panels that ran from the front to the back of the venue on the ceiling, giving new visual experiences to the fans.
The atmosphere was absolutely electric – from start to finish. Many fans walked with sore feet by the end of the night from the consistent jumping, and moving that makes their shows iconic. At times during the show, fans on the second floor of the venue, as well as the couches seated next to the booth, actually began to throw money into the crowd.
The Traditional “Philadelphia Sports Fan” made an appearance during the show as well. Before the duo played “Welcome To The Jungle”, Dimitri Vegas led his traditional clapping routine. The same routine reflects the Minnesota Vikings football team’s “SKOL” chant. While the chant commenced, fans began to yell “FOLES” – referencing the Super Bowl LII MVP – Eagles Quarterback Nick Foles. This was a tactic that was used as playful fun at Minnesota Viking fans during the playoff run of the Eagles.
A real treat came towards the end of the show – giving Philadelphia fans another few moments to remember. In their hit song “Crowd Control”, fans listen to what the song will tell them to do. Dimitri Vegas stood on top of the DJ Booth and asked that everyone put their arm around each other and form horizontal lines.
Once the song commenced, fans were told – “And we move to the Left, Left Left Left – Take it to the Right Right Right Right”. Fans began to bounce to the left eight times, and to the right eight – the same control that was made famous at Tomorrowland, an iconic international music festival in Belgium where all of the top music talents perform. Controlling the crowd has always been a specialty of the duo, inspiring other top named DJ’s such as Hardwell and Tiesto, to try their own spin on it.
Following this, the collaboration of Martin Garrix, and the Belgian Duo of “Tremor” was teased, and then stopped. Like Mike then jumped on top of the booth, and true fans knew what was about to happen. After asking fans to split the middle, the countdown began from five – going down to one and then a massive moshpit formed, quite literally causing the entire building to shake. Like Mike repeatedly told the crowd how impressed he was with the energy of Philadelphia.
Finally, as the show came to a close, the ending song of Complicated was played as the crowd gathered together for one last hurrah. After the show had ended at 2 AM, the same time the club closes, the crowd began to chant “One More Song!” repeatedly. The duo returned to the stage one more time and ended the evening giving the fans what they wanted.
The magic of Tomorrowland graced Philadelphia – giving fans a chance to step away from reality for a little bit and let the music take control. While the duo rarely comes to the United States, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike made the over half-a-decade wait for an appearance in Philadelphia, more than worth it.
About NOTO Philadephia:
NOTO ( “Not Of The Ordinary.”) Philadelphia opened in February 2017. NOTO won the 2017 Philly.com Readers’ Choice Award for Best Nightclub. The 2-story venue is 15,000 square feet in size and features 3 bars, 27 bottle services tables, and 27 bathrooms. The artwork of the venue is credited to Jenna Marsh, who worked previously with Kayne West, Google Play, and Nicki Minaj. The venue’s goal is to play host to all genres of music, including Rap, EDM, Hip-Hop, Open, and many more. For more information, visit their website for tickets, information, and upcoming shows. NOTO Philadephia is located at the intersection of 12th and Vine Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
If you would like to connect with Michael Carey, email him at mcarey@whipradiotu.com, or connect with him on Twitter @MichaeICarey
Authors
Michael is an award-winning radio host at WHIP Radio. He has been a staple host on WHIP’s Wake Up Call, and has recently occupied the role of Program Director for the station.
