Amon Tobin's ISAM 2.0 Makes Other DJs Look Bad at the Fillmore Miami Beach, September 22

Via statigr.am/naztokio

Amon Tobin
With The Holy Other
Fillmore Miami Beach
Saturday, September 22, 2012


Better Than: Any light show that venue (and most people) have ever seen.

In EDM, the visual element is becoming increasingly important. Many DJs and producers are funneling thousands into next-level sound and lighting in hopes of creating the most memorable atmosphere in an increasingly competitive market.

And then there's Amon Tobin.

See also:
-Amon Tobin on ISAM 2.0: "Strange and Heavy as F#%& With an Equally Messed-Up Story"
-Ten Best DJ Booths in EDM: From DJ Shadow to Skrillex, Avicii, and Daft Punk

This Brazilian producer doesn't just slap together any old light show in an attempt to impress. The whole presentation, from music to visuals to amplification, is carefully composed to yield a most mesmerizing and captivating atmosphere, meaningful from beginning to end.

The lull between opening act The Holy Other and Amon Tobin was tense and full of anxious energy. The intermission music was low and slow, speeding up and growing louder as the minutes passed. Now and then, the crowd would emit a roar, hopeful that the red curtain on stage was about to peel back.

Finally at 10:04 p.m., the speakers boomed, the people whistled, and the lights dimmed. The curtain slowly came up to reveal a massive geometrical arrangement of white cloth squares, stacked like babies' blocks on the floor. It took up the entire stage and the man of the hour was hidden inside the center block.

Via statigr.am/prmandy

For the next hour and a half, it would be near impossible for anyone to look away. The giant thing lit up with red and blue flashing lights. The rig went up in flames, then transformed into a mechanical wonder, clinking and clacking in perfect sync with the rhythmic music that boomed through everyone's chests.

The whole shebang shot out from two projectors in the middle of the room on either side of the soundboard. The name of the game is video projection mapping, creating a realistic illusion and endless possibilities.

Tobin's show is called ISAM, and he performs his entire album of the same name from beginning to end, bringing somewhat intangible sounds to life with this very tactile presentation. Each song even had its own accompanying visual.