Armin van Buuren Casts a State of Trance on Denver

Armin van Buuren is a man of mystery, wonder, and whimsy. He is like some kind of mythical creature—his demeanor is hard to pin point because it is so unique and indescribable. But, what we do know is that he is a man that exudes passion. He has been in the EDM biz for over 15 years, winning multiple awards for his production, capturing million of fans hearts with his “A State of Trance” (ASOT) satellite radio show since 2001, and has been elected as the #1 DJ in the world by DJ Magazine 5 times as well as holding that title more times than any other DJ. He became all of this because his music is extremely precious, special, and is used as a meditation tool around the globe—it is like a religion. Armin van Buuren is, without a doubt, a very powerful man.

Personally, when I heard that Armin van Buuren was coming to Denver for Triad Dragons kick off of their “Titans of EDM” series, I wanted to burst out in tears. I started to become extremely nostalgic because I have been an Armin fan for a long time. I remember when I heard his ASOT radio show for the first time about 8 years ago—he was playing the song “Love You More (ft. Racoon)” from his “10 Years” album and the rest was written. I was hooked. In fact, I am the enthusiastic EDM fan that I am because of him! He was my first EDM show at the Lizard Lounge in Dallas, TX back in early 2007 and I couldn’t have asked for it any other way. Armin van Buuren is very close to my heart.

Setting my personal feelings aside, Armin van Buuren was finally here in Denver for the first time in 2 years to promote his new album “Intense” at the Fillmore! It was a Wednesday night but that didn’t mean much to the fans because the show was close to selling out. Arriving just in time to see the opening headliner, Antillas, I had time to settle in and pick my spot out for the night. The energy really felt right and I think it had to do with the crowd. Since the show was on a Wednesday night, which was a school night for the high schoolers, it weeded out a lot of the underage ravers swarming the event, which was refreshing for a change. The anticipation for the start of Armin’s set was exhilarating. As Antillas ended his set, the crowd went dead silent. Everyone had been preserving their energy for AvB to come on and when he finally did, there was an explosion of excitement that captivated the entire venue—it was like an EDM big bang theory. Armin van Buuren played all of his songs from his new album “Intense”, mixing in some his old favorites. He is #1 DJ worldwide for a reason. His mixing, beat matching, and transitioning is so smooth, it is difficult to really know when the shift of songs really happens. As the title states, Armin van Buuren casted a state of trance on Denver. The stage’s LED graphics were magnificent, making it look like three-dimensional objects that engulfed Armin. After 2 hours of trance bliss, the show came to an end and everyone went home with a trancy glow on their face.

Overall, the night was a complete success. The show was nearly sold out, which means there were close to 3,500 people there, and the fans were all united to get their trance needs fed. The “trance family” really exist and it is universal. There were fans that came from all over the States just to see Armin van Buuren on a Wednesday night! My favorite part of every AvB show is the way he looks at his fans. No matter where you’re at in the room, it looks like he is looking directly at you—it is still a mystery to me to this day. As his website biography first line says, “A man driven by an unbridled and relentless passion for music,” and that is very true. Armin van Buuren’s passion is extremely contagious. He is a man who loves what he does, loves the music he creates, and loves his fans. Long live the mythical creature. Armin van Buuren is more than extraordinary. He is a living legend.