[sg-gallery]

The powers of Congress may still be fighting on Capitol Hill, but on November 19th, music enthusiasts across the nation came together and filled a 10,000-capacity stadium in order to see their electro-pop prophet perform a six-hour set.

Hailing from the land of tulips, the 34-year-old Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren has been named number one in DJ Magazine’s Top 100 poll four times in the row (2007,2008, 2009 and 2010), being the first DJ in history to do so. Last Friday, the international star stopped by our nation’s capitol to perform his previous hits as well as throw in a few new surprises.

It starts with a blast of blinding white light and sound. Once it subsides a figure has emerged from an altar of LED screens, one hand placed on his instrument, while the other is pointed in the air. The sermon of Armin has begun.

“And you will know I am the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon you!” booms throughout the stadium at one point while an image of the iconic quote’s beholder, Jules Winnfield, appears across the background LED screen. If Armin is a deity of the electro dance scene, then he has given his followers his sweet vengeance through his skillful remix of a samples from a wide variety of artists and music including Skylar Grey, Depeche Mode, and even Jules Winnfield.

For the entire six-hour set, the stadium is filled with luminous strobe lights, synchronizing sounds and an energy so contagious, you become entranced the moment you make contact. Looking around you witness fans dancing and moving without a care, content to be within their personal utopias. They reach their hands out to Armin on his stage of rotating lights and colors, and he returns their gestures with an open-arm stance, embracing the crowd and its vitality. A smile never leaves his face throughout the entire set-- nor mine.

Photos by Ramona Yi

More From Elektro Daily