Considering the sheer scope of the Illenium tour production, Nicholas Miller entered the 713 Music Hall stage, in Houston, Texas, rather unceremoniously on July 2. So unceremonious was his entry that many of the front row, leaning over the pit barrier excitedly awaiting the show, didnât realize he had walked on. The lighting was sparse at that moment. It wasnât entirely clear what was on the stageâa series of geometric blocks? A staircase and inverted DJ stand were clear, only just. And a wall of lights behind it all. Above the stage, hung a matrix of lighting so vast I had to wonder if it was Illeniumâs or just a permanent fixture of the venue. The darkness soon made sense, though: like the Phoenix depicted on the DJâs new self-titled record, out of the black a wall of pyrotechnics illuminated the stage, reintroducing Illenium to his fans.
The stage was designed by Italian architect Arturo Tedsechi with lighting by Chuck Williams (Nexus Production), and creative direction by Sandy Meidinger. Millerâs music is compelling on its own. Itâs the stuff of iconic EDM lore and regularly hits the top of the dance charts. But so much of the live Illenium experience owes itself to the set, pyrotechnics, and light design. This tour takes those elements to a new level. Atop the stage lay modular, geometric platforms which, together, made a symmetrical boulder-like formation upon which Miller and his band mates, Drummer Nick Totton, and producer Trevor Christensen, preformed. A lighting wall and projections often silhouetted the performers and tucked neatly into the platforms: flame mortars jets, and lots of them. Always a crowd pleaser, the pyrotechnics of this tour, alone, were well worth the price of admission.
American EDM artist Said The Sky (Trevor Christensen), opened the night with an impressive hour of remixes and originals which many fans were familiar with. In Particular, his mix of Panic! At The Discoâs âI Write Sins Not Tragediesâ struck a chord with the room.
The show started with a mashup of âLuv Me A Littleâ, âShiveringâ, and âFeel Somethingâ and moved through 5 records of hits. In the mix during Millerâs 90-minute set were covers by The Chainsmokers, Linkin Park, Skrillex, and even Taylor Swift. As an encore: âNightlifeâ, âSad Songsâ, âFrom the Ashesâ, âFracturesâ, âIn Your Armsâ and âAll That Really Mattersâ were performed to a confetti covered sea of bodies. Itâs clear that Illenium fans are devoted. Many wear his name boldly across their backs on the official merch jersey, or some, on unofficial fan-made shirts and hoodies. These are fans earned by an artist who has managed to marry tender, deeply personal music with captivating, larger-than-life visuals (with the help of a few friends), creating a live performance that feels, at once, like a handwritten letter and the Super Bowl.
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