Swedish House Mafia Rave Seattle

We were so excited when Swedish House Mafia announced that they were getting back together after ten years. Along with that also came the release of their second album, Paradise Again, and a huge tour to support it. We headed to the Climate Pledge Arena to see how the show would be, expecting only the best visuals along with our favorite tunes. The Swedish house music supergroup officially formed in late 2008 consisting of Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso. Their debut record, Until Now, was a huge success making them one of the biggest names in dance music.

On top of SHM coming to town we found out that Zhu would be opening the night. This is another great dance artist that could hold his own headlining show so this was a great addition. His set up was in front of the stage more along with his tables and three touring musicians. We heard “Came for the Low,” “I Admit It,” “Cocaine Model,” and “Working for It” and warmed up our dance moves for the main event. He ended his set with huge hit “Faded,” a song we still can’t stop listening to, especially the Odesza remix.

After a strong opening set and a quick finishing of the stage setup it was time for Swedish House Mafia to take the floor. The massive curtain covering the stage dropped and the trio stood in front of their dedicated fans ready to experience their show. Above their table was the main visual for the night, a large circular piece hanging from the roof, almost looking like a concrete circle chandelier but with lights inside and above it. Throughout the night it moved around changing height and perspective angle, creating a unique visual production.

The night began with “Can U Feel It,” “It Gets Better,” and “Greyhound,” as we all tried to focus our eyes on the flashing lights. The high energy show was stimulating visually and sonically not losing a person in attendance. We heard hits  “Miami 2 Ibiza,” “One,” Ingrosso’s hit “Reload,” and “More Than You Know,” among so many great dance tracks.

The trio stopped to check in with the crowd and added that “This is not a concert, this is a rave show inside an arena!” just in case someone wondered what was happening. The night ended with “Moth To A Flame” new song with The Weeknd, a sing along of massive hit “Don’t You Worry Child,” and favorite, “Save the World.” I don’t know if any of us were ready to witness what happened but we sure were happy to be at the SHM show. The production was one of the best we’ve seen in years and the aesthetic was unmatched to any before. This is a show you want to experience in person, it’s not every night you get to dance to legends.

Words and photos: @s.barkalakis