“New York. How are you feeling?” Emery asked. “My name is Gareth Emery and it’s fucking awesome to be with you today. Get your hands up!” he exclaimed, and went on the play some uplifting music, as he had the fans clapping along.
It was followed by an empowering version of “Dynamite,” his collaboration with Christina Novelli, which featured orange laser lights, and he immediately broke into his collaboration with Alastor entitled “Hands,” with gorgeous lead vocals from songstress London Thor.
Equally stunning was his hypnotic song “Lost,” from his latest studio effort 100 Reasons to Live, which features crisp, ethereal vocals from Janet Devlin. The audience was clapping along as red lights dimmed from the stage. Emery really got into the song, and delivered an expressive interpretation with his hand gestures.
He went on to record the audience’s reactions on his phone. “How are you feeling?” he asked, prior to encouraging them to put their “fucking hands up,” in an effort to get “fucking crazy.” His collaboration with Bo Bruce, “U,” had everybody singing along, as a background featuring driving down the road displayed on the giant televised screen.
Emery declared “Saving Light” as his “favorite song right now” and noted that it was “worth the wait.” He expressed his love for his Electric Zoo crowd, and his live version of “Concrete Angel” felt like a true EDM anthem. “I’m sure I will see some of you at Marquee New York. I love you,” he said, implying his after-party at Marquee nightclub in New York.
He expressed his gratitude for the large crowd coming to see him, especially since there were other artists that were performing at the exact same time of his set, which included The Chainsmokers and Borgore. “Reckless,” his collaboration with Wayward Daughter received an enormous response from the fans, as blue lights and a psychedelic background graced the screen. He closed on a fitting note with “Long Way Home,” which was simply divine.
The Verdict
Overall, Gareth Emery gave a commanding live performance at Electric Zoo: Wild Island. His energy was infectious, and his show was high-octane, remarkable and a great deal of fun. He is one of the best live performers one could see in the contemporary electronic music scene. His show at Randall’s Island Park garnered five out of five stars.
