Hardwell’s set followed The Chainsmokers, who are best known for “Don’t Let Me Down,” “Roses” and “Closer.”
An acclaimed Dutch DJ, Hardwell went on promptly at 9:25 p.m. and he was met with a raucous reaction by his fans in New York, as his name was spelled out in its entirety “H-A-R-D-W-E-L-L,” with the crowd chanting along. “I’m so happy to be back New York. If you’re ready to party make some noise,” he said.
While all of his songs were catchy and infectious, a few of his highlight tracks included “Whine Up,” his soaring collaboration with Quintino, and several tracks from his United We Are album.
The production of his set was quite spectacular with LED lights and pyrotechnics. His live set was highly-eclectic, with a mixture of remixes, his own songs and a few surprises. Hardwell had the fans clapping along the entire time, jumping and waving their hands in the air. It felt as if he were the military general, and the fans were his soldiers obeying his irresistible orders.
He closed with Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York,” which was incorporated as a medley with Alicia Keys’ “Empire State of Mind,” where everybody was singing along. “Everybody put your cell phones and lighters up from the front to the back. C’mon,” he said, as red lights dimmed from the main stage. Equally sonically beautiful was “Spaceman,” due to its hypnotic melodies.
The Verdict
Overall, Hardwell’s set at “Electric Zoo: Wild Island” was uplifting and a great deal of fun. It is evident that Hardwell was born to entertain and that electronic music is in his blood. All of his six International Dance Music Award (IDMA) wins this year were indeed based on talent and merit. His DJ set garnered an A rating.
For more information on Hardwell and his upcoming touring dates, check out his official website.
