Going Above & Beyond

A sea of water was no where to be found. A sea of hands was there instead. No religious teachings were being said but music listeners seemed to be receiving religious messages.

 At my first ever trance show with Above & Beyond this is what I saw. Eagerly waiting on the floor at Necto in Ann Arbor I couldn't believe I was there to see the three member electronic group from England.

The crowed started off small but grew and grew. An opening act of yet another one of my favorite electronic artists Kenneth Thomas started by about 11pm. By midnight two of the three members of Above & Beyond were above us beginning to move our spirits with their moving beats.

 From start to finish I had an amazing and memorable time. I barely stopped dancing once. The music flowed through my veins just as natural as my blood and I couldn't take my eyes of the group whose music nourished me through lonely times in Morocco.

 Paavo Siljamäki, the Finnish member of the group was like an entertainer of sorts I had never seen before. It only takes on person to DJ at a time so between switching with his partner Jono Grant he grooved with a spirit that made it clear trance music was his life. With a constant smile and jolly blissful demeanor he helped the music feel like a liquid dose of pure happiness.

We never heard a word from either of the men but Paavo showed us messages he would type on his Mac that let us know we were all on the same page. He said things like thank you Ann Arbor and one that I couldn't agree with more, "life is made up of small moments like these."

Being at Above & Beyond's show was like being in a class where you understand all the material. It was finally being able to feel all the feelings I feel for trance in a supercharged room where I was not alone. Above & Beyond blends dynamic and soothing beats with passionate lyrics to achieve a result that is euphoric for me.


If you want to take a listen I'll leave you with my current favorite.