KASKADE• SOHMI• June 30, 2023• Ogden Amphitheater
Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe
Although it wasn’t technically a holiday weekend, with Independence Day being on a Tuesday, Friday, June 30 in Ogden had a festive summer holiday vibe with DJ and Producer, KASKADE headlining Ogden Twilight at the Ogden Amphitheater. The venue filled up quickly and everyone seemed to be in a great mood. I can’t say what crowd I was expecting for a show like this, but the crowd that arrived wasn’t what I expected. Fans of all ages filled Ogden Amp and it was cool to see that Electronic Dance Music is far-reaching.
I’ve always been fascinated with people’s love of EDM, in particular EDM concerts. On its face, EDM shows are just a DJ on stage, turning some knobs of prerecorded music. I know it’s much more than that. I admit that I haven’t done my part to truly understand this genre and its community’s love for it. So in going to this show I really wanted to “get it”. Because if you ever watch one of these concerts you’ll see that the audience is totally engaged and usually going crazy. I have never seen KASKADE myself, but I have always heard good things about his shows. So I was excited to see what was in store.
SOHMI
SOHMI took the stage to a warm welcome. She is a DJ on the rise and has performed at Coachella and some of the country’s biggest clubs. I could tell that the audience was excited to have her as a support act for KASKADE. SOHMI’s style was perfect for a warm summer night. Her beats and music often had a chill style that the crowd was able to take in and enjoy as the sun went down. It was a warm night, but certainly not unbearable. And while SOHMI’s music had a real relaxation to it, it wasn’t the kind of music that would slow anyone down. People were dancing and moving to the beat her entire set. I kept wondering how these fans were going to last this whole show. They never stopped or slowed down. And we still had the headliner.
I saw one couple look at each other in between songs and their body language seemed to suggest that they should take a break to catch their breath. But as soon as the next song started, they simply could not resist the groove. They were up and dancing once again. I looked back over later in the show and they were still going strong. Something about this music just keeps a crowd going. SOHMI was a great opener. She set the stage perfectly for KASKADE.
KASKADE
I would imagine any KASKADE show brings a lot of excitement from a crowd. But I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a little more energy coming from this audience due to the fact that KASKADE (aka Ryan Raddon) went to college here in Utah, graduating from the University of Utah. So while he might not be a home town native, the fact that he spent some formative years here would make me think that this audience likes him that much more.
Before he took the stage I asked a few people in the front row if they knew that he had lived here. Some looked at me like I was an idiot, with the expression of, “Duh, everyone knows that.”. Others actually did not know that and thought I was a wizard of DJ knowledge. One said, “Well that makes me like him that much more! I didn’t think that was possible.”. I help where I can, folks. Anyway, Ogden Amphitheater was buzzing and exploded when KASKADE took the stage. It must be such a crazy experience to be the only one on that stage and to have thousands of people screaming for you.
It looked like an ocean of arms and pogoing heads across Ogden Amphitheater. People were fist pumping to their hearts content. Much of what was happening on stage is as I expected. KASKADE was up there, totally animated, pumping up the crowd with his occasional but electrifying, “Come On!”, and knobs were being tweaked. But there were also tons of lights, and confetti, and fog machines to get the crowd going. Not that that was ever an issue.
As I mentioned, this crowd went nonstop for the entire show. If you’ve ever listened to Dance Music, I’m sure you’ve heard the part of a song where there’s a slow build up of the beat, then a sustained beat which then leads to an explosion of EDM sounds, beats, and madness. It seems like it happens often in every song. But without fail, when that pattern, and of course it’s done in a variety of ways, happens, the payoff seemed so sweet to this crowd every time. It was fun to watch. KASKADE is an excellent performer. He mixed his concentration for what’s happening on that table with what’s happening in the crowd really well.
I think my biggest takeaway from a show like this is in a rock or pop show, so much of the show is about what’s happening on that stage. But in a concert with a DJ on stage, it feels like everything that matters is what is happening in that audience. How they’re being moved by the music, and the incredible force that’s bonding them together. It was impressive to watch. KASKADE brought a great show to Ogden Amphitheater. I’m sure he’ll return to Utah before long, and another sold out crowd will await him.
