Vivian LamMusic is an essential part of our lives, and we often don’t think much about the sounds that are coming from our earbuds — if we like it, we’ll keep listening; if not, we’ll skip it without a second thought. Witnessing instruments being played live and feeling the bass pounding in my chest at ODESZA’s A Moment Apart show in Vancouver made me feel so much more appreciative of how all the sounds and instruments come together. Being at ODESZA’s November 4 Vancouver show was almost like being a part of Interstellar: it felt like an epic soundtrack of a movie that evoked a dreamlike, cinematic experience.
ODESZA, a Seattle electro-indie duo made up of Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight, recently announced their new sixteen-track album A Moment Apart and, after its peak at number one on the Billboard Top Dance/Electronic Albums chart, a world tour to go with it. It was at their PNE Forum show that I was able to witness their stage presence live.
Before ODESZA stepped on stage, Kasbo opened the show with his remix of “The Little Things.” His passion came through in the short 30 minutes of his performance, and the minimal stage set up really suited his genuine personality. Keiynan Lonsdale, also known as Kid Flash from hit TV series The Flash, joined Kasbo on stage to sing their collaboration song “Lay It On Me” — Lonsdale’s energy matched the song’s upbeat, groovy sounds incredibly well.
Sofi Tukker, a duo consisting of Sophie and Tucker, also took the stage with an entirely different genre before ODESZA’s set. The duo played some unusual tropical pop. Thematically, during their set, there was also a fake palm tree with metal plates around the leaves that the duo would occasionally strike with a drumstick for certain songs. Some appreciated the music, but others in the crowd complained about the stark contrast in genre.
Even though the stage setup was smaller than expected, the production of the show — the lighting structures to the videos to the live drum line — made up for it. The stage had a video screen in the back and lots of lights and lasers. Above the stage was an array of lights shaped as ODESZA’s hexagon logo, which lit up in sync with every beat. The hexagon also cast a spotlight on Harrison and Clayton’s podium on stage, making them the centre of attention. Every beat drop felt like stepping into a visual journey.
The highlight of the concert was being able to feel the organic sounds of live instrumentation. The show began with their album’s first track “Intro,” an anecdote sampled from the movie Another Earth about an astronaut forced to fall in love with a ticking sound in order to save his sanity. The clip was accompanied by a video of space travel and led into a captivating performance by the duo in tandem with horn players and well-choreographed drum line. The large production with live instrumentation made every song impressively amplified, and I found myself fully immersed into the many different layers of instrumentation. Different elements were added to the songs, which made the melodies remixed into a brand new song.
The show made travelling to Vancouver so worth it—the stage design, light fixtures, and live instrumentation all came together perfectly and created a unique experience unlike any other electronic show. The concert left me feeling more connected to the production of their music as I realized how precious it is to live in the moment.
If you haven’t had a chance to listen to A Moment Apart, take a break and let your mind appreciate the layered sounds within each song.
