Words by Andy Viana. Photography by Andre Velez. Artwork by Demo.
With electronic music at the gracefully chaotic rise that it is on it is an unfortunate truth that an artist’s talent does not always translate the way it should onto the live stage, occasionally leaving fans with something to be desired walking away from a show. Paper Diamond’s performance last weekend at Chicago’s House of Blues proved, once again, that his passion and dedication lies not only within the walls of the studio but in electrifying his audience with a sensationally addictive experience as well.
The night was supported by opening talent Eliot Lipp. The latest signee to Pretty Lights Music label, Lipp has a tremendous amount of momentum and support after a ground-breaking summer festival season. His production style of an upbeat combination of trap and break-style beats was an ideal prelude to the evening.
Performing to the increasingly familiar scenario of a sold-out crowd, the evening’s show was teeming with anticipation for the Chicago unveiling of Paper Diamond’s new light rig. A multi-surface, projection-mapped, diamond-themed booth decked out in LEDs that surrounds the veteran producer on all sides was a spectacle that lived up to the hype. The immaculately synched production that danced along with the crowd throughout the entirety of the night produced an energy that was only outdone by Paper Diamond himself.
Paper Diamond seamlessly transitioned between tracks from when he first signed onto Pretty Lights Music to his most recent releases on Mad Decent once again proving his atonement to the fans that danced energetically into the night despite the clock nearing 4am.
Paper Diamond seems to have found that perfect and rare balance in the EDM scene between stardom that sometimes drives away original fans and the humble producer perpetually working to find something new to deliver. He does an incredible job of it, probably because he likes it that way. We do too.
Paper Diamond’s Sounds
Eliot Lipp’s Sounds
