Paper Diamond Club Red Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Last night may have been a Tuesday, but that didn't stop the crowd at Club Red from getting raunchy like it was a weekend.
Walking into the club, screens flashed ads for upcoming shows and a stern warning that no moshing would be allowed. I wasn't sure what I was in for, but I had a strong inkling it would be interesting.
It was the kick off show of rising electronic star strong Paper Diamond's Tiger Style Tour, but he didn't show any signs of early tour jitters. Dropping his hits such as "Can We Go Up," putting his own spin on "Masta Blasta" by Dillon as well as dropping some sounds by Skrillex, he was in firm control of the party, and was intent on getting the crowd moving.
Oh, and he was dropping all the beats with an iPad. Really?
The show continued with the drops of the iPad. Some performers stick the general CDJ's and mixing board, but not Paper Diamond. He kept people on the dance floor until the entire time, and manned an Apple pad decked out with his logo. I couldn't quite figure out what it was for most of the concert, but when I finally released what he was using I was surprised.
With his profile steadily climbing, Paper Diamond proved that he's got the power to back the hype. Associations with DJ Pretty Lights and his label, Pretty Lights Music, have helped P.D. attract fans, but getting them to stick around requires a command of the stage, and he had that in spades, mixing in heavy bass remixes of hip-hop and pop.
I'd never given Paper Diamond much time unless Pandora threw it on to my playlist, but I'm looking forward to hearing more his coming summer.
Because if you can get Tempe moving on the first show of your tour on a Tuesday night, imagine what you can do with a weekend.
Critics Notebook:
Last Night: Paper Diamond at Club Red
The Crowd: Patrons of the bar mixed in with your true Paper Diamond lovers.
Personal Bias: As for someone who is going to Electric Forest this summer, I have got to say this was a great preview to see what I'll be whomping to in Michigan over the summer.
Overheard in the Crowd: "Is that iPad?"