Disclosure Helped Orlando Lose Its Mind [Event Review]

On January 24th, Disclosure played a sold-out show to a very dance-hungry crowd at the House of Blues in Downtown Disney, Orlando Florida. The event was put on by promotion companies Live Nation, Disco Donnie, Vizion 1, and HTG. The result of the combined effort blew everyone away.

Samo Sound Boy opened the night with an hour and a half set time. While that may seem a bit long given his opener status, he surpassed all expectations. From beginning his set with slick tech house to ending it with a fantastic Shlohmo remix, he demonstrated a deep understanding of the importance of an opening set. As opposed to launching us head-first into funky grooves, he gradually built the crowd up to a groovy apex. The crowd, while initially confused, eventually succumbed to the hypnotic house tunes. It was amazing to see a thin, stationary crowd develop into a moving mass of bodies.

At 10:20 P.M., Disclosure finally graced the stage with their intricate set-up. Equipped with a flurry of lights, a massive LED panel, and a seemingly endless amount of instruments, the U.K.-based brothers were ready to leave us amazed. The set was filled to the brim with crowd-pleasing favorites, notably “When A Fire Starts To Burn”, “Latch, and “Help Me Lose My Mind.”

The promoters fulfilled an excellent role in delivering an amazing production. All colors of the spectrum were represented here and flashing lights were often exhibited to the crowd’s astonishment. The sound also maintained a perfect balance between spine-tingling bass and crisp attention to detail. Major congratulations to all the promoters involved in bringing an exemplary display of lighting and sound.

The live instruments and transitions brought the set to an entirely new level. As opposed to simply playing the songs off a program, the Disclosure brothers enhanced the show with live instruments. Whether it was the use of a bass guitar in “When A Fire Starts To Burn” or spontaneous drum solos during transitions, the live manipulation of the various elements kept everyone on their toes. In a world where DJ sets are plagued by over-reliance of the familiar, it was refreshing to see crowd favorites invigorated by a truly live performance.

Finally, the crowd capped off the wonderful show. It truly felt like a concert: everyone sang along, yelled back to the brothers when they got on their mics, and danced during every moment of the 80 minute set. The classic Disclosure face (which popped up on the LED screen) often sang along with us, perfecting the unity felt between the crowd and our performers. Two years ago I would never had imagined a sold-out crowd jamming and singing along to future garage. The show proved how far Disclosure’s appeal truly reaches. This was not simply a rave or a show; this represented a movement.

Disclosure delivered one of my favorite concerts ever. If you ever get the chance to see them, do not pass it up.

Photo Credit: Kendall Bolen

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