- Paul Van Dyk has an enormous fan base. Everywhere he goes, they are there. His musical styling is quite accessible for the masses but still unique enough that he is set apart from the rest. He seems to always be on tour, but this time his gig in New York was in support of his upcoming “Politics of Dancing 2” mix compilation.
His return to Central Park’s Summer Soundstage was a welcome one. The venue, situated right in the middle of the park, is quite unique. It is a rather large open area, surrounded by trees, and with a surprisingly clear sound system. The range of musical acts that get to play each year are varied, but Made Event has brought in a DJ for a more than a few years, and it has turned into quite a clubbing event.
I arrived at the site about a half hour before Paul was to start his four-hour set. I quickly met up with some friends, grabbed a drink, and tried to ignore the oppressive humidity the best I could. Today was going to be hot, sticky, and crowded as the event was a sell-out. As soon as Paul emerged behind the decks, we all moved to the front of the stage and settled in. PVD was one of the first DJs that I ever got into. It was in the era when trance ruled the world, and he was at the reigns. I attended various parties in numerous cities and countries around the globe and he never really disappointed. However, like many of contemporaries, my musical tastes have shifted, away from the big room trance sound. Yet, if I am going to see anyone that primarily plays epic stuff, it will be Van Dyk.
Starting off with a remix of the Chemical Brothers “Galvanize”, Q-Tip’s lyrics cut through the heavy noon air like a hot knife through butter. Initially I thought that there would be less trance played, but the second tune reminded me that things had not changed too much since the last time I saw him. One of my friends who had traveled up from seeing him a few hours before at Buzz was skeptical about seeing him again since his previous set was not to her liking; having dropped breakdown after breakdown, causing there to be no flow to the evening. However, today’s four hour set seemed to be well programmed. He kept the pace well managed by not going too hard early on and killing everyone in the heat. As the sun started to creep behind the trees, the entire area completely filled up. Apparently the stories of punters selling tickets for $100 were true, this was a complete sell out. I must admit that the crowd was well-behaved and everyone was up for the party.
As the twilight passed Van Dyk started playing harder and the lasers on the stage were switched on. They really added to the experience and looked good as they used the trees at the rear of the space as a canvas for their designs. My knowledge of trance tunes is dated at best but many people in the crowd seemed to know most of them as sing-alongs were prevalent. Toward the end I did hear PVD’s signature tune, “For An Angel,” which, I must admit, put a smile on my face.
Things wrapped up promptly at 10 as I'm sure the Park is strict about closing times, and Paul had a gig at Space, Miami at 2 a.m. (that is what I call jet-setting!). During the finale a guitarist came out and performed his new single “Other Side” with Van Dyk playing the keyboard in support.
Overall, the day was quite enjoyable. I got to see friends, listen to tunes outside, and escape from the frantic pace of the city for a while. What else could one ask for on a Saturday!