Yes, yes, you heard right! Back in April Verboten made a monstrosity of an announcement that had Mau5 fans in an emotional flurry of excitement, disbelief, and trepidation. For those who have yet to hear, let me recap: DEADMAU5 will be playing a massive Governor's Ball Afterparty in NYC this Saturday (cue hyperventilation), and at the best venue the city has to offer: Brooklyn's Verboten.
So why does this particular concoction of artist and venue mean so much? For starters, this is Joel Zimmerman's (aka Deadmau5) return to the club scene. For the past couple of years the Mau5 has been playing a handful of large festival main stages, but with Verboten's 700 person capacity, we can be sure this show will be as intimate as it gets. After closing at Gov Ball mere hours before he is scheduled to perform, Mr. Zimmerman will undoubtedly be itching to play a long, experimental set brimming with synthy unidentifiable tracks, generous servings of house and techno, and a few mind-blowing tricks up his sleeve. And what better place to do this, than the one club who boasts such expectations, Verboten.
What can we expect from our beloved Mau5? Well for starters, if you've never seen him live, spinning on the mixers without the huge stage production, you're in for a night you'll never forget. I was lucky enough to attend one of his "unhooked" shows back in 2011, which were intermittently sprinkled throughout his tour at the time - I still remember it like it was yesterday. At first there were bouts of confusion, without the cube and giant LED Mau5head, many seemed mildly disappointed. It was just little Joel, a DJ table, and some lighting machinery at either side of him. Somehow, without the huge blazing visuals and gargantuan stage structure, Zimmerman all by himself seemed to be an even bigger spectacle. Our eyes wide and breath shallow, we realized that until now all the added smoke and mirrors had just been static. This Saturday will be no different.
Joel is debateably one of the one of the most intelligent artists in the industry, his knowledge of the electronic surpasses much of what we can even fathom, and his skill level is meticulous to the pin point. Many regard Zimmerman as a "glorified button-pusher", and although he uses the power of technology to perform his art, you can bet he's pushing a hell of a lot more buttons than everyone else. There are no words to describe or to compare the brevity of what he has in store for us. Die hard Mau5 fan or not - it's hard to deny that he is the best of the best. On this night, he will be showcasing his talents, and we will get to see him for what he truly is - stripped down and bare with nothing but his musical prowess - brilliant and breathtaking in his own right.
If you were lucky enough to grab a ticket before they sold out in minutes, brace yourselves for something like you've never experienced. And if you weren't so lucky, Verboten will be selling tickets at the door the day of (I suggest you get there VERY early).
Mau5 fans rejoice, our king is back!