Subtronics Stunning Visuals at Barclays Center

The dubstep DJ producer puts on an ambitious show in New York for his TESSERACT Tour

Jaw-dropping visuals. Lasers, pyrotechnics and mesmerizing technicolor LED screens and panels light up and take the audience on a journey. A perfect synchronization of headbanging and jumping when the beat drops. The Subtronics show at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, last Friday was one of the coolest concert experiences I’ve ever had.

Subtronics has gained millions of followers in the past few years for his authenticity and unique dubstep sounds he is able to create. While I am not necessarily a huge “bass head”, I have really appreciated how different his music is, spanning many different genres and collaborations, including a level of production and sound design that is changing the game. Now many artists are following in his footsteps, experimenting with dubstep, riddim and drums and bass. While it isn’t the type of music I listen to on a daily basis, seeing it performed live is truly an out-of-body experience.

I didn’t have any specific expectations for the show, only relying on what I had seen on social media and rave reviews from fans, saying Subtronics is one of the greatest live EDM performers. But from the openers to the main event, the production and visuals for the show were incredibly memorable.

Wooli, one of the openers, included many visuals of wooly mammoths, an ode to his stage name, and he also also remixed Ice Spice’s “Think U The Sh*T (Fart)”. During the beat drop, the screen lit up to a Mario Kart backdrop of Ice Spice dancing and racing alongside characters like Mario and Yoshi. During the Subtronics set, we were taken on a journey of his new album “TESSERACT” exploring different portals and dimensions, from dancing robots to galactic visuals of planets and black holes.

This show followed the trend of EDM artists continuing to break musical barriers with their visuals. Canadian DJ Excision is at the top of the game right now in my opinion, especially for his Shrek rave visuals that have gone viral on TikTok. Another example is Tale of Us, an Italian music duo, who is known for their immersive visuals that take listeners on a journey through their sets. Even if you aren’t a fan of the music, the visuals are something to appreciate.

Subtronics’ combination of visuals, lasers and fire that I felt even a hundred feet away complimented the music and the changes in tempos and beats throughout the show. Her performed songs and VIP (remixed) versions from “TESSERACT”, including collabs with some of the biggest names in dubstep and bass. Subtronics tapped into different parts of the genre, from groovy and subdued beats to the hard and heavy hitting range that he is typically known for.

Subtronics also performed fan favorites and various hits including the drums and bass remix of “Black Out Days” from Phantogram, the timeless “Griztronics” and “Spacetime.” Even if this type of music isn’t necessarily your thing, the community and togetherness of EDM fans is something special.

Extravagant outfits, friendship bracelets and abiding by the acronym PLUR which translates to “Peace, Love, Unity and Respect” are some things to expect when you go to a show or festival like this. It is one of the coolest things to be in an NBA (and WNBA!) arena listening to music and also looking out among the crowd, both those on the floor and those in the stands, perfectly in sync while dancing and headbanging along. This was hopefully my first of many shows where I can continue to appreciate these artists that are doing something that has never been seen before.