A seemingly ordinary fall weekend in Washington D.C. just served as a live demonstration of the city’s powerful music scene. Exciting appearances from Peggy Gou, Diplo and Meduza headlined the busy schedule and kept crowds dancing for hours on end, proving that Washington, D.C. delivers on a major music weekend.
Echostage – Peggy Gou
Peggy Gou proved on Friday night why she remains a mainstay top DJ with a two-hour set for her first-ever Washington, D.C. headline appearance. Her house and techno mix featured impeccably selected songs from a variety of artists and a continuous flow of energy through the night, peaking with her own hit single, ‘(It Goes Like) Nanana.‘
Uncomplicated but engaging visuals further elevated the experience making this debut a clear success. In a sweet moment after the set, she gifted her stage-worn sunglasses to an excited fan in the crowd.
Glow Block Party
Crowds showed up early for Anabel Englund and Westend‘s opening sets. Anabel Englund showcased her live vocals across iconic tracks, and Westend brought attendees on a thrilling house music journey. Each artist also featured their respective successful Experts Only releases, Anabel Englund with ‘Vision Blurred,’ and Westend with ‘The Ceiling‘ to particularly enthusiastic reception from the amassing audience. A light drizzle cooled the crowd off as the night’s main event commenced.
Diplo‘s two-hour set showcased his breadth of musical knowledge. Rather than overtly relying on his hits, Diplo instead showed off brilliantly mixed edits and entertaining mashups. Without this performance the world may have never found out how amazing Skrillex’s ‘Ratata‘ sounds over a flip of Marie Davidson’s ‘Work It (Soulwax Remix).’ Of course, having a clear view of the U.S. Capitol Building right behind the stage served as a constant reminder that this event is a D.C. exclusive.
Echostage – MEDUZA3
A personal highlight of the weekend – Echostage hosting MEDUZA’s final hybrid-live MEDUZA3 show of the year. First, JOA kicked off the night with a powerful opening set full of his massive collaborations before ceding the decks to the Italian trio.
With MEDUZA3, the group set out to redefine what live electronic music can look like and absolutely succeeded. Gorgeous, live piano elements combined with the artists’ infectious vibe and catalogue of house hits controlled the room start-to-finish.
A surprise appearance from Chromeo‘s Dave 1 lit up the stage with contagious energy as he premiered a new Chromeo x Meduza collaboration and followed with a performance of Chris Lorenzo‘s recent take on ‘Fancy Footwork.’ MEDUZA closed the night with a mashup of their fan-favorite ‘Piece of Your Heart‘ with Daft Punk’s all-time classic, ‘One More Time.’ Simply, a spectacular set to end the weekend.
Despite years of evidence upholding its greatness, Washington D.C. remains underrated as a North American dance music city and weekends like this further demonstrate why. Upcoming D.C. events include the return of Glow Block Party featuring Lavern, MK and The Chainsmokers, plus Echostage shows including Afrojack B2B Green Velvet, Fisher, Odesza (DJ Set), Eric Prydz and more.
