Anyma Gave Us a Glimpse at the Future of Dance Music at the Sphere

4 hours ago 5

Afterlife boss Anyma put his best and brightest on display during his final End Of Genesys show at the Sphere in Las Vegas, and it displayed where creativity in the scene can flourish in the future.

When Anyma announced he would be the first artist to take over the newly-minted Sphere in Las Vegas for a multi-night residency dubbed The End Of Genesys last year, I knew I needed to be there. Flash forward to a cold winter night months later, and I found myself in a Lyft on my way to the venue with a smile beaming on my face as I prepared for a new adventure. I had missed all of the other nights due to conflicts, so the final night was the prize, and I was ready to experience the madness for myself.

Entry was quick and painless; I was inside this brand-new space within minutes of arriving at the Sphere and began to explore. Merch tables, bars, and food options were spread throughout the venue’s multiple levels, and it was dauntingly large and a tad confusing at first, but I easily found my way around the venue. My seat was on the 200 level, so a few escalator rides led to the landing area, and I went to peer out at the Sphere itself before grabbing a drink.

One glance inside led to me quickly feeling as if I was at the opera house on Coruscant in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. It’s the closest comparison I can make, but it feels fitting. As for the crowd, they were a delight. There was an older demographic of electronic music lovers there, and what everyone wore varied from coordinated costumes and glitzed-out Vegas attire to comfortable clothing and, yes, even some rave jerseys. Everyone I spoke to was more excited than anything, sharing moments from the recent shows or buzzing about their latest Afterlife adventure.

An international twist occurred when I went to find my seat in the 200 level, as I was placed between two groups, one from the UK and France and the other from Germany. Before the show took hold, they all shared that they flew into Las Vegas specifically to catch the final night, and they all hoped the show would be “worth it” after the over ten-hour-long flights they took. Spoiler Alert: It was.

Everyone in our row exchanged those pleasantries during Layton Giordani’s opening set, but when CamelPhat took the stage, the show really kicked into full gear.

The UK duo was a perfect fit for The Sphere as their booming soundscapes began to get paired with stunning visual displays showing the venue’s power. Opening with a Pryda ID before diving into a flurry of other IDs helped bring some energy into the mix. When they played Pontifexx’s Remix of Hans Zimmer’s “S.T.A.Y.” the crowd lost their minds, while I lost my own when they dropped Tiesto’s “Lethal Industry.” Closing with “Breathe” was a fitting end as Jem Cooke’s serene vocals washed over.

The Sphere went dark for about ten minutes as the lower stage was removed and preparation for Anyma’s performance began. I regret not grabbing a drink at the end of CamelPhat’s set because I would’ve had plenty of time to return to my seat, but I didn’t want to miss a second of Anyma. The crowd roared as he took the stage, and it was off to the races from there.

Having seen loads of videos prior, I knew what I would get with Anyma’s Sphere set, but the videos don’t do it justice.

When you have a show like this at The Sphere, you can’t always expect a performance to vary too much from night to night. And, as anticipated, Anyma played the same exact tracklist as the previous nights. As someone who loves the art of DJing, I think it would have been nice to see some variety, but the show’s construct doesn’t lead to that. Its four parts are electronic opera, and each track plays an important role in the story, so there’s no room for modification.

Anyma’s deep, brooding soundscapes paired well with those that were bright and energetic throughout the set, and it was the perfect soundtrack to the insane visuals created for this show. From “Consciousness” with Chris Avantgarde and “Explore Your Future” to “Pictures Of You” and “Hypnotized” with Ellie Goulding, I found myself completely enamored by the vibrant art displayed throughout.

There were moments when it felt like the Sphere itself was moving (and I thought I would tumble over the crowd to the floor) and others where I was a bit weirded out, like when the Sphere turned into eyeballs looking straight at us. It was a very surreal experience.

Anyma’s Sphere show painted a picture of where dance music shows could be headed in years to come.

As Anyma’s remix of The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” boomed from the venue’s speakers, I couldn’t help but think that this was one of the most incredible shows I had witnessed. It was a pure display of human creativity smashed together with technological innovation, and it was so fitting that the Afterlife boss who embodies that notion would be the first electronic artist to headline the venue.

While this paints a vivid, exciting look at a potential future for the scene, I’m not sure if many other artists could pull off something like this at the moment. The blend of visuals and soundscapes that match and the ability to sell out upwards of eight nights is a monumental feat, and Anyma should be praised for this achievement. Perhaps we will see more artists take on this massive venue in the future, but for it to be more common feels like something years away.

Regardless of what the future holds, Anyma’s show is nothing but boundary-pushing and historic, and I can only hope that he will return for another round at The Sphere in the future.