Swedish House Mafia is back in action, and we couldn’t be more excited about it. At the current moment, they have just embarked on their Paradise Again World Tour, commemorating their debut full-length album of the same name. As of now, the tour will see them hit 30+ cities, around the world. I just had the opportunity to catch them on their Los Angeles stop, which took place on September 9’th, 2022. The event was held at the Banc Of California Stadium to a sold-out crowd. When I say that this may very well have been one of the best shows I’ve ever been to, I am not exaggerating. For an idea of what took place, keep reading.
Paradise Again, Los Angeles
Doors opened briefly at 6:30 PM, with attendees quickly filling the stadium. At 7:00 PM sharp, Zhu took the stage. Over the course of the next hour, the ‘Faded’ DJ/ Producer played everything you’d expect from a Zhu set. He played his classics, his obscure, yet catchy earworms, as well as new Musical Chairs Mixtape (Vol. 1) material. If you’re familiar with Zhu, I’m sure you would agree that he is the perfect opener for the Swedish trio. He has shocking electro tunes, tantalizing deep house, and everything in between. Once his set was over, the tone was set, and the crowd was ready for the Swedish spectacle they came to see.
Swedish House Mafia
Prior to the LA stop, I had read about the alleged issues the tour was having in regard to ticket sales. After having attended, I find this hard to believe. I say this as Swedish House Mafia came to Los Angeles and played to a sold-out crowd, in the rain. Officially, the Banc Of California Stadium has an official capacity of 22,000. In addition to this, the Los Angeles stop was said to be the biggest outdoor show they’ve done on tour yet. When you add this all together, it is easy to see that SHM is still a group in high demand.
I, like many other SHM fans never got the chance to see the elusive act during their heyday. They broke up before I had the chance. I’ve seen Steve Angello alone multiple times, as well as Axwell^Ingrosso more times than I can count. I did get the chance to see them at Coachella ’22 alongside The Weeknd, but I knew that this was not SHM in their full glory. This past weekend, I had the chance to see just that, and I couldn’t be more grateful.
Once the show started, It felt as if I was instantly teleported back to 2012, albeit in a different fashion. I had the chance to hear all of SHM’s original tunes, reimagined for the modern day. One perfect example of this was the ‘Miami 2 Ibiza’ (Axwell & Steve Angello Remix), which I can’t seem to find online — thanks Shazam.
Paradise Again
As awesome as SHM’s original tunes are, it is important to note that all three of them are seasoned DJ/ Producers in their own right. Part of the allure of SHM is the fact that each member is a star on his own. Together, even more so. Those in attendance were graced with original tunes from all three members, also mixed in new, creative ways for this new, exciting time. We got to hear Axwell’s ‘In My Mind‘, Angello’s ‘Knas‘, & even Ingrosso’s ‘Kidsos‘. A personal favorite of mine was this dope mashup of Sebastian Ingrosso’s & Tommy Trash‘s ‘Reload’, with SHM’s newer tune, ‘Time’ featuring Mapei.
Over the course of the 90-minute set fans new and old were able to dance, and sing to the tunes we know and love. Additionally, we were introduced to new acts, and collaborators, new voices if you will. These are names such as Fred Again, Connie Constance, Sting, Future, and even The Weeknd. It was such a pleasure to see and hear ‘Paradise Again‘ live. Even more so in the rain. I feel that the album has a different feel to it than SHM’s earlier works, but somehow still manages to feel uniquely, ‘them’. Trust me when I say that if you’re a fan of Swedish House Mafia, this is a tour that you MUST see.
If you’re interested in checking out Swedish House Mafia’s Paradise Again, you’re in for a treat. The trio is one-third of the way through their tour, with their next stop being in Vancouver, British Columbia. For more information, as well as tickets to their stop closest to you be sure to click here. The full Paradise Again World Tour can be found below, enjoy!
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