Cheers to a great year in music. After the holidays and a little bit of "Auld Lang Syne," let's ring in the new year with hopes of progression and talent.

Visions of a dandelion wish glowed and reflected back onto the hundreds of pupils. A breathtaking moment, everyone was universally connected. Three men stood in front of me with their arms wrapped around each others shoulders, grinning and singing along. A couple embraced each other and stood still, frozen in time as the group surrounding them jumped up and down. For those two, all that mattered was that moment, their heart beats synching together. There was no tension, no unnecessary elbowing, and no rude demeanor. The vibe of the entire room was compassionately wholesome and connected. It was elevation from the harsh realities of the world, looking down on them and feeling content with all that life throws our way. This is trance.

Above & Beyond at Town Ballroom on May 11th was a life-changing experience. They had their own visual projections which were so intricate and complimenting to the motive of their music, it was surreal. For many if not all, this was a show to bring clarity, to feel complete or attended out of pure passion. Incorporating a special feature to stay connected to the crowd, they rigged their laptop to project lyrics and messages on the screen. Also, a live-feed of the crowd was synched to the screen so those in the front row could see themselves; this simple reflection encompassed the room making everyone feel as much as a part of the experience.

On screen, a grid of many squares was projected and within each square a woman's smiling face moved about gracefully. The grids disappeared and suddenly the same woman's face was larger taking up the screen, morphing into itself. It was a reminder that even the smile of a stranger can fill you with warmth. A&B captured the beauty and significance of something so simple.   The signature beat of a trance tune had everyone jumping up and down bringing back the innocence of pure excitement of being a child, eyes wide with hopeful wishes and without cynicism. 

Their mixing was flawless. There was no nonsensical and incessant interruptions as some performers feel necessary to keep the crowd with them. They chose the ambiguous rather then the impetuous. The screen went black, white letters slowly typed on the screen "Buffalo is our secret" followed by airborne visuals, from a plane window the vast space of clouds turned pink and gold as the sun arose to meet them.

The entire night tears lined my eyes. The interconnectedness and love I was feeling with a dance floor filled with strangers was incredibly overwhelming. To think that with just music, lyrics, and projections of Tibetan lanterns floating about that so much emotion could surface. This thought took me out of myself as I looked at the people that surrounded me; each person has their own story, their own hopes or crushed dreams that they deal with every single day. This is what trance does.

For those who know Brian Nelson, head of the promotional company that brought A&B, Factory Nightlife, you may have heard news of his recent motorcycle accident. My heart melted as thin lined triangles of multiple colors cut the black canvas of the screen, white letters typed out "Get well Brian."

Throughout the entire show tears of joy trickled down my face, I shamelessly wiped them away. Eyes closed and moving fluidly, suddenly I heard the beautifully haunting vocals of "Sun & Moon." I stopped dancing and watched an eclipse projected on the screen. Mental visions flashed through my mind: tearfully bed-ridden, sleepless, and staring at the sky wondering. "I'm sorry baby, you were the sun and moon to me, I'll never get over you, you'll never get over me." The whole room stopped for a moment, then the synths came in and it was like a sigh of relief washed over the crowd. Everyone simply let go and danced; it was mind-blowing.

The end of the show was like nothing I've ever seen. After performing their last track, they put on a melodic tune and there was only purple lights glowing. It was an unspeakable standstill, everyone stood, perfectly depicting the name of the genre itself. Tony McGuinness and Jono Grant started on opposite ends of the curved rail where the audience crowded around to shake hands or get autographs from either two of the three A&B members.

Three years ago, Above & Beyond changed my life. Seeing them live was a dream come true and it became clear to me that Buffalo needed some Group Therapy.

Tonight at Town Ballroom, you'll surely find me with tears of joy in my eyes for Above & Beyond.  The progressive trance DJs and producers were what introduced me to the wonderful world of this music scene.  Call me dramatic, but I would be lying if I said they didn't change my life - and based on the title of their album and tour "Group Therapy," I am not alone.  Above & Beyond sums themselves up with one word: connection.  A&B group members, Tony McGuinness, Jono Grant, and Paavo Siljamaki, emphasize their poetic lyrical art, which in addition to their instrumentals can heal the heartbroken and depressed and inspire the joyful, bringing everyone together.  “Poetry can be powerful, great literature is another great informer and educator, but few of us can remember any significant words from the great books or poems we read. But something amazing happens when you put words to music,” said McGuinness.

Under British record label Anjunabeats, Above & Beyond achieved the title of the only dance act to win the Essential Mix of the Year twice.  They host their own weekly radio show "Trance Around the World" which attracts around 30 million listeners worldwide.  Group Therapy was named Mixmag's "artist album of the year."           
“The one thing I didn't expect to happen on the scale it has, is how people from around the world have shared their stories with us as they go through amazingly positive or incredibly difficult times in their lives. It's really touched us all and feels like a driving force for new creativity,” says Siljamaki. 


Tonight May 11, 2012
Factory Nightlife presents Above & Beyond
at Town Ballroom
9pm-2am
$25 advance $31 at the door.


http://www.aboveandbeyond.nu/