It’s safe to say anyone who attended ODESZA’s sensational show at the Orpheum Sunday night is still experiencing a persistent sensation of ringing ears.
With their anticipated appearance after almost two hours of incredible openers Jai Wolf and Rufus Du Sol, the audience met ODESZA with bellowing cheers — Catacombkid and Beaches Beaches had arrived.
Say what? The nicknames of ODESZA’s unstoppable duo, Harrison Mills and Clayton Knight, are one of their several unprecedented qualities. Their sublime music presents a transcendent vibe, enhanced through their use of live instrumentation and unbelievable visuals during their Madison performance.
Despite the crowd’s obnoxious antics — pushing and shoving were rampant — and the overly tight security team pursuing any suspicion in sight, ODESZA delivered a spectacular show. And it was one of a kind — the performance resembled nothing from the past.
Over the summer at shows like Lollapalooza and Summerset, ODESZA often opened up with crowd favorite “iPLayYouListen” accompanied by bass-thumping drums. Instead, Mills and Knight chose to conclude their Orpheum performance with this track. During the brief gap between the group’s departure offstage and the second round of music, the crowd just about lost their minds.
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Then again, how could anyone be surprised by the extended performance? Any ODESZA performance characteristically leaves the audience thirsting for more — and more they received.
As expected, ODESZA’s fan base in Madison was as large and diverse as anywhere else. From festival enthusiasts to bucket-hat donning frat bros, couples in their 30s and groups of friends itching to dance, the people within the venue were nothing short of fascinating — especially a ferociously dancing dude in the cowboy hat.
It truly says something magnificent about ODESZA if they were able to attract such a wide array of folks on a standard Sunday night. Adhering to their genuine, moving style of music, both Mills and Knight passionately interacted with the audience.
Encouraging clapping and cheering, the duo received the crowd’s support with elation. Mills lifted his hands to the ceiling and closed his eyes, swaying his body to the flow of the rhythm. Waves of emotion washed over both those on stage and those on the floor.
Particularly gripping was one of the duo’s last tracks, “Memories That You Call.” The saintly vocals of children produced an overwhelming intensity, lending itself to the vibe of unity throughout the venue. The track exemplified the entire show’s ethereal nature — nothing quite helps living in the moment like ODESZA.
The show was timeless, seeming to end as soon as it began. Even after the encore, the crowd yearned for more. Their crestfallen, but satisfied faces as they filtered out of the Orpheum epitomized the spell ODESZA had unleashed on their Madison fans.
