Over the last two months, The Sherp has been interacting with some truly passionate fans of Above & Beyond from different parts of the world – fans who have ‘Pushed The Button’ at their various events, fans who attended the acoustic show at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and the more recent ABGT050 at Alexandra Palace in London, fans who have had the privilege to meet Tony, Jono and Paavo, and also the fans who have not witnessed an Above & Beyond live performance, yet. It has been an absolutely overwhelming experience, to say the least.
It’s beyond amazing how Tony, Jono and Paavo have impacted lives around the world… in ways you cannot even imagine! Some of the incidents the fans shared moved us to tears and at times, we even had goose bumps! We would love to share them with each of you:
1. I have honestly never seen Above & Beyond live. I have been a fan of theirs for nearly a decade since I first heard the track “Can’t Sleep”. I have always been eager to see them live, but my situation growing up never permitted me to. When I turned 21 I moved to Austin, Tx where I knew that I would run into more interesting life events versus those I was having in my small town that I grew up in. I was sad to find out that A&B had been through Austin two months prior to me moving there.
Years went on and financial crisis set in. Still no shows of A&B for me. I began a relationship with a man here in Dallas, Tx about a year ago and the direction of my life had brought me to the big Texas city itself. I moved here with the intention that I would restart school as an Audio Production Major and follow in the footsteps of those producers that I am so fond of – A&B. Boy, was that a leap of faith indeed! The foundation for which I was moving here was unstable and things eventually began falling apart again.
Mind you, I had already purchased my ABGT050 tickets and passport with the plan in mind that I would take my partner and my best friend to this magnificent celebration in London. So my relationship ended abruptly, my job security fell apart, and my school grades started to suffer. There was no way that I figured I would be able to make it to the UK after all. Where there is a will there is a way, right!? I have been busting my butt at my new job to raise an extra amount of money to take myself to London, with or without my friends. I have waited too long to see these guys, the ones who motivate my every step in life, the ones who comfort my every fall, the ones who give me strength to go on… Above & Beyond.
I have found my rabbit hole to the UK, and as of today, 10/7/13 I am confident to say that I will finally see my dreams come true. I am preparing myself now to board plane and join the thousands in the ABGT050 celebration at Alexandria Palace in London, England. I even met a guy across the US who was interested in purchasing my tickets when I decided I had hit rock bottom and was not able to attend. He reached out to me and said that he would be willing to purchase my ticket to ABGT050. Today I was proud to say that I would be going to Ally Pally and that I would still offer to join him there, since I had purchased 3 tickets in the beginning. I am not sure of the future and what is to be held, but I am sure ecstatic about my trip and to meet a trance family member from around the world. I cannot express how lucky I feel to have my dreams come true, finally. I was hoping for a miracle and I think I got it 🙂
– Antonio Martinez, 23 – Dallas, Tx
2. My first live session of Group Therapy started at the Anjunabeats Volume 10 Launch Party in New York City. I will never forget the moment Andrew Bayer handed over the decks to Tony and Jono, as ‘Small Moments’ began to play. “We are Above & Beyond” was displayed on the screen, and from that point on, it became a wildly unforgettable night. The venue was packed with nothing but happiness and uplifting music. I look forward to Group Therapy every week and hopefully one day, I’ll be the one Pushing the Button.
– Phil Demers
3. I will never forget how I felt when I saw Above & Beyond live for the first time in 2006 for the Tri-State tour. I remember feeling the connection, and resonating love that poured into every person in that crowd. It was in that moment that I knew I finally found an artist who could transcend borders, cultures and language barriers. Without hesitation the music just took over me. Time seemed to slow down and every heart beat was in sync. The whole crowd moved in waves not missing a single beat. From that moment I was hooked!
Above & Beyond has a way of bringing people together like no other EDM act. Its only fitting, at least in my eyes, that their new album is called Group Therapy. Because that’s what it means to me, to be a A&B fan. You could have an overwhelming list of problems, but in that moment when you’re surrounded by thousands of A&B fans, all those things on your mind just melt away.
– Garrett Appleton, 27 – Miami, FL USA
4. Above & Beyond truly illustrate their passion and love for music, not only in their writing and producing, but also in their live performances. Having seen all three of them perform several times, in different states, I’ve always had such great, inspiring experiences; I never leave unhappy. Instead I leave enthusiastic and inspired to create tracks as incredible as theirs’.
Additionally, seeing the acoustic performance at the Greek Theater was nothing short of ineffable. I am utterly grateful to have shared such an awesome, moving experience with them along with everyone in attendance. I surprisingly found myself wiping tears from my eyes at several points throughout the show. I am lucky to have crossed paths with Paavo, Tony, Jono, and their team of musicians and vocalists to experience and associate with their beautiful, creative productions. I’ve been a fan since I was 17, and I’m now 23, producing/DJing my own electronic music (https://soundcloud.com/chris-giuliano-c-g-c). I have Paavo, Tony, and Jono to thank for initially sparking my imagination and drive to implement my guitar background and make my own music. I dream of joining the Anjunabeats team someday. So thanks guys. Love & Respect.
Sincerely, – Chris Giuliano. P.S. Tony, I ran up to you and snagged a quick hug at Marquee Vegas, so thanks for that too.
– Chris Giuliano, 23, Los Angeles
5. The first time I ever went to an Above & Beyond gig was in Houston TX, on September 22nd, 2012 at Stereo Live. Excitement was high for me seeing that I had been a fan of theirs for many years, and when I heard they were coming to Houston I knew I had to go. I see A&B as the only trance artists that can make a whole crowd dance and feel connected for an hour, then make the whole crowd cry the next. The sets they play aren’t just big drops and constant beats, their music actually speaks to you and carries an emotion behind them.
Furthermore, when I was at the gig in Houston, there was a feeling that I can’t honestly explain with just words alone that I felt when they played ‘Alchemy’. It was that of oneness in the crowd, I felt love, I felt emotion, I felt bliss, everyone was smiling and dancing, everyone was happy; I had never seen this before, not even in a church.
But let me go back to the point of entering the event. Being a black guy, I knew I liked trance and EDM music, it was a part of me since around the age of 12. The area I live in, in TX does not have many EDM fans, but some how I meet them every now and then, most of them with plans of moving away from Beaumont and moving into areas that have a predominant EDM scene such as Dallas TX, Austin TX, etc. But getting back to the point that I’m a black guy that loves the EDM scene, that is already a rarity these days. But, upon arrival to A&Bs event in Houston, I was happy, My ID was checked at the door and I was granted access. When I walked in I could hear the music being played from the support DJ (Surain), the lights were shining and the impending feeling of A&B’s arrival and the questions of “are they here yet?” were arising in my mind. Also I was slightly worried that I didn’t fit in, I knew I loved the music, I knew trance was better than any other genre that I’ve heard before, I knew the EDM scene was beautiful to me, but I wanted to know if I was accepted or not.
Looking around, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, a white guy walked up to me and to my amazement, he told me in these exact words with a smile on his face “We are one big happy family” then he proceeded to trade kandi with me and gave me a big hug. Almost to the point of crying, I knew then and there that this scene was for me, and it wasn’t about color or fitting in or who you are, or where you come from, it’s just about the love and happiness that you share between your rave family and enjoying yourself.
And I still have his kandi that he gave me, and I will wear it to every A&B gig that I go to. And the phrase “small moments like these” brings me back to that moment at stereo live. All in all, Above & Beyond are my favorite DJs in the EDM scene, I have been listening to them ever since their first TATW webshow, all the way till now with the new name of ABGT, and I will always be a fan of theirs.
– Justin A. Barnes, 20 – Beaumont TX
6. I got into EDM around 2008, but didn’t get to see Above & Beyond until Ultra Music Festival 2010. They were playing at the Ice Palace in Miami and I was going to start off my Ultra weekend with them Thursday night. It was an amazing show and through it I’ve met some amazing friends who continue to inspire me with their travels for music around the world. Even though I’ve only seen A&B 4 times, I hope to make more plans to see them when they visit Asia next, or if I catch them in some other city around the world.
However, it was the music they played weekly, first through Trance Around the World and then Group Therapy, that got me through some of the hardest moments in my life. A year after seeing them at Ultra, I lost my job in Portland and with the market being what it is for international employees, I was forced to leave the country and move back to Asia. It was at this time that I had the various sets playing in my ears, getting me through long days at a start-up (which failed) and then long nights freelancing as a web designer. The one song through it all, was the lyrically beautiful ‘You’ve Got To Go’ (feat Zoë Johnston).
5 years later, their music continues being the go to music for everything, whether I’m at the gym, working long hours, or just need that pick me up to get me through the day.
– My name is Varun Thota, I’m 26 and I live in Macau/Hong Kong. I am a little dreamer, dreaming on.
7. Above & Beyond illuminates everything I love in music. Emotional, on-pitch vocalists, clean and powerful lyrics, melody-centric style… What blows me away most is how their newest album, Group Therapy, almost tells a chronological, continuous story alternating between the male and female’s viewpoints without a misstep. You know that had to take time to write those lyrics. That’s why I love them, their music up front seems simple, yet when you listen to each track a few times you realize that each one is so very, very complex.
– Harrison Brown, 18 – Greenville, North Carolina
8. I am a music producer from Los Angeles. I look up to Above & Beyond and their productions but I started listening to them before I became a producer and was influenced by their sound. I saw them live once at Electric Daisy Carnival 2010 in Los Angeles and they were amazing. I love the way they connect with the crowd when they put inspirational quotes and stuff up on the screen as well as the really nice breakdowns in their music. I saw them again at The Shrine in Los Angeles and it was a much smaller crowd so it was a more special event. At that time, they had just released their new album so getting to hear all the tracks live was really cool.
– Nigol Margossian, 19 – Los Angeles
9. Well I can go on forever talking about Above & Beyond. The first time I heard of them was in 2011. That was also the first year I started getting into the EDM genre but the only type of EDM that caught my ear and also my heart was Trance – and that’s when A&B came into play. The very first song I heard of theirs was ‘Liquid Love’ and once I heard that song, the world all of a sudden disappeared and it was just me, the music & the lyrics. I made a strong connection with their lyrics, they’re so beautiful. It’s like every song can be placed in a situation that has occurred in my life. The most magnificent piece of work they ever created was the Oceanlab project. You just zone out from all of your worries.
So far, I have seen Above & Beyond about 10 times here in the U.S. but the only time that stands out the most was when I drove from my hometown (Los Angeles) and saw them at the Beach Club which is in Las Vegas. I stood in the same spot for two hours, which was right in front of the stage, and waited there till Above & Beyond came out 🙂 For those 3 hours I was in sheer heaven. There was a moment when I showed Paavo a message on my phone and it said “Just A Simple Thank You”. He reached over the table, shook my hand and said “No, Thank You!” That will be a moment I will tell my grand children about. At the end of the performance, they were signing autographs. I didn’t have anything for them to sign on, so I reached over before security pulled me back and I yelled out “Paavo, sign my hand!” And he did 🙂
Not only do I love A&B because of their soulful music, but because of them I have let some wonderful people enter my life and share wonderful experiences with them such as watch Above & Beyond play. I call them my Anjunafam! I think the whole world should experience a Group Therapy show at least once in their lives 🙂
– Joshua Ramirez, 24 – Los Angeles, CA
10. Never have I had a group of musicians bring such joy to my life. Above & Beyond truly is apart of my everyday routine, I listen to their podcasts every week and I’m always impressed. It seems impossible, yet somehow Group Therapy always seems to get better, and better. I recently moved from Utah to Florida it was a 7 day road trip and I literally listened to ABGT the whole time, it helped me to feel at ease with my decision and also uplifted and excited for what the future had in store for me. I thank A&B daily for being a huge reason why I have peace in my life and also for helping me to discover who I truly am through music.
– Lauren Searle, 22 – Melbourne, Florida
11. The first time I saw Above & Beyond was at Nocturnal Wonderland in Rockdale TX . They were playing ‘Sun & Moon’ at that moment. The song is so amazing already but to hear them live is such an amazing experience . I looked around and lots of people were crying, I felt okay knowing I wasn’t the only one. Seeing thousands connected by such a beautiful moment was life changing. They will always hold a special place in my heart. I’m counting the days till I get to see them. (December 27,2013)
– Koneko von Texas, 28 – Texas
12. Well Above & Beyond are definitely not ordinary trance DJs. They feel like they’re your friends and seem so welcoming and friendly. My first A&B gig was at Avila Beach, California. You can really see how much they love doing what they do. They have unknowingly saved lives, including mine.
– Dulce Lopez 18 – Westminster, California
13. Well, the first time i heard Above & Beyond was in 2008, when I was 19. The set I had heard was ANJUNABEATS VOL.5 – until today it is my favorite! I listened every day and it was my set during exercise. As a gift that year, they came to Paraguay, and it was the first time I saw them live. I was crying throughout the performance and it was there that I got that passion and became a true fan. The second time I saw them live was this year’s Ultra Music Festival 2013 in Miami! Again the same thing happened to me and I cried with my flag of Paraguay the whole time. It was really a ‘group therapy’ and I felt the greatest happiness that can be felt. It was a thrill unreal, so I could not understand why I was crying like that.
And as a finishing touch, in September of 2013, I made a 1300km roadtrip from Asuncion to Curitiba Brazil to see them again – this time I was more prepared and wore a shirt that said ‘Push The Button’ with characteristic colors of Above & Beyond. That shirt was a gift from a person whom I really care a lot and who is also a super fan of them. They chose me to push the button that night and IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST EXPERIENCES OF MY LIFE, able to speak to them and thank them for the opportunity. And even more, to give a big hug to PAAVO and JONO! The excitement I felt when JONO grabbed my hand to take me upstairs and told me on the way “YOU’RE FROM TWITTER RIGHT??” was something indescribable. That closeness they have with their fans and that humility that characterize them, make them my number one DJs!
I leave you with this phrase, about what Above & Beyond mean to me, “they are the only ones capable of doing so sentimental group therapy and change lives in awesome ways!!!”
– Silvana Ciotti, 25 – Asuncion, Paraguay
14. I have seen Above & Beyond at venues all over the USA but my younger sister, Victoria, had never seen them live until May 25, 2013. They played in our hometown Salt Lake City and it was so heartwarming to introduce her to Group Therapy for the first time. When they closed out with ‘On A Good Day’, we held hands and danced until we couldn’t anymore – a moment we’ll never forget.
– Sayra Moran, 24 – Salt Lake City, Utah
15. Well, as it turns out, my girlfriend and I met through an event page to go see Above & Beyond at the Guvernment in Toronto. We joked around on Facebook, stayed up late talking to each other online and on the phone, and when we finally met it was like a fairy tale. The night we finally met, we fell in love. I asked her to be my girlfriend, and I even told her that I loved her by the end of the night. Now one year later, and my life has been changed forever. I met the girl that I was born to be with on that day, and I can’t help but think that if Above & Beyond weren’t a part of it, we may have never met. I love her with all my heart and not a minute goes by that I’m not thinking about her. Thank you A&B, and I love you Karalee!
– Brad Mehlenbacher, 24 – Toronto, ON
16. I have been listening to Above & Beyond for about five years now. The first live performance I went to was TATW 350 in Los Angeles at the Palladium. A&B hold a very special place in my heart, their music is so personal, and emotional, it is almost always hard to keep the tears away… tears of joy and happiness, and tears of sadness and real heart felt emotions that I am going through in everyday life. They have changed my life, and introduced me to so many friendships and life experiences that I will keep with me forever.
– Elizabeth Kazandjieff, 24 – Los Angeles, CA
17. When I first started listening to A&B i was very new to the EDM scene; the almost kind of culture it carries with it. My life was missing the light that is true happiness. A&B was one artist who helped me see clearly with their lyrics and beats, that life is purely about being happy. Surrounding yourself with people who increase your abilities and raise you up to your potential. Mostly I would say A&B helped me to go after my goals, because without goals and the feeling that you can truly attain happiness whenever you yourself want it, what do we have? I love their deeply inspiring and positive not only lyrics but ideals they have as people.
– Brittany Satak, 18 – St. Paul, MN
18. The first time I saw A&B was at the Midland in downtown KCMO. A building filled with beautiful architecture – probably the best venue in KC. Anyway, they were on the bill with Crizzly, Wolfgang Gartner & some local DJs. It was a weird lineup especially cause no trance really had been to KC. It’s so tough for me to describe that night. It was magical, incredible & an euphoric overload. They played such a great set! Hearing thousands of pe0ple singing ‘Sun & Moon’ brought chills to my body. After the show I was up against the rail so I got to shake Jono & Paavo’s hands…that was just icing on top of the cake of the best night of my life!
– Chris McCreight, 24 – Kansas City
19. On Thursday, September 19th 2009 Above & Beyond visited Guatemala for the third time.
It was my first concert and the first time I saw them, and I’m sure is not gonna be the last one. I told my boss that I was not going to work that day, and the venue was 2 blocks away from the office. I went with one of my closest friends and we got there around 10pm, just 5 minutes before Tony and Jono took the stage. The set was 4 hours long, they signed a Guatemalan flag, threw the Redbulls they got from the promoter and even played 2 extra songs in their set because we asked them to. They were tired, so were we. But the energy was powerful in each song they played.
Each song made all of us feel goosebumps. We sang with them and we shared the joy of the electronic music. I still smile when I remember that day, it was worth it! Above & Beyond as a band, has a connection with their fans. Something no other DJ has. They connected with us, as they did in 2007, 2008 and 2010.
After December 2010 they haven’t visited us. I would love to see them again!
(If you have a chance, tell A&B to play in Guatemala soon. I would really appreciate it) 😀
– Miguel Rivera, 22 – Guatemala
20. Like every other kid getting introduced to Above & Beyond, ‘Sun & Moon’ was the first A&B track I heard, and fell in love with it instantly. The vocals and that beat mesmerized me each time I heard the track. Soon I wanted to hear more Above & Beyond music, I wanted to know more about this trio. I started with their Group Therapy album, and I was touched. The music touched my soul, it filled my heart with emotions, the lyrics and tunes brought tears to my eyes. I wanted more of their music, so I started listening to their sets, and I was introduced to Oceanlab. Probably one of the best day was when I spent the entire evening listening to the album Sirens of the Sea. I related to this music emotionally. This was soulful music. Music that helped me go through good and bad times. Music that makes me smile no matter what mood I am in.
Since their Essential Mix in 2011 & after hearing so many of their sets it had become a dream to watch the amazing trio live. And I didn’t have to wait too long. India was selected to host TATW450 – it took awhile to digest but finally it was a dream come true. I knew I had to attend it at any cost (Trust me I would do anything to relive those MAGICAL 6 hours)
Everything about the evening was absolutely perfect.
The location!! A beautiful classic heritage hotel, Jayamahal Palace was perfect to mark the end of a decade and a beginning of a new era.
The crowd!! They had come to dance and enjoy themselves which probably added to the beauty of the perfectly managed event. It was a proud moment to see people from all over the world travel to Bangalore:)
The lighting!! The production!! The best I had seen. I was taken over by those amazing lights and colours.
That Massive LED just blew me away. Visuals have always been the highlight of Above and Beyond’s Live performance and that LED was absolutely perfect. I clearly remember that White Dove visual when Alchemy was played. WOW!!!
The production was an Artistic Masterpiece.
The line up!! Could not get better.
Andrew Bayer, doing what he does best!! Favorite moment – Everyone jumping to their feet when he dropped his new track ‘Detuned’ Im sure that tune left a lot of people awestruck.
Norin and Rad, so much power in their music and performance. Loved their set.
Mat Zo, got us all pumped up before Above and Beyond took center stage. Favorite moment – When he dropped ‘Easy’ and everyone had their hands in the air.
And finally the moment I was waiting for, It was time for ABOVE & BEYOND. It was such a dreamy feeling to see Tony, Jono and Paavo right before me and be present for one of their most important live performances. What a perfect kick-start to AGBT. All I can say about their set is that it was memorable. Those guys are magicians. They know how to make the crowd go absolutely nuts and at the same time make us tear. They sure did play with our feeling when they dint drop the beat to ‘Sun & Moon’ for 5 seconds or so. Favorite moment – When they ended the night with the acoustic version of ‘On A Good Day’.
ABGT001 – An experience of a lifetime.
– Mohit Devnani, 22 – Mumbai, India