As a champion of the UKG movement, Sammy Virji put his skills as a selector on full display at his show in Philadelphia, showing just why he’s quickly climbing the scene’s ranks.
It seemed like there was a collective, audible groan when Sammy Virji announced that his Philadelphia tour stop would take place on a Wednesday night. Many of us 25+ ravers are beyond the days of chasing mid-week fun, with the looming fear of a 48-hour hangover and the loss of sleep from a night out affecting performance at our 9-5 jobs.
So when I saw a social media blast from Franklin Music Hall announcing that fewer than 100 tickets remained a few days out from the show, I was absolutely shocked. While Sammy Virji is clearly a massive name in today’s dance music scene, I hadn’t seen a packed-out electronic show at the venue since Zeds Dead came through Philly in 2021. Part two of Virji’s North American tour arrived in the City of Brotherly Love on November 5 for his sold-out debut.
Pulling up to the venue 15 minutes ahead of the 8pm start time, there was already a crowd on the scene. I was immediately gobsmacked by the age of the attendees rushing into the line outside the giant warehouse-turned-music-venue. With the show promoted as 18+, a different audience than usual emerged, donning pashminas, mini skirts, and typical fraternity fashion staples. While I arrived early, fully intending to catch all three acts of the night, I couldn’t help but wonder if the younger ravers knew the set times, as about a third of the lower floor was filled prior to any music starting — a true rarity.
From start to finish, Virji’s first Philadelphia show was filled with unrelenting energy.
Club Angel got the floor moving early with his opening performance. My first experience seeing, much less hearing, the Sydney-based producer was a pleasant one. Channeling the sounds of late 90s/early 2000s UK dance music, the DJ featured a variety of groovy tracks, such as “Doin’ it” by Silva Bumpa.
Serving as direct support for the evening, Sam Alfred was the perfect booking. His high-energy sound felt fresh while also being reminiscent of house music’s vibrant past. From a playful edit of Mary J Blige’s “Just Fine” to his own dancefloor weapon “Feel The Friction,” Alfred had the crowd jumping and “woo-wooing” as the room filled up for Virji’s highly anticipated performance.
Sammy Virji finally took the stage to a roaring sea of eager fans, opening his 90-minute set with “Cops & Robbers.”
The stage was simple yet impactful, with graphic light-up signs that mimicked the art for his hit single “If U Need It.” Colorful visuals with snippets of Virji live on stage danced across the large LED wall as the UKG icon controlled the room from behind his decks.
Unadulterated joy streamed from the crowd as he played through his catalog of dancefloor-destroying tracks. “Burn The River” and “Peach” kept the concertgoers side-shuffling in unison, whereas “925” and “Damager” had fans off their feet, jumping along to the beat of these anthemic tunes. Hopping on the mic at the end of his set, Virji thanked fans for highlighting the unexpected, explosive energy that transpired throughout his dominating performance.
As Franklin Music Hall taps further into EDM bookings, Philly’s future as a destination for dance music looks brighter than ever.
Philadelphia, with its proximity to New York City and the nation’s capital, is easily overlooked during tour routing. The larger cities swallow up the big acts on many runs, partly due to the few venues capable of hosting electronic headliners. Selling out a 2,500+ capacity room on a Wednesday evening is no easy feat, but Virji’s show proved there’s a real appetite for EDM in Philly. The question is, who is going to feed it?
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