William Black brings the energy to Philly’s EDM scene
“There’s a reason I love coming back here” – William Black
By Jayson Flamer
The Ave in Philadelphia, PA has become one of the city’s hottest spots for EDM lovers and performers in the area. Hundreds of ravers gather here nightly to experience their favorite artists take the stage, and provide quality entertainment. Fans gathered in line on August 4th to wait out front while William Black and several talented openers prepared their sets. As doors opened and people walked through, the energy could already be felt.
From bottle service to art & merch booths, there’s a lot aesthetically to enjoy about the Ave. However, nothing can be appreciated more than who they bring to perform and fans were about to be treated well.
Beginning the night of fun was dj/producer RYN. RYN (Ryan Lawlor) is an underground EDM prodigy from Philadelphia, PA. Not yet on streaming services, RYN has made his mark on soundcloud with tracks that both excite and invegerate those who love dance.
When he isn’t making music, RYN is out taking photos as a professional photographer around the city. Serving as the show’s first opener, RYN really set the tone for the evening bringing a truly energetic set to the fans in attendance!
After passing off the microphone, RYN traded off with the night’s next exciting opener; Swole Sauce! The New York native, known offstage by ‘Steven Zaslow’ has been growing a steady digital presence.
Since his debut on soundcloud in June of 2020. Known for his Hyper-Pop, Color Bass and melodic melodies, Swole brought the sauce to The Ave continuing to elevate the crowd as they prepared for William Black.
Skybreak continued to do this as well, taking over after Swole Sauce to perform as the final opener of the evening. Jumping all around on stage, Sky never gave the audience a dull moment to look back on. From his superb crowd engagement to his effortless display of musical ability, Sky truly had all of The Ave hooked and embracing the night to its fullest.
Highlighting his roots as a New Jersey native, Sky gave the audience a look into his life and provided insight and backstory behind certain songs. Sky break made an impact on the EDM scene since 2016, soon releasing his first EP in 2017 ‘My Word’. Bringing a uniquely jazzy and emotive approach to bass music, Sky break has earned the love he’s garnered over the years. He ended his set by taking a “Family Photo” with the audience in attendance, showing massive love to the city and The Ave for having him.
As Sky left the stage, the venue went black. The anticipation for the show’s headliner was at an all time high! Fans with banners now begin to appear in the front row with the crowd steadily creeping towards the front. With a slow build to his first bass drop, William Black arrived to show out for the city of Philadelphia.
Known for his progressive sound and melodies within the EDM genre, William Black is an Electric Dance producer/dj from Orange County, California. Taking on a love for music at a young age, a young Black enrolled in LA’s Icon Collective production school soon after highschool. First releasing music in 2017, Black quickly amassed a loyal following of fans which related to his themes of love and mental health.
Pages, Black’s first studio album was released two years later in 2019, followed by a sophomore album released in 2021 titled ‘Pieces’. During this time Black saw collaborations with the likes of Park Avenue, SKYLR, Nevve, & Sara Skinner. 2020 also saw Black secure one of his biggest hits with ‘Back to U’, a collaboration with the EDM duo SLANDER..
Over his 6 year Career, William Black has amassed quite the discography for his fans to enjoy; which is exactly what they got tonight! Making his return to The Ave,, Black turned up the crowd to the next level, giving the audience both a visual and audible spectacle to enjoy. Perfect crowd control, engagement, and musical talent were the recipe for success, and Black cooked beautifully. Performing many of his notable pieces such as ‘Worth it’ with NURKO, ‘Last Forever’ with Jordan Shaw, and ‘Back to U’ with SLANDER; Black kept his fans eating good as they danced the night away. The lasers, smoke machines, and massive overhead lighting were also notably impressive, complementing Black’s performance well. It was hard not to feel the energy in the room and the smiles across the audience’s faces. “I love this city,” Black saids to the crowd. “There’s a reason I love coming back here and performing for you all!”
As Black announced soon after that it would be his last song of the evening, the energy didn’t shift a beat. In fact, the audience made sure to let their artist know they weren’t ready for the fun to end there. After attempting to say goodbye to the city of Philadelphia, chants within the crowd started roaring “ONE MORE SONG, ONE MORE SONG” as fans pleaded to hear more from Black. So giving the fans what they want, Black returned on stage to perform one last time, an unreleased single coming soon.
The Ave is truly one of the most electric EDM venues in Philadelphia, and William Black understood his assignment quite well. Providing an evening of unforgettable entertainment along with his openers, William Black reminds audiences why he’s a presence to be felt in the industry for years to come.
Want a chance to see him in person? You can catch William Black on tour at any of the dates shown below:
Fri, August 18th – Observatory Santa Ana, CA
Thu. August 24th – Hakkasan Nightclub Las Vegas, NV
Fri, September 22nd – Life is Beautiful Festival 2023 Las Vegas, NV
Wed, October 11th – Red Rocks Amphitherere Morrison, CO
Thur, October 19th – HISTORY Toronto, Canada
Fri, October 20th – NOVA SD San Diego, CA
Fri, October 27th – National Orange Show Event Center San Bernardino, CA
Fri, December 1st – Armory Minneapolis, MN
See the Full Gallery of the Evening Here!
If you happened to capture any shots of the night, feel free to tag us on social media at Shutter 16 Magazine and throw in #Shutter16 and #TwitFromThePit for the world to see.
