DJ Tiesto is widely regarded as one of the world’s best DJs, putting on shows that entrance crowds of 20,000, and on Friday night, he performed at Hammerstein Ballroom. His set was solid, but at times too repetitive, however the overall experience was phenomenal, and I’d definitely recommend seeing him spin live.

As an added bonus at this show, we had Jes opening. She’s the vocalist on the 2003 techno hit “As the Rush Comes,” as well as a frequent Tiesto collaborator. It took a bit for the crowd to warm up to her live vocals, but they eventually got into it. Her voice sounded great live, and she played a bunch of notable songs. While I did love Tiesto’s DJ set, it was refreshing to hear some live vocals at a techno shows, and I’d be curious to see her and Tiesto actually perform together. She had a tough assignment, to draw in a crowd who wasn’t there to see it, but she pulled it off admirably and I’d definitely be interested in seeing her perform a solo show at a smaller club.

But, a show like this isn’t so much about the performer, it’s about becoming part of a crowd, a collective of people who all get drawn into the music. I do really enjoy techno music, but I’m not familiar with all of Tiesto’s work. Considering he played a five hour set, this meant the songs all began to blend together after a while. With a few exceptions, I wasn’t listening to individual songs, I was focused more on the rise and swell of the beat, holding during the lulls and jumping around when the bass hit.

Throughout, the crowd was really into it. I gradually moved up as the show went on, and the further up I went, the more the crowd was dancing. People were totally wrapped up in everything he was doing, frequently shouting “Ti-Es-To!” At the end of the show, he descended into the crowd and people mobbed the front barrier, just trying to touch the man. He always had a smile on his face, looking like it was a joy just to be there. That enthusiasm was infectious.

Backing up the music was an impressive array of lights and pyrotechnics. There was a six story high screen, and all kinds of strobes and spotlights around the audience. Most impressive were the pyrotechnics on the stage, which shot off jets of fire, smoke and even fireworks. There was also a cameo by the Blue Man Group which was fun, but very short. I would have liked to see them return.

The most powerful moment of the show, and one of the best concert moments I’ve ever experienced, was his “Adagio for Strings” remix. It’s a great track to begin with, but perfectly timed with the bass hit was a confetti drop. I’ve seen confetti drops before, but none filled the auditorium like this one did. The confetti hung in the air and I looked around as it descended around me. It was incredible to behold.

That said, I wished Tiesto had mixed in a few more popular or non-trance songs into his set. After five hours, everything blended together and even having a remix of something more known would have given us a new thrill. Now, I’m sure bigger Tiesto fans would disagree, but when you’ve got six hours, there should be room for a little variety.

But, I wasn’t there so much for the music as for the experience, and in that respect, Tiesto and Jes did not disappoint. It was a sold out house, all completely absorbed in the music, and I can’t wait for my next techno show: Daft Punk at Coney Island.