Arenas & Sheds Concerts

Avicii @ DC Armory

WASHINGTON, DC - February 1st,  2013 - Swedish DJ Avicii performs at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. In 2012 Avicii was ranked No. 3 on the Top 100 DJs list by DJ Magazine. His single "Levels" was nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post) (Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post)

Every January the D.C. Armory gets a big Electronic Dance Music (EDM) gig that all the high school kids turn out en masse for. This year Avicii headlined the festivities and he brought out a massive crowd.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 1st,  2013 - Swedish DJ Avicii performs at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. In 2012 Avicii was ranked No. 3 on the Top 100 DJs list by DJ Magazine. His single "Levels" was nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post) (Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post)

I always feel a bit weird at these types of shows. The girls are basically dressed in bra and panties and they beg for their picture to be taken. I generally refuse because I don’t want to appear as if I am the creepy old guy with the camera. As I said on Twitter the night of this gig, whenever I cover a big EDM gig, I try and dress like a narc as much as possible. All it takes is khakis and a half-zip sweater and everyone will leave you alone for the entire night.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 1st,  2013 - Swedish DJ Avicii performs at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. In 2012 Avicii was ranked No. 3 on the Top 100 DJs list by DJ Magazine. His single "Levels" was nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post) (Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post)

As for the gig, it was the usual. Pit access but no stage access. The stage set up was so tall that pit access was basically a waste, so after spending 30 minutes trying to find a good angle on Avicii from up close, I retreated to the stands to shoot some wide shots.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 1st,  2013 - Swedish DJ Avicii performs at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. In 2012 Avicii was ranked No. 3 on the Top 100 DJs list by DJ Magazine. His single "Levels" was nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post) (Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post)

I really like getting up close crowd shots during these gigs, to show how people lose themselves in the music, but most of the time people start mugging for the camera and ruin the shot. For this shot I saw the kid in the blue shirt losing his shit and I sat on the spot until everyone else followed suit.

WASHINGTON, DC - February 1st,  2013 - The crowd reacts as Swedish DJ Avicii performs at the D.C. Armory in Washington, D.C. In 2012 Avicii was ranked No. 3 on the Top 100 DJs list by DJ Magazine. His single "Levels" was nominated for a 2013 Grammy Award. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post) (Kyle Gustafson/For The Washington Post)

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Avicii @ D.C. Armory – Images by Kyle Gustafson

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