Size in the Park: Steve Angello and family bring storms to NYC

Climbing the ranks of international superstardom for over 18 years and showcasing his seasoned talents all over the planet, it is now becoming clear that Steve Angello has been destined from birth to conquer the capital of the world – New York City. First it was Madison Square Garden alongside SHM brethren Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso, then it was Giants Stadium at New York’s inaugural Electric Daisy Carnival, and this time, the bearded Swede brought his Size Matters crew right to the heart of New York City: Central Park.

September 22nd, 2012 started off like a normal autumn afternoon in the big apple. Dog walkers, cyclists, and tourists were going about business as usual in Central Park – that was, until Pacha began to paint the streets red. With lines filing as early as 4pm and New York’s dance scene flooding the park, you could hear voices coming from the passing horse-and-carriages – “What is ‘Size in the Park’?” The early rumblings were loud, but by the time things got underway at 5PM, no one would expect the storms that would unfold.

The event’s opening act brought a special and refreshing feeling. As it was their first time in America, Jonnie and Harry of Third Party couldn’t be more excited to put on a spectacle for New York City. They immediately jumped into party-starters like “Breakn’ A Sweat,” “Rock The House,” and “Around The World” before dropping their own classic “Duel,” and latest remix, “Somebody To Love.”

Third Party – Duel (Original Mix)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Keeping energy high and dance grooves strong, the duo dropped heavy, unidentified tracks that woke up anyone who was still sitting on the bleachers. With only 50 minutes on the clock, Third Party retreated to their own productions, consecutively playing “Feel,” “Otherside,” “Lights,” their remix of “What Can We Do,” and ending, appropriately, with “Thank You.”

Next up would be Size Record’s honorary guests and New York’s resident favorites — none other than Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano.  Very familiar with their New York crowd, Sunnery and Ryan delivered the darkest hour of the daylight, and of course, kicked things off with “Let Me See You Work.” Monkey sounds and deep bass came as expected with “Azumba,” “Lethal Industry” raised hairs, and a big room bootleg of “Spaceman” worked wonders. Drifting between festival and tribal sounds, the duo mixed their own “Tribeca” with the “Rolling In The Deep” vocal before dropping “Allein.” Steve couldn’t have made a better selection when he chose Sunnery and Ryan to crash his party.

Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano – Tribeca (Original Mix)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

By the time the sun went down, the at-capacity crowd couldn’t wait for Steve to take the decks, but got their dose of AN21 and Max Vangeli ahead of the headlining set. The 50 minute outing was not much more than  a showcase of their latest album, People of the Night, which only made the crowd more anxious for AN21′s big brother to show his face. The duo dropped POTN selections like “Vafan,” “Nightfall,” and “Brunette,” which didn’t go particularly well with the regulation sound system. However, their ‘POTN Booty’ “Music Is Rising” sped up the pace of the dragging set, and they ended on a high note with the uplifting “Glow.”

AN21 & Max Vangeli – Glow (Original Mix)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

It was about time for the head honcho to take stage at 8:30 pm, and with little over an hour on the clock, Steve gave a crash course of Swedish staples. Expecting the kickdrum of “Greyhound” to be the first sound, all in attendance were pleased to hear “Knas” open the set. Less than 10 minutes in, Steve let loose a brand new track, presumably a future release from one of his own. Somehow, Angello can play “Calling” and make it seem like it never gets old, as he did before proclaiming, “New York, there’s something special about you guys that every time I’m here I feel like it’s home.” Heavy rain began to hit the heads of the crowd, but this only upped the ante, as if Steve had summoned the storm himself.

Steve Angello – Knas (Original Mix)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Next came his upcoming single “Yeah,” which has been in the works for over 2 years but proved to work best in 2012.  Steve continued to play the usual bootlegs, some from Until Now and others from his Swedish brethren, but did so with such energy that made it feel like the first time.  In the pouring rain, the relentless fans jumped and danced to Steve’s signature antics and their energy fed the DJ as much as the DJ fed them. Even as “Save The World” played through the downpour, the party was growing more reckless. As we had all been waiting for, Steve closed the night with “Don’t You Worry Child,” but not before debuting a new, unidentified remix.

Swedish House Mafia – Don’t You Worry Child (Extended Mix)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Due to the New York Police Department and Central Park’s regulations, sound was low and lights were dim, but Size Matters delivered an unmatched experience with full force. A day that began like any other quiet, sunny New York afternoon, closed out with explosive energy and a storm brewed by not mother nature, but Steve Angello himself. Much like the 2011 Governors Island affair, Size Matters gave New York a party to remember, and Angello’s squad proved stronger than ever. When Steve walked off the stage, he brushed off his SHM persona and put on his Mescal Kid hat for the afterparty at Pacha — where the immortal veteran has claimed another piece of New York City.

But more on that soon.