Our favourite accountant kicked off his first-ever arena tour, titled Ctrl Escape, in none other than the best city in the world: Montreal!
This album and tour are inspired by his former career as a CPA and his journey to break free from the corporate 9-to-5 monotony. His entrance and overall stage design were a nod to the business world. Suspended above the stage was a massive, office-inspired building. Inside, John Summit was plugging away at his computer when his phone rang. He answered and heard his friend on the other end asking when he’d be done work. He responded with, “Hopefully soon.” He then typed on his computer, “Are you ready? Press Ctrl + Escape to continue.” After pressing the keys on his keyboard, the stage went dark.
John took to the stage in a full suit and tie, welcoming Montreal and launching into a mesmerizing show packed with explosive energy, lights replicating an office cubicle, flames, and fireworks set the stage for his great escape from corporate life and the realization of his dream of becoming one of the most talked-about names in the EDM world.
He brought fellow opener Alok onstage for their new hit, Weekend Warriors, marking Alok’s debut release on John Summit’s Experts Only imprint.
As John continued to lead us through his escape, slowly stripping away his corporate attire, I was absolutely overjoyed to hear hints of dubstep, house, drum and bass, trap, and rock.
My soul left my body and is still levitating.
He had us so hypnotized that he managed to sneak away from the stage and surprise us with a second, yes, you heard me, a SECOND, DJ setup right in the middle of the crowd! As the spotlight shifted to John DJing from the reds, the crowd began to notice, and suddenly, all eyes were on him, right there beside them! He kept us partying for a couple of songs before making his way back to the main stage, walking straight through the crowd and giving high-fives to fans along the way.
As he returned to the main stage, he began playing What a Life. By this point, he had stripped down to a sleeveless shirt and jeans, symbolizing his freedom from the 9-to-5 lifestyle.
Next came a full-on mic-drop moment with his hit Shiver, literally leaving me with shivers all over again just thinking about experiencing that moment in the flesh. I’m sure the crowd would 1,000% agree!
He truly managed to pull us all away from the hectic worries and anxieties of our everyday lives in the corporate “Ctrl” world and help us “Escape”, even if just for one night.
John continued the show with some of his classics, including Where You Are, I Wanna Go, and Go Back, before closing out his first-ever arena tour with Don’t Believe It (GRiZ Remix).
I left the show feeling as though a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, and slightly deaf, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
This man has a bright future ahead of him and proves that if you truly stick to what you love doing, you can turn it into your dream life. He has another 19 shows ahead of him, and I just know he’ll bring the same incredible experience and energy to every single one of them.
Word of advice: BUY THE TICKET.
Review by Brittany Salmaso
Photos by Rihuà
