It wasn’t until 7pm that I received confirmation to cover the Diplo Halloween show here in St. Louis. It caught me a little off guard since I requested the show months prior and almost forgot about it. Ok, ok I honestly thought it was the following night. Nonetheless, I didn’t hesitate to grab my camera, hop in my car and head towards St. Louis. As soon as I hit the parking lot, I’m surrounded by fans in Halloween costumes and raver gear and I instantly got goosebumps because I knew it was going to be a wild night.

I arrived just as local heroes Atomix and the Vokalist are starting their set. The duo played a stateful blend of bass and house music to properly warm up the crowed. The two have been opening for large acts for years and they’re high energy sets never disappoints.

Diplo finally arrives and the crowd erupts in excitement and cellphone lights illuminate the dark nightclub. Even though it was a Halloween show, Diplo did not wear a custom. It was a little bit of disappointment considering he’s been dressing up as a cowboy lately as seen on his Instagram page. Nonetheless, Diplo. Threw. Down! There’s a reason he’s one of the most successful producers and DJ’s in the world, his sets are always something different and unique. His transitions from house, to tribal, to hip-hop, are always flawless and flow perfectly. Personally, I was especially excited at his mashups featuring several Kanye West songs.

Toward the end of the night, he pulls a fan behind the booth to showcase his very well-done Diplo costume. It was a white suite, white boots, and a white cowboy hat. The suit jacket was customized with the words “Diplo” written across the back along with a drawing of an astronaut and neon colors. Diplo took a couple photos with him and proceeded to play one last song – GLORIA.

‘Nuff said. Diplo never disappoints.


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Ismael Valenzuela

St. Louis based photographer and writer.