Electronic
Live Review: Tiësto lights up Silverworks Island after a mass Wonderwall sing‑along welcomes him to the stage
Tiësto brought euphoric rave energy to his first London headline show for eight years.
A scorching summer afternoon in Docklands set the scene for Belgian DJ and producer Tiësto’s long-awaited return to the capital on July 12.
Directly below the flight path into London City Airport and with a stunning skyline looming in the distance, the generation-spanning audience packed the rugged gravel landscape of Silverworks Island.
With planes roaring overhead, the vast and industrial open air space felt like the lovechild of a warehouse rave and a forgotten Docklands car park.
A sea of phones filled the air as Tiësto’s logo illuminated the giant screens.
Shaky camera visuals, bursts of confetti and towering production announced his arrival before he launched straight into new single Don’t Lose Your Head.
"What's up London, my name's Tiësto, are you ready to party?" he shouted to an ecstatic response.
From there, the Dutch superstar delivered a masterclass in superstar DJing, as old-school trance devotees rubbed shoulders with younger ravers.
Sci-fi-inspired visuals dominated as he dropped a trance rework of Anyma's Voices In My Head, while a driving, non-vocal version of Guru Josh’s 1990 classic Infinity showcased his ability to balance nostalgia with modern festival energy.
Sunday evenings do not get much better than a cooling breeze rolling in while one of electronic music's most successful artists controls the atmosphere from behind the decks.
Giant flags waved above the audience, black-and-white crowd shots added a nostalgic edge and, during the biggest builds, the screens erupted into flames or plunged revellers into journeys through deep space.
For longtime fans, one of the defining moments arrived with Tiësto’s remix of Southern Sun, transporting the audience back to the golden era of trance and delighting old-school ravers scattered throughout the enormous crowd.
As darkness descended, flashing strobes accompanied Faithless’ immortal Insomnia, prompting a collective eruption from the audience.
Engaging visuals, flawless pacing and a set packed with both contemporary hits and trance-era favourites reminded everyone exactly why Tiësto remains one of dance music’s defining figures.
After making time for both his iconic 2004 smash Adagio For Strings and 2024 Dido edit Thank You (Not So Bad), one thing was clear: at 57-years-old, Tiësto remains firmly among dance music’s elite. Those heading to Creamfields next month are in for a real treat.
Earlier in the day, a harder-edged second stage provided a techno-leaning soundtrack as Evian Christ and Tommy Holohan steadily ramped up the intensity.
Mixing X Club’s Stay With Me into Robert Miles’ timeless trance classic Children, in particular, sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Later, on the main stage, Pegassi’s high-energy performance perfectly matched the event’s atmosphere.
The fast-rising Antwerp-based DJ and producer’s blend of euphoric Eurodance, trance, rave, house and techno was infectious and suitably fast-paced.
His uplifting set drew a sizeable early crowd, keeping energy levels high long before Tiësto took to the stage.
Momentum continued to build throughout the afternoon, as Massano delivered peak-time power with pounding edits and his huge Anyma collaboration Angel In The Dark.
Then came one of the most unexpected moments of the day. As anticipation reached fever pitch ahead of the headline set, Oasis’ Wonderwall belted out.
Nobody saw it coming, but thousands of voices joining together for the timeless Britpop anthem provided a surprisingly effective way to welcome one of dance music’s biggest stars back to London.
Rating: 4/5
Words: Kath Sansom
