Photos by: Alan Barraza

Story by: Charlotte Roxanne Horton

Tears filled the sold-out crowd's eyes as the time on their phones gleamed 11:59 P.M. The thirty seconds it took for Paavo Siljamäki and Jono Grant to come back on stage for their encore wasn’t enough to kill the momentum of feels. It was if they had planned exactly that for the thousands of individuals undergoing the same sense of “group therapy,” no matter if they were on the makeshift dance floor in the stands or amongst the packed and comforting crowd downstairs.

“On a Good Day” followed by silence and a pleading crowd led into the final moments of a show only Above & Beyond could pull off. They began their encore with “A Thing Called Love” and finished their massive set off with “Small Moments.” In these final moments, their famous visuals behind the DJ booth pictured a collage of past shows. The crowd went eerily silent as they grasped onto each other and swayed in a loving movement; words only heard when someone recognized a friend on the giant screens in front of them.

In all though, the magnificent journey of Above and Beyond at the Forum began a North American tour in the most flawless fashion ever. After the show our boys posted on Facebook, “Los Angeles, you are all we need. Up next, a bus and the roads of North America. But what a way to start...” It is no doubt that the wretched hearts of the Los Angeles Trance Family were left feeling the same way. Two and a half hours were not nearly enough; and no, that was Not all we need.

Highlights of the event included a wall of posters positioned at the front of the crowd, the words typed behind the beloved DJs, and of course, the moment a fan was able to go up on stage and Push the Button. Many were convinced the moment would be savored during Sun & Moon, but the duo (missing Tony McGuiness) surprised the crowd and saved the treat for “Blue Sky Action.” The decision wasn’t a complete surprise considering the track is a part of their new album “We Are All We Need,” which is indeed the reason why the boys are on tour anyways. Fortunately, Sun & Moon - a favorite across the board for A&B fans – was just as joyous as Paavo and Jono turned down the sound and let the crowd sing at the top of their lungs those famous lyrics. “It’s raining, it’s pouring…” Chills spiked up everyone’s spines, kisses were shared, and hands were thrown up as they held the person next to them.

Without a doubt, the evening will be a favorite of 2015 in its entirety – assuming Above and Beyond wait another year for their return to southern California. The set included selections from Oceanlab, Group Therapy, and of course the tour titled album, We Are All We Need. The therapy heightened at every interval and left fans in a state worthy of unconditional love and healing. We will never be the same; good luck on the rest of the tour boys – and we hope some of you get the chance to join the family very soon. With 22 dates total, the tour will end on March 20 in Missoula, MT.