Jason Ross’ ATLAS takeover at Terminal 5 was nothing short of a magical evening in The Big Apple.
Jason Ross has more than earned his place in the scene. From captivating trance releases earlier in his career to a step into the heavier future bass and melodic bass realm that still tugs on heartstrings, his fan base has stuck with him through his every move. Beloved albums like Rooms, 1000 Faces, and his most recent, Atlas, showcase this dance music maestro’s diversity in production.
Fans will remember when Atlas started as a weekly live stream during quarantine. An ode to his dedicated international following, it has evolved into the name of his latest album, his very own radio show in partnership with Insomniac, and now, his ATLAS takeovers in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City.
Already planning a trip to visit a friend in Brooklyn, and both of us being huge fans of Jason Ross, my plans for ringing in 2024 were set once he announced this show on New Year’s Eve. As a SoCal native who seldom attends East Coast events, this was a step outside my comfort zone.
I nonetheless looked forward to comparing the two scenes and experiencing something new. As the seconds to midnight counted down, my friend and I donned our best new year’s ‘fits and hopped on the A train to head into Manhattan.
Jason Ross’ trance set was a treat reminiscent of his early days.
We arrived just in time for Jason Ross’ first set of the night, and he lifted us all up into ethereal highs for a special trance performance. Tracks like “Over Now” by Seven Lions, Above & Beyond, and Opposite the Other and “Needed You” by ILLENIUM and Dia Frampton set an upbeat aura as the crowd slowly filled in. An exquisite mashup of Jason Ross’ own “Stop Blaming Love” with Micah Martin and “Atlas” with Wrechiski will also be forever engrained in my mind.
The man of the hour infused doses of techno throughout his first set, like a remix of Eli Brown’s “Fading To Black.” He surprisingly played a bit of melodic dubstep toward the end to set the tone for what was to come, even debuting a new release with Kill The Noise. Minimal lighting and visuals during most of this set allowed Jason Ross to let the music take over.
Fairlane took us all a notch heavier as we put on our best bass face.
I had never seen Fairlane before, and my friend let me know that I was in for a treat. As the venue got more crowded, we opted to get a better view from the second level as Fairlane’s dose of dubstep revived the special place in my heart reserved for bass music.
We quickly found a rail and let out our inner headbangers as the artist even introduced a live guitar to his set. One release that stood out to me was a melodic bass remix of deadmau5, Kaskade, and Hayla’s “Escape” that I haven’t heard anywhere else.
The countdown was on for midnight as Jason Ross took the stage again for his second performance.
We rejoined the crowd on the first level and made our way to the front. Excitement in the room peaked as we approached midnight. Jason Ross opened up his main set with a bang, as his, SLANDER, and JT Roach’s “Better Than Heaven” erupted into a heavy dubstep drop. All eyes were on him as the stage illuminated into its full form. Visuals of the crowd cheering were displayed on the screen as the countdown started.
Once the new year hit, a colorful arrangement of balloons fell down from the ceiling, with lasers piercing the air around us. Jason Ross’ remix of ARTY and Mat Zo‘s “Rebound” dropped perfectly at midnight. I couldn’t help but hug my friend and shed a tear as we wished each other Happy New Year; I was so happy to experience the magic of being in New York on New Year’s Eve! Jason and his team danced on stage as the early moments of 2024 started to settle in.
All artists brought their best to the ATLAS takeover to help celebrate the new year.
Jason Ross’ blend of genres throughout his two sets covered many bases, from trance to techno to melodic bass, future bass, and more. I appreciated the variety as he highlighted what ATLAS means to him. To cap off the event, my friend and I made our way back upstairs for a bird’s-eye view of Andrew Bayer, who also played an array of genres from techno to progressive and even bass house. I gave one final hurrah to Bayer, Gabriel & Dresden, and Sub Teal‘s “Other Eye” before making the trek back to Brooklyn for some much-needed rest.
The ATLAS takeover in New York City was successful with a full venue of fans helping ring in the new year. The brand-new visuals and music aligned to enhance the evening, along with unique red and black ATLAS merch available to memorialize the show. While a social media post had mentioned there would be “fan activations,” however, I did not notice anything along those lines at this event.
Among the attendees to whom I spoke, everyone brought the same energy and respectful vibes as our scene back home. We were all there for the same reason: our love of dance music and Jason Ross, as well as ushering in 2024 together. With one more stop in Los Angeles on January 12, the West Coast is surely in for a thrilling evening.
