As the sun set over the San Diego Bay, Seven Lions delivered a finale for the Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars tour that felt like a cinematic story that unfolded under the night sky.
The final stop of Seven Lions’ Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars tour felt like more than a typical concert. With San Diego’s glittering skyline on one side and the bay stretching out on the other, Waterfront Park was the perfect setting for a finale that felt as cinematic as the music itself. The lineup was curated to showcase the many sides of melodic bass, with each performer gradually building momentum until Jeff Montalvo, also known as Seven Lions, took the stage.
Despite the heat and humidity that lingered throughout the afternoon, fans slowly filtered into the venue and hid under shaded areas before making their way to the main stage as the evening cooled down. By the end of the night, the crowd had become a sea of headbanging, singing, and dancing to the well-loved melodies and emotional vocals from his special guests.
Beyond the stunning San Diego scenery, Waterfront Park proved to be the ideal venue for this single-stage event. There was plenty of space to dance, walk, and cool down, plus tons of bathrooms, shaded spots, and a variety of food and drink options.
Hidden Axis opened the show while attendees were still trickling in, but those who made it in early were bopping to the music she was playing.
The fans who were riding the rail danced away as she shouted them out and kept the crowd pumped up. I wasn’t familiar with Hidden Axis‘ style of music, but after her performance, I left as a fan. The energy she brought to the stage was infectious, and her sound was a strong introduction to the day, setting the tone for the melodic sounds that followed.
The show openers were carefully curated to follow the cinematic story of Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars.
Last Heroes instantly elevated the mood with an uplifting melodic track that had the crowd moving before the first drop ever landed. By this time, the crowd had already doubled in size, as attendees started making their way to the stage like a siren was calling them in. The duo paired some sweeping visuals with a cinematic soundscape that created a captivating atmosphere, drawing in anyone within earshot.
By sunset, Trivecta and Kill the Noise took the stage for the day’s most dynamic performances. As the evening cooled, those who had been taking refuge under the shade emerged to the beat of the heavier bass this b2b delivered. They blended more melodic moments with heavier bass drops, amping up the crowd, making this set feel like a turning point for the night.
One of the most memorable moments was the Kill the Noise tribute track and video for “Meowski,” his beloved cat. The accompanying visuals of his cat got loud “awws” from the audience, followed by an insane bass drop that made the crowd erupt into cheers. The momentum from their set continued seamlessly as a b2b and transitioned the crowd perfectly for Said The Sky.
Said the Sky delivered a performance for our past and future selves.
With the crowd still riding the high of the sunset set, Said the Sky came in and delivered a euphoric performance with some recognizable edits and throwbacks that kept the crowd engaged in a constant sing-along. His balance of emotional originals and recognizable melodies came from throwback songs by Skrillex and Empire of the Sun. This time around, his well-known “sad boy” style felt less heartbroken and more reminiscent of the good old days, evoking memories of an earlier era of house music.
Said the Sky fed off the excitement that swept the crowd when they collectively recognized a familiar riff or vocal line. It was no wonder why most of the people I spoke to were so excited for his set. From beginning to end, he expertly guided the crowd’s rhythm, knowing when to lean into the emotion and surprise them with a drop. Ultimately preparing the audience for his final song with Seven Lions as he handed off the decks.
Kerli came out on stage looking as ethereal as her vocals.
When Seven Lions finally took the stage, the production embraced the cinematic nature of Asleep in the Garden of Infernal Stars. The combination of fantasy-inspired visuals and emotionally driven music transported the crowd into a story that unfolded in real time. He took us on a journey through his career, revisiting recognizable melodies before steadily building towards some massive drops and heavier bass moments. Rather than relying on one style, he wove his music seamlessly between genres.
Special guest appearances elevated the entire experience by bringing out two artists from his past and present collaborations. Kerli emerged on stage in an all-white ensemble, her ethereal vocals echoing throughout the venue as she performed their latest collaboration, “By the Light of the Moon”. The crowd fell silent as she serenaded us, leaving us captivated and in a trance as Seven Lions gradually layered in the instrumentals until it reached a dramatic crescendo, then stunned us with an incredible drop.
Dylan Matthew shut down the night with a performance no one could resist singing along to.
Dylan Matthew also joined the stage later on to perform “First Time” together live for the first time, giving fans one of the most emotional moments of the night. The crowd sang along almost louder than Matthew’s himself, turning this moment into a collective experience. As people wrapped their arms around each other and sang in unison, the live rendition brought the entire venue together. This song became more than a finale; it brought the audience full circle, ending with a celebration of the connection music creates.
From the openers to his main performance, Seven Lions’ Asleep in the Garden of Eternal Stars felt like a carefully created journey.
Throughout his performance, Seven Lions built a cinematic experience that took fans on a journey through contrasting sounds: melodic and heavy, intimate and explosive, nostalgic and anticipatory. It reminded everyone why he continues to occupy a unique space in electronic music, delivering not just a concert, but an experience from beginning to end.
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