As one of the leading figures in today’s UK Garage scene, Sammy Virji has become an instantly recognizable name in electronic music. He frequently headlines and sells out shows around the world, and we caught one of his sets on a two-night run at Concord Music Hall in Chicago.
Both nights sold out months in advance and featured opening sets from Hans Glader (Los Angeles) and OD (Chicago) before a 90-minute set from Sammy Virji. The openers set the tone for the night, providing a steady stream of garage and bass music before the main event.
Hailing from London, Sammy Virji is in his own lane when it comes to the current music climate. Known for a unique style of trendy UK-influenced house and garage, he has caught the attention of legends like Chase & Status, Four Tet, and Ben UFO. “Summertime Blues”, his track with Chris Lake, is one of the year’s biggest hits. His other tracks like “If I Need It” and “Shella Verse” featuring Flowdan have also racked up tens of millions of plays.
Being mostly unfamiliar with Sammy Virji going into this night, we went to Concord Music Hall with an open mind and left considerably impressed. The energy was high thoughout the show. Both the mixing and song selection were on point, and the spectacle of a 360 set plus the venue’s production created a fun atmosphere.
Sammy Virji is an artist we would recommend catching if you ever have the opportunity to. With recent appearances at Desert Air and Seismic Dance Event, he will likely be a regular on the festival circuit in 2025.
The event drew both experienced ravers and the next generation of EDM fans. Given the uniqueness of his sound and the rarity of UK Garage in the popular music scene, Sammy has gained listeners from many demographics.
His recent track “Damager” is a collaboration with Interplanetary Criminal. A fast-paced song with energetic lyrics, this one encapsulates what you can expect when attending a Sammy Virji show.
Up next for Sammy Virji are two dates in California at Shrine Expo Hall in L.A. and the Cow Palace Warehouse in San Francisco. He will then travel back to Europe for a packed winter season, hitting cities like Barcelona, Paris, Dublin, Amsterdam, Prague, Copenhagen, and Berlin. This is an artist that transcends typical genres and appeals to a wide variety of different music tastes. Sammy Virji has an exciting future ahead of him and we’re excited to see what he achieves next.
Article: @michael__premier
Photos: @mel_brunelle
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