LSR/CITY: Gareth Emery’s Dystopian Dancefloor Masterpiece

By Ryan Hayes

Last Saturday night, Gareth Emery welcomed 7,000 attendees into his technicolor opus. Like Willy Wonka opening the gates to his dreamworld for golden ticket holders, the Pacific Coliseum transformed into a futuristic dance music opera: LSR/CITY CYBERPUNK. Meticulously designed, the show was a visually stunning, immersive spectacle—every laser painstakingly timed to perfection with the beat.

The mesmerizing experience unfolded against the backdrop of a dystopian future, tugging at the heartstrings of music lovers. The narrative was all too believable: a modern society where human connection has been entirely lost to technology, and artificial intelligence has ensnared humanity’s attention, eradicating all creativity.

The greatest challenge of the concept lay in its delicate balancing act—urging attendees to reflect on their own technological dependencies and the future of humanity, all while a pulsing BPM and hypnotic lasers threatened to render the message hollow. It could have easily felt disjointed or superficial. Yet, the show’s campy undertones struck a surprising chord, and its sentimentality wove a cohesive narrative that transcended the typical dance music experience.

LSR/CITY’s hybrid nature seamlessly blended live elements, deepening audience immersion. A standout of the night was vocalist Annabel, who first collaborated with Gareth Emery in 2020 on his trance anthem You’ll Be OK. Since then, she has become the unmistakable voice of LSR/CITY. In a music world saturated with rotating features, relying on a single vocalist was a bold choice—but it paid off, infusing the performance with authenticity and elevating the live experience.

Annabel’s contributions allowed for tender moments throughout the show, offering a reprieve from the high-energy BPM-driven tracks. Black & White and Without You were both standouts. The crowd eagerly embraced every opportunity to sing along, but one of the night’s most resonant moments was the live performance of LSR/CITY’s debut release—a trance reimagining of Madonna’s iconic dance-floor dominator Like A Prayer.

While the cinematic grandeur of the lasers was unparalleled, the spectacle occasionally led to shifts in audience energy. In moments of sheer awe—when particularly stunning visuals elicited audible gasps—many attendees instinctively reached for their phones to capture the experience. This desire to share the moment with friends and followers, though understandable, seemed at odds with the event’s thematic emphasis on genuine human connection over technology’s increasing stranglehold on society. The duality of modern life was on full display in these moments.

There is nothing quite like LSR/CITY, making it nearly impossible to capture the magnitude of Gareth’s accomplishment without a visual. Through a masterful fusion of technology and storytelling, he has created an experience that leaves an indelible impression.

Vancouver has long been a cherished destination for Gareth Emery, with Blueprint Events consistently supporting his work. As one of only two Canadian stops on the tour, fans are grateful for this enduring partnership. Whether you’re a longtime Gareth Emery devotee or new to dance music, experiencing LSR/CITY is a must. The performance will leave you speechless, grinning from ear to ear.

With only nine stops left on the tour before Gareth takes an LSR/CITY hiatus, this is an experience you don’t want to miss.

Written by EDM Canada