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Photograph: Courtesy CC/Flickr/Shawn Tron

An oral history of Avicii’s impact on NYC following his death

Written by
Allison DiBarba
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Friday was a very sad day for the electronic music community—and the music community at large. During the afternoon, news broke that beloved Swedish DJ Tim Bergling, better know by his stage name Avicii, had passed away. At only 28, his unexpected death came as a devastating blow to his family, friends and fans around the world. Despite exiting the spotlight in recent years (health issues led him to retire from touring in 2016), his impact on other musicians and DJs never wavered. His groundbreaking single “Levels” helped dance music go from a niche genre to a force heard across the world.

As with any mega-successful DJ, Avicii made quite a few appearances in New York City throughout his time touring. We spoke to members of his local fan base about some of his most legendary performances, what they meant to them and the impact the artist left on the city.

Electric Zoo: September 5, 2010

“I didn’t grow up listening to dance music, hip-hop reigned supreme in the '90s in New York. College was more of the same. In 2010, one of my coworkers sent me some dance music songs, and I thought they weren’t too bad—I began exploring on my own. The first full set I ever listened to was Avicii’s June 2010 at Sensation in St. Petersburg, Russia, which was probably one of his first big shows, and I was hooked. That led to my first dance music festival experience at Electric Zoo in 2010. It was early in the afternoon at a time and a side stage he would never play again. I’m sure I would’ve found dance music one way or another, but I’ll never forget how much fun I had with a few people at 2pm at a half-empty stage.” - Justine Murphy


Pacha: April 23, 2011

“One of the first times I ever even went to an electronic music show in New York was Avicii at Pacha in 2011. I attended with all of my best friends. His music was pivotal for every one of us. So many of his songs from those early years shaped our overall taste in music, and I’ll never forget the first time I heard Seek Bromance on that Pacha sound system.” - Kaitie Rehmann 


Governors Island: July 17, 2011

“The date was July 17, 2011. Avicii played on Governors Island. It was the event that sparked dance music culture in New York for me. Avicii played for more than two hours that night—it was a defining moment for NYC dance culture in the 2010s.” —Dylan Farella

“The Governors Island show in 2011 was the best Avicii set of all time. Regardless if you are hating, you can’t deny the influence he had on New York’s music scene, its community and numerous young DJs right before they blew up. His music was always different; it was sing alongs and feel good. We, his fans, truly wouldn’t be the people we are today without him.” —Todd Maryott


Pier 94: New Year’s, 2012

“New Year’s Eve 2012 with Avicii at Pier 94 was really a turning point for me. I was obsessed with ‘Levels’ at the time and thought it would be amazing to hear it live when the ball dropped. I remember buying what at the time was an extremely overpriced ticket on StubHub (in the ballpark of $150), and spending weeks planning my perfect outfit. This show was so much more than just another New Year’s party to me—it was the night that I learned EDM goes far beyond just the music. It’s a real community; a family. I lost myself in that warehouse that night, but I found myself, too.” —Allison DiBarba

“Electronic music has given me lifelong friendships and some of the most incredible and memorable experiences of my life. And Avicii is the reason why I am where I am today, and why a lot of those friends are, too.” —Andrew Spada


Electric Daisy Carnival: June 8, 2012

“Being able to watch Avicii from the crowd at the time ‘Levels’ started to really make its rotations and take off was an unbelievable and surreal experience. You could truly feel that there was a special type of energy there as people sang along to the record. It’s truly become a perfect example (if not the first) of electronic music becoming Top 40, while still maintaining a sense of integrity and sounding so genuine.” —Nick Sung


True album release parties: September 17, 2013

“The week Avicii’s debut album came out, I went to the listening party at The Standard Hotel, and then the release party at LAVO. Both events are unforgettable. NYC has always had this special relationship with Avicii, so something about celebrating this milestone just had an intimate feeling.”  —DF

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