From the first time I saw an Illenium set, that was it. I was hooked for good. It was at EDC LV 2017, and for the first time, I truly found my sound, my home and it was in Illenium and his music specifically. My life hasn’t been the same since.

Fast forward to his third album release, Ascend, followed by a huge tour, there was no way I was missing his milestones. Set out to play 3 days at the iconic Red Rocks venue (two Ascend shows and one throwback set) in Denver, Colorado and the legendary Madison Square Garden in NYC, I knew I’d be there for all of them.

Not only was Illenium playing, and selling out, these incredibly famous venues, he started his tour in my hometown city of Pittsburgh. I couldn’t be more proud of my city representing the start to his tour.

Here are my thoughts from three stops of Illeniums latest tour:

Pittsburgh - September 18, 2019

For the first night of The Ascend Tour, Illenium played at Stage AE. This venue doubles as both an indoor and outdoor venue. Originally it was supposed to be held inside, but it ended up being held outside, which made all the difference in the world. The weather was perfect, the vibe was incredible, and I was so ready for whatever I was about to witness. The most exciting part, was preparing myself for absolutely anything. I’ve seen Illenium perform so many times, it was super exciting to not have any idea at all what he was going to do with his set! He did NOT disappoint.

MSG in NYC - September 21, 2019

Even with already seeing the set, I swear it just made it better. Just to be in the energy of a venue as iconic as Madison Square Garden was so surreal. You could just feel how consumed by humility and love he was for all of the support by his fans. It was a completely different experience!

Red Rocks - October 11-12, 2019

The only other time I’ve been to Red Rocks was for Illenium’s first time headlining the venue in 2018. It just felt right to be back for his Ascend tour as well. I ended up getting tickets in one of the first few rows, which completely changed the vibe! Getting to see the same set in so many different ways in the energy of so many various venues was so rewarding as a fan and as a serious music lover. Not only did I catch his Ascend set, but I also went to his Throwback set, too. That was my first time seeing a throwback set and I was completely floored. Getting to hear songs from his debut album, Ashes, as well as old remixes you can really only hear on SoundCloud was a dream come true. I know how rare and special a set like that is and I will remember that night forever.

My memories from Illenium’s Ascend tour dates are some of my all-time favorites. I wanted to hear from other Illenials about their experiences as well! I took to the Illenial Facebook group page to hear some incredible stories!

“I attended both his Ascend and throwback sets at Red Rocks this year and it was my first ever time seeing him play live after loving his music for so long. I also came from another country just to see him perform. My favorite part was the intro that he played, his intros always make me super emotional” - Jenna Lang (IG: _jenna.lang_)

“Saw him in Toronto about a month after a hard breakup. His music speaks to you on an emotional level and addresses a range of personal issues and struggles a lot of people face. It's incredibly relatable and cathartic. It helps you survive.” - Jordan Stanton

“I’ve been listening to Nick for years, and his music has been a soundtrack of sorts in my life, from happily jamming out with my friends, to pulling me out of some of my darkest corners. You can feel the emotions he has lived through as he performs each set and it’s enough to remind you that tomorrow is a new day and to keep going” - Gabri Elle (IG: bass.gypsii.)

Photo Credit: Gabri Elle

“I went to both the Red Rocks sets and the entire weekend was magical! Although this was my 5th and 6th time seeing him live, these sets were special to me because I am 6 months pregnant and I got to share this experience with my unborn daughter!" - Jennifer Rose

“My boyfriend and I went to see Illenium at Madison Square Garden and again at his stop in University Park, PA. As soon as the intro started playing I was in tears. Nick's music has the ability to turn me into a completely different and amazing person and seeing the Ascend show twice was truly life-changing.” -Lexi Kaplan (IG: lexxikaplann)