Swedish DJ and producer Avicii brings philanthropic house music tour to arena

Spotted in the UCF Arena: A pair of twins decked out in techno tribal masterpieces. One complete with a belt buckle emblazoned with the words "Rage in a Cage" and finger-lit gloves, the other in a gypsy blouse and a tie-dyed bandeau with knee-high, bubblegum pink fur boots.

The one thing that unites them other than the same parents: Avicii.

There's something about fast-paced piano arrangements that triggers people to wear their most flamboyant ensembles of feathered headdresses, glitter spandex bodysuits and neon bikinis with digitally engineered prints that add homage to Native American and ‘50s pop art in hyper-bright colors.

Last Friday, the preponderance of fashion's most avant-garde chanted "AH-VEECH-EE, AH-VEECH-EE" as the lights eclipsed for the Live Nation, Music Owns Me & Insomniac Present: Avicii "House for Hunger" tour.

The headlining music drowned, smoke brushed against the ceiling, confetti exploded, balloons bounced around in the crowd and colorful lights outshined all of the sequined-crop tops.

Finally, Avicii made his entrance.

He stared at the crowd. He waited. He took his turn table and, within a bass drop, the crowd faded into darkness.

"I'd been waiting all night and all day for this moment to see Avicii with my friend Brittany Hurd. I didn't realize I had so much energy!" sophomore event management major Sarah Gates said.

Avicii, aka Tim Bergling, a Swedish DJ and producer, is known universally for his upbeat electronic music.

Notably, his electronic music on his "House for Hunger" tour will benefit Feeding America.

Feeding America's mission is "to feed America's hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger."

Avicii and his manager, Ash Pournouri, will donate $1,000,000 in proceeds to help the cause.

Melissa Schaaf, Director of Marketing for the UCF arena, said the event was well attended.

During the show, like a robot invasion, Avicii fans were clapping in unison with their neighbors, flailing their arms and rolling their heads to the music. Each fully equipped with glow sticks, cyber goggles, equalizer shirts and, of course, some LED finger lights.

Giant screens on the DJ booth and backdrop of Avicii displayed dancing figures, flames and several "House for Hunger" logos that mesmerized the audience.

Avicii's set list included songs from all of his remixes — new and old. From the chart-topping "Levels" to "Save the World" with many other songs in between, such as "Sunshine," "Bromance" and "Jump Around."

Avid Avicii listener Kathryn Tromba, a sophomore studying advertising/public relations, came with some friends for her second Avicii performance.

"The songs or the lights weren't as good as his performance at the House of Blues," Tromba said. "I heard his laptop and headphones got stolen from his hotel room the night before though, so I'm thinking that's why his set wasn't as good."

Glow-sticking, gloving and light shows were sights to be seen in the audience.

Lindsey Rich, who traveled from Gainesville for the show, used her new glow sticks to create a combination of patterns and shapes.

"I couldn't stop jumping and at one point, I was crowd surfing and still doing all my tricks with my glow sticks," Rich said. "I was swishing and swerving and snaking my hands, and I was in another world. It was unreal."

Avicii was a hot event — literally and figuratively — as people were drenched in sweat but still wore smiles as they left the Arena.

"It was so much fun playing with balloons and getting showered in confetti," sophomore political science major Joel Kandarappallil said.

Immersing themselves in the sounds, Avicii fans at the UCF Arena reached new levels.

"I just want to re-live that entire night," Kandarappallil said.