5 Highlights From John Summit’s Elevated Performance at Billboard’s The Stage at SXSW

The audience contributed to the vocals during Summit’s performance of “Where You Are,” his 2024 hit featuring British singer Hayla, with thousands chanting the anthem’s chorus in unison. For another two of Summit’s major tracks, he invited the true artists to the stage, welcoming Australian singer-songwriter Cloves to perform their January song “Focus” (currently enjoying its 14th week on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs) and then inviting South Africa-born, U.K.-based artist Julia Church to end the show with their collaborative track “Go Back,” featuring drum & bass icon Sub Focus. Both vocalists sounded phenomenal, adding dynamic energy to the evening.

Featuring vocalists during live performances is a common practice at Summit shows, with the producer expressing to Billboard that he “f—ing loves it” when these collaborators elicit a massive crowd response, as they did on Saturday.

The atmosphere was electrifying in the Amphitheater as an enthusiastic crowd adorned in stylish rave attire (sunglasses at night, heads wrapped in pashminas, etc.) was fully engaged from the start. The assembled fans sang along fervently to the popular tracks, dancing hard during the drops and lifting phones in unison to capture iconic moments, like when Summit played his energetic remix of The Temper Trap’s 2008 classic “Sweet Disposition,” dropping their devices to fist pump during the song’s memorable “a moment, a love, a dream, aloud” lyrics. A special mention goes to everyone who made their way to downtown Austin for the official afterparty, featuring another mesmerizing performance by Nala and a late-night set from KSHMR.

With plenty happening on stage in terms of pyrotechnics and Summit’s vibrant presence — the artist often smiled at the audience, excitedly sang along with the tunes, and focused on the decks — there was also a wealth of visual content on the huge screens behind him. The show’s imagery transitioned through undulating geometric patterns, sparkling color bursts, and logos for his Experts Only label that collectively created an impression of high-end psychedelia. The visuals were especially impactful during “Focus,” which showcased ’90s VHS-style graphics from the song’s rave-themed music video.

Over the past year, Summit has performed at massive venues like Madison Square Garden in New York and Kia Forum in Los Angeles, along with numerous large festival stages around the globe. Therefore, witnessing him in the more intimate Moody Amphitheater (which accommodates about 5,000 individuals) felt like an increasingly rare chance. The scale of the show rendered it somewhat reminiscent of Summit’s Experts Only party series, which has been hosted in locations like Lake Tahoe, California, and Vail, Colorado, focusing on underground music in smaller, more intimate venues. Consequently, from nearly any spot in the venue on Saturday, one could see the producer energetically moving onstage in rhythm with the music, his excited energy matching the infectious beats he delivered.

As the head of his label, Experts Only, Summit not only releases tracks from emerging artists but also incorporates fresh music into his underground-focused Experts Only performances. The set on Saturday certainly included all of Summit’s major hits, with the artist performing “Where You Are,” “Go Back,” “Focus,” “Shiver,” and his remix of The Temper Trap’s “Sweet Disposition.”

But he also showcased lesser-known tracks, spinning tunes such as Nord Pole’s energetic 2018 track “Trancecatcher,” “Monks Dance,” which was released in January from producer Wthbrdrs, and Subarctica’s 2011 track “Storms of Silence.” These well-chosen pieces were seamlessly intertwined with his own music through smooth transitions. He also leaned into remixes, playing the Odd Mob edit of his own “palm of my hands,” the wobbly remix of Sage the Gemini’s “Gas Pedal” by him, Subtronic, and Tape B, and his own freshly released remix of Anyma and Ellie Goulding’s “Hypnotized.” Summit concluded the performance by inquiring if the crowd was interested in some dubstep, which was met with enthusiastic cheers and subsequently delivered some heavy grimy bass, surprising even himself with the intensity as he remarked, “holy s—” into the microphone following the impactful segment.