John Summit @ TD Garden 10/29
Photos by Kathy Doan
Review by Ava Lee
Press Ctrl + Escape to exit the corporate world and enter John Summit’s first arena tour. Inspired by the 32-year-old American DJ and record producer’s transition from a 9-to-5 office job to headlining major stages worldwide, the Ctrl Escape Arena Tour supports Summit’s second studio album, “CTRL ESCAPE.” The tour’s visuals and set design reflect the corporate theme, featuring an office in a transparent box above the stage, with vintage computers and desks. Dancers in suits could be seen speaking on the phone, shuffling papers and typing away.
Following performances by opening acts Jackie Hollander and Alok, a black-and-white screen displaying the words “SUMMIT CPA” covered the transparent box, in remembrance of Summit’s former career as a certified public accountant. Before becoming a full-time DJ, Summit worked under his real name, John Schuster, during the day and performed as John Summit at night.
As a telephone began ringing, the screen showed Summit typing an email expressing his frustration at work. As anticipation built, Summit picked up the phone and said, “Yo, what’s up? Nah, I’m still stuck at the fucking office. I don’t know, man. Hopefully soon. I’ll hit you up when I’m out.”
He then closed out of his on-screen tabs to reveal a notification reading “ARE YOU READY? Press CTRL + ESCAPE to continue.” Summit pressed the buttons, and the screen cut to black. An eruption of cheers followed as he walked onstage in a suit. The screen behind him rose as he opened with “LIGHTS GO OUT” and “SHADOWS” (feat. LAVINIA), two songs from his latest album.
With the crowd already buzzing, TD Garden vibrated as Summit played fan favorites “Crystallized” and “ALL THE TIME.” The production featured bright lasers, streams of fire behind Summit and fireworks. Lights streamed down from the ceiling around the stage, creating a cage effect symbolizing his entrapment at the office.
Throughout the night, Summit gradually shed his suit until he was left wearing only a tank top, symbolizing his escape from corporate life.
As the night went on, Summit played remixes of several recognizable pop songs, including Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi,” Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” and Lana Del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful.” He also featured “I Wanna Go” by Britney Spears and “Sweet Disposition” by the Temper Trap.
About halfway through the night, Summit appeared at the back of TD Garden among fans in the Loge 07 section. He stood behind a smaller DJ booth on a platform and raised his arms to hype up the crowd surrounding him.
As he played an edit of “Let Me Talk to You” by ANOTR, the screen by the main stage began displaying fans around the arena for a “PERFORMANCE REVIEW.” Like a kiss cam at a basketball game, the camera panned to different fans, pausing for a few seconds to assess their energy. The screen then turned green with the word “HIRED,” or red with the word “FIRED.”
After making his way through the crowd toward the main stage, pausing to give high-fives to fans rushing to the barrier, Summit climbed onto the DJ booth and raised his arms to the crowd before launching into “What a Life.”
Nearing the end of the two-hour set, Summit maintained the energy with his popular edit of Rihanna’s “Where Have You Been.” The remix is a fan favorite, with a dramatic pause before the beat drop to build tension. He then played “Where You Are” and “Go Back,” two of his most recognizable tracks.
Summit enthusiastically shouted, “We have time for one more song!” before closing the night with “DON’T BELIEVE IT.”
John Summit delivered an immersive experience that was as entertaining visually as it was musically. Blending the concept of escaping corporate life with his signature sound, Summit transformed TD Garden into a high-energy space for fans to let loose. From interactive moments to elaborate production, the Ctrl Escape Arena Tour is proof of just how far Summit has come from corporate office to the big leagues. 
