On the final day of January, Mike Inzano, better known as INZO, brought his Mirrorverse tour to Mesa, Arizona. As a long-time fan who has been closely following his rise since discovering his sound in early 2019, I found this a spectacularly moving, dynamic, and artistic performance. Throughout his set, I found myself breathless and completely enthralled by the experience he created in the amphitheater. From the moment the music started, the venue settled into a beautiful energy of relaxation and high-energy connection. Care to experience it through my eyes?
Opening Artists
Before INZO took the stage, we were treated to a wonderful selection of artists, starting with Blookah. While a delayed start cut each opener’s set short just a bit, I was elated to see him pop up next to INZO during the headlining slot! More on that later. A standout moment from OkayJake’s time at the decks was his rendition of “Crave You,” flipped into a dub remix that drew out the iconic “I I I” in a haunting way. The crowd swelled throughout his set, and he did an excellent job of building and maintaining an engaged audience.
Rounding out the opening lineup was Dirt Monkey, a dubstep veteran who never misses delivering a performance that balances his well-known tracks and insanely hard drops that throw the crowd into a frenzy. He even dropped some new stuff that he just finished that same day! A standout moment from his performance was his insanely wonky rework of “Heads Will Roll” by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs that closed out his set.
Know Good
Now, I absolutely HAVE to devote a whole section to the insane duo that is Know Good! This was their first night on tour, and they played with an insanely confident swagger! Tanner and Sylas Morgan, a pair of cousins, moved in tandem through their set, and they transitioned in and out, including live vocals and live guitar. To give you a sense of their range, they opened with their version of the iconic 1969 Beatles track “Come Together” and closed with the 2024 viral track from The Dare, “The Girls.”
What truly took their stage presence and overall performance to the next level was the live vocals, guitar, and integrated digital drum pad. The moment I realized one of them was singing live, I gasped and started pointing it out to all my friends! And then he came out and started shredding on the guitar?! Know Good absolutely blew me out of the water. They are, without a doubt, cemented on my daily playlists from now on!
The Mirrorverse Tour
After a beautiful start to the evening with Blookah, OkayJake, Know Good, and Dirt Monkey each delivering a stellar performance, it was time for INZO to take center stage. He began with slow and intentional energy. In a venue that holds less than 5,000 attendees, it felt like everyone in attendance was taking a collective deep breath before he took us on an intimate journey.
Speaking of the stage, the design was absolutely stunning and reflected the theming of Mirrorverse to a T. Across the front of the decks were five large triangles, with a main screen in the middle and the four side triangles being mirrors. His visuals were beyond anything I have seen from him!
To pair with the intentional set design, he came locked and loaded with lights and lasers galore! The visual and auditory story was perfectly tuned to one another and became one, engulfing the sensory experience. As a deep dubby wobble hit my body, the lasers around my head matched the exact same wobble! Something I would love to learn more about is the different visual artists he worked with to create such a cohesive experience.
Something I was hoping for is a quick Blookah b2b INZO moment, given that their recent collab album, “Nexum,” was released just 3 months ago. Something I could never have imagined was INZO devoting a whole portion of his set to their shared art! Blookah and INZO’s b2b moment also featured a glitchy landscape of them hiking. I really loved this personal touch to the visual experience. The two of them looked very cohesive working b2b. It honestly feels like I was taking an easy cruise on Rainbow Road with the windows down.
After the surprise b2b wrapped up, INZO moved straight into the collection of his cult classic tracks. The ever recognizable intro to “Face Plant on a Galaxy” had the crowd positively rabid! And then he hit us with “Y?!” He whipped up the energy in such a masterful way that I felt like I forgot to take a breath for a good 5 minutes. He also treated us to a new track with Of The Trees! I’ve got my eyes peeled for that official release. And what would the Mirrorverse tour be without a live performance of the track “Mirrorverse.”
The warm and accepting energy that INZO delivers through his music doesn’t come from anywhere. Mid-set, INZO paused his performance to share some love for all the artists who took the stage before him. He even took a moment to celebrate a member of his tour staff’s birthday! Alex, if you read this, Happy Birthday from the Fresh Music Freaks team! The way INZO speaks about his team and fellow artists truly reflects a heart of gratitude and awareness of all that makes his art and live performances unique and successful.
With two key tracks from his repertoire still missing from his performance, I knew the last phase would take me for an emotional ride. As the words of Alan Watts poured over the crowd, the melody of “Overthinker” filled the amphitheater. Personally, this track has meant a lot to me over the last 5 years. Each time I hear it live, it feels like a renewing experience.
As the words transitioned from the reassuring voice of Alan Watts to the emotionally charged words of “Crazy” by Gnarls Barkley, the combination brought me to tears. Off the dance floor, I am drowning in concern for my fellow man. There was an unexpected emotional release that came from hearing the encouragement of Watts’ words, “It is time to wake up…” and the frustrating yet uninhibited words of Cee Lo Green, “Does that make me crazy?” Why does it feel so crazy to want to live a life of love and inclusion?
As the “Overthinker” moment came to a close, so was the night. INZO asked us one last question, “What do you say we super dose some Alan Watts?” And finally, the live INZO experience was rounded out with “Drift Like a Cloud, Flow Like Water” cascading over us! I found myself sobbing and feeling a deep emotional release, the kind of emotional release I can only find on the dance floor with an intentional artist at the helm.
Please do not miss this tour. With his anticipated tour hiatus following this 42-stop adventure, it’s even more important to lock in those tickets asap. With only the first two weekends of his tour under his belt, you still have over 30 opportunities to catch this performance! Learn more about the importance of the Mirrorverse Tour in INZO’s career here.