As the world started opening up after the pandemic, DJ John Summit, who had gained massive online popularity during lockdown, wanted to bring his music from the screen to the stage. His manager, Holt Harmon, had a big plan: "We wanted to be everywhere, " he said.

    Summit and his team traveled across North America, visiting reopening nightclubs to prove that online hype could translate to live fun. In May 2021, he sold out a 500-capacity venue in Tempe, Arizona, in just 12 seconds.

    Following this success, they moved to larger venues, holding shows for up to 2, 000 people. They used the profits to upgrade their production, creating impressive stage setups. All this was managed from a kitchen table, withSummit even working from his parents' house.

    Since then, Summit has sold out major shows at Los Angeles’ BMO Stadium and New York's Madison Square Garden. He's also planning a three-night stint at L. A. ’s Kia Forum for mid-November. These large-venue performances are part of Summit's three-pronged touring strategy, which includes intimate club shows called "Experts Only" and festival sets as the duo Everything Always with Australian producer Dom Dolla.

    Each part of the strategy offers unique creative opportunities. The Experts Only shows, for example, have basic productions, letting Summit stay close to the audience and test new songs. They're also easy to tour, often in unique venues like The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee. Summit imagines epic destinations for these shows, like the Alps. "That would be amazing, " he says.

    On the other hand, larger shows satisfy a broader audience, including new fans of electronic music. The duo Everything Always allows both artists to create more significant impacts than they could alone. They’ve performed together at major events like Coachella in April.

    Harmon, also the CEO of management firm Metatone, sees this diversity as key to staying exciting year after year. "We can come through in three different forms, " he says.

    The team plans to replicate this success internationally, with half of Summit's 2025 touring schedule set for overseas. Despite growing demands, Summit keeps his original goal in mind: "I’m still working from the kitchen table, " he says, "but it’s my own now. "

From Internet Success to Global Music Arenas: John Summit’s Rise

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