Over the past year or so Dubstep has gone from an underground UK sensation to a world-wide phenomenon. Thankfully the people at Global Dance Festival took notice of that, dedicating Friday as the day of dub. Friday took Thursday, sat it down and taught it a lesson about properly executing dirty, filthy, bass. From the smaller stages to the main stage, each presented a slew of face melting artists- most notably Manufactured Superstars, Dieselboy, Porter Robinson, NERO and Skrillex.
Manufactured Superstars live is pretty much a giant dance party. The guys waltz up there in their space suits and concept shades, say hello, and throw down the beats. It's as simple as that. The thing is, it's so simple it's amazing. Their light show is half flashing lights and half images of them as South Park avatars. Their music is built for enjoyment. Their performance was a perfect introduction into the bigger names of the evening.
When you leave a concert and the world around you is reduced to a muffled soundscape- you've had a good time. Following the show on Friday I couldn't hear a damn thing, and I hold artists like NERO directly responsible for that. NERO's bass is deafening, the performance he puts on is astounding, and the crowd reaction he receives is comparable that of a group of women upon my entrance: Pure Excitement. Their set was earth shaking from start to finish, and the 2010 Beatport winners for "Best Dubstep Act" threw down accordingly.
About halfway through NERO's last song, this little dude with long black hair popped up next to Dan (NERO's DJ). Of course, we all knew it was Skrillex, and the crowd went wild. NERO finished their set and Skrillex jumped in without hesitation. The two styles of Dubstep that each artist presents are completely different, yet equally incredible. The screaming sound waves of Skrillex's music launches into your skull and is unlike anything else and has been the basis of miriad imitations. It is pure filth, ripping your eardrums apart and then building them stronger, like the callused hands of weathered blacksmith. Skrillex is one of the nicest people you'll meet, puts on one hell of a show and shows the utmost gratitude towards his fans. It was an astounding experience.
After Skrillex I, as well as a thousand or so other people, made there way from the main stage up to the Scion Bass Stage to check out Porter Robinson. We ended up catching the tail end of Dieselboy and from the looks of it he had been killing it all night.
Fun Fact: It was Porter Robinson's birthday. Funner Fact: Skrillex hopped on the mic during his performance and led us all in "Happy Birthday" for Porter. Like I said, Skrillex is a cool dude. Porter was dropping bomb after bomb that night, busting people up as if this birthday was his last. He absolutely destroyed it, and by the end of his performance that stage was so packed you could hardly move around. It was a fitting performance for the end of a day full of nasty breaks and breathtaking drops, a beat heavy day that was only a flicker of what was to come.
Global Dance Festival – Day 2 Recap
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsQgu2OgSuY[/youtube]
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