DECADENCE 2013 @ THE GUVERNMENT ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX, TORONTO – MARCH 28, 2013
Reviewed by Gosia Mrugala
March may have gone out like a lion this year, but the arrival of spring is still an event worth celebrating. Toronto’s The Guvernment-Kool Haus complex certainly did its bit to help promote spring fever, hosting a massive all-access event on the eve of the Easter long weekend, headlined by some of the biggest names on the EDM scene. At Kool Haus: Calvin Harris, Nicky Romero, R3hab and Manzone & Strong. At The Guvernment: Cosmic Gate, W&W and Mark Oliver. At Chroma: Flipside, Joee Cons and Greg Gow. And at Acid Lounge: Ovi M.
Running back and forth between the rooms was quite the adventure — each time trying to push my way through a wall of bodies entranced by the relentless pulse of the music. You really do see and feel the love — or “PLUR” — that animates the EDM community at an event like this. I just wish I had a cloning machine so I could be in three places at once, catching the full sets from all of these amazing artists, instead of running around like a chicken without its head.
IMPRESSIONS:
>> The musical remedies of R3hab were a balm for the soul. I first saw him last summer at Digital Dreams and was impressed by his set there — but at Decadence I was utterly blown away by his performance, his flawless musical selection and, above all, his connection with the audience.
>> Manzone & Strong and Mark Oliver are residents at the Guvernment, and with good reason: they never disappoint, bringing their A game every single time they work the decks.
>> At one point was near the entrance to Chroma, when a mass of bodies suddenly surged toward the Kool Haus, and I found myself swept along with the herd to witness Nicky Romero taking the stage. It was pure pleasure to witness the mastery with which he took control of the dance floor, his energy electrifying the entire complex. Romero’s name is one that gets my pulse pounding any time I see him on an artist lineups.
>> Calvin Harris is an artist I first saw live at WEMF two years ago and was absolutely blown away! So my expectations for his performance at Decadence were high — and baby, did he deliver! His musical selection was golden, and his connection with the crowd awe-inspiring to experience.
>> Cosmic Gate certainly had a pleasing musical selection, but there seemed to be a lack of energy. Somehow they never clicked with the crowd, and I found myself drifting back toward back to Kool Haus during their set.
>> W&W created an animalistic frenzy on the Guvernment’s dance floor. My body escaped conscious control and fell under the spell for the duration. These boys work so well together, and communicate musically with the crowd so perfectly.
>> Chroma wasn’t as packed as the two main rooms, but those who made the effort to check it out were amply rewarded by Toronto’s Flipside. His musical selection set the floor spinning; I couldn’t tear myself away while he controlled the decks. Definitely one of the evening’s unsung heroes.
>> I do have to send out some love to Toronto Rave Community (TRC), which made its presence felt and contributed to the overall positive vibe. I can now proudly say that I received my first piece of kandi at Decadence, courtesy of a nice TRC gent.
All in all, Decadence 2013 was an rousing success. The crowd was crazy, and the energy was palpable in every corner of the complex. Every year, Decadence seems to improve. If you haven’t yet made it to one of these annual gatherings, then be assured: you are missing out. Personally, I’m already looking forward to Decadence 2014!
SOME MORE PICS FROM DECADENCE 2013:
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
Little surprise that this superb production served as the official anthem for this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival Orlando. I caught R3hab at Digital Dreams in Toronto this past summer and was hooked. An incredible live performer, he is equally masterful in the studio, as this track clearly attests. If you haven’t been lucky enough to witness this Dutch DJ in performance, I recommend keeping an eye on his tour schedule and marking it in your calendar when he’s next in your vicinity. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Toronto’s first two-day EDM festival, Digital Dreams was exactly that: a dream. The community that came together for this event was just awe-inspiring. We couldn’t have asked for better weather, more heart-pumping beats, and more enthusiastic fellow music lovers.
Anticipation for this event was high. For weeks beforehand, just looking into store windows and seeing the Digital Dreams poster brought euphoric goose bumps. The team behind the festival was nothing short of the best. And they couldn’t have chosen a better venue for this historic EDM event than Ontario Place, a famed local landmark that opened to the public more than 40 years ago.
I wish I could have morphed into three people with a single mind and been at all the stages, experiencing each and every artist’s set. Instead I found myself running from stage to stage, trying to experience a bit of everything.
Can I pinpoint one set that I favored? In all honesty, I can’t. Every artist on the bill brought something unique and extraordinary to their performance. Still, there are a few that keep replaying in my mind.
Saturday, walking towards the Dreams Stage, feeling your mind and body pulled forward by the sounds dancing through the air, getting closer and closer to where BT (a.k.a. Brian Wayne Transeau) was rocking the crowd. A veteran of the scene for more than two decades, he knows how to keep an audience moving and cheering.
After BT’s set, Montreal-born A-Trak stepped in and quickly had the crowd under full control. Local hero JELO not only dominated the crowd during his own day-one set on the Dreams Stage, but returned later to fill in for Afrojack, who couldn’t make it for the first day due to travel delays, and once again gave a stellar performance. Meanwhile, over on the sandy dance floor at the Echo Beach Stage Hed Kandi DJs Andy Warburton and Sarah Louise gave noteworthy sets.
Back on the main stage, rising star R3hab turned in a set that people would be buzzing about for days to come. It was mind-blowing to watch the young Dutch DJ interacting with the crowd, standing up on the decks, and sharing his extraordinary passion for the music. British veteran Steve Lawler rocked the stage as one knew he would, and was followed by the equally well-traveled Canadian stalwart Richie Hawtin. Throughout the day I’d been hearing people talk excitedly about Lawler and Hawtin, and the prodigious sets from these two elder statesmen more than justified the anticipation.
The second day was a continuation of the madness. Mother Nature continued to lavish us with perfect summer weather. The bodies slowly began flooding into Ontario Place, and by 4pm the stages were absolutely swarmed. Entranced by the beat and the bass, by the ecstatic atmosphere, I couldn’t help but feel proud looking around and seeing the community that EDM creates, the shared love for the music flows through everyone. It’s so admirable to see people coming together this way to be a part of musical history.
The artist schedule for the Dreams Stage on day two was thrown off quite a bit by Afrojack’s travel mishap. He finally arrived on Sunday to give his fans the set they were eagerly awaiting — and Live Nation generously offered those fans who’d bought a single day ticket for Saturday free entrance the next day to return and see Afrojack.
Thunder Bay native Sydney Blu rocked her performance, and reminded the audience several times during her set how proud she is to be from this country.
The one set from day two that really stands out in my memory has to be Dubfire on the Echo Beach Stage. He was so hypnotizing, his musical selection so spine-tingling, he kept the crowd in a trance throughout. I have to say, every time I’ve seen him live I have been impressed; that kind of consistency is rare.
This was a weekend I spent dreaming in digital. I can’t speak for the organizers, but in my eyes the festival was an absolute success: a primo experience for the fans and music-lovers — and judging by their comments on Twitter, for the artists too. Check out some samples:
The explosive popularity that EDM has acquired in the past couple years is beyond belief. But the spectre of commercialism hovers over it now, and I pray the genre doesn’t lose it’s magic. Here’s hoping that we can look forward to more festivals and events like this that offer an opportunity for new appreciation and shine a light on some of the artists that you won’t necessarily encounter on Z103 or MTV.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
Dunno about you, but this weekend feels like Christmas to me. The dance music season is in full swing, and Canada is playing host to the best parties in the world! Can you feel it?
This is our weekend. There’s Bassmentality — sorry a Super Bassmentality happening in Ottawa, along with the Escapade fest. As for Toronto … well, you may have heard about a little something called the Digital Dreams festival. Homie! Iz going down. I said, can you feel it?
In this spirit of celebration, I’ve put together an extra-special “Sweets” — not so difficult, when you consider that this has been one of the better weeks of 2012 in terms of new music. Special praise for The Knocks, Zeds Dead and, of course, Dillon Francis. CAN YOU FEEL IT?
THE SWEETS
I love Ryan Enzed. If ever there was producer who deserved to be famous worldwide — as in right this minute — it’s this guy.
Dillon Francis tweeted, while making this track, that it was creepy and awesome at the same time. Been waiting a while for a fresh Dillon track with quality — and man, is it good to have him back!
Just to be clear, this is not a winner-take-all competition — just a celebration of the top producers from those 16 countries that will be competing in UEFA EURO 2012, starting this Friday in Poland and Ukraine.
One thing about us Canadians: we care passionately about our roots. Though we all proudly bear the maple leaf tattooed on our hearts, most of also feel a strong connection to the place our family tree sprouted — from the islands of the Caribbean to Africa and Asia. And so, for those Canadians with ties to the Continent, this tournament is a chance to show pride in where you come from. Hence the flags on cars, the packed bars, and the general camaraderie that will make this month a festive time indeed.
Now Europe, of course, is also home to some of some of the world’s best dance music. So it seems only fitting that we should hold our own little opening ceremonies, soundtracked by the finest dance sounds from each of the Euro 2012 countries. So let’s jump right into it, starting with the most underrated of the four groups …
GROUP 1
Russia – Swanky Tunes
Just like their national football squad, the boys in Swanky Tunes are a highly skilled but often overlooked unit that has plugged away for more than a decade but has won wider recognition only in the last couple of years. The group started out, back in 1998, with a strong techno sound and have since reinvented themselves, only to come around full circle of late. A recent R3hab remix and a collaboration with Tiësto is proof that Swanky Tunes are finally starting to receive the recognition they’ve earned. This video takes you on a tour of Mother Russia.
They’re probably the least known of all DJs in this group, but make no mistake: SHato & Paul Rockseek put it down. The two have been regular guests on what was the Judge Jules show on BBC Radio 1, which should give you an idea of what time to expect their sets. They play late and they play the big room. Blessed with a distinctive musical touch, the pair find a way to offset that banging progressive sound with just the right touch of melody. The Czech squad are no pushovers, and this DJ double act embodies the spirit perfectly.
OK, The Polish Ambassador (a.k.a. Ample Mammal) was actually born in America — Oakland, to be exact. But David Sugalski is as Polish as they come. He seems years beyond his age, and light-years beyond our sound. Seriously, it’s like this guy takes round trips to Pluto and returns home with stuff we haven’t even thought of inventing yet, then plays it to a (lucky) few ravers who fall in love with it so much they resist sharing it with anyone. In short, he’s a DJ’s DJ. If you’re fortunate enough to see him play, expect the crowd to go apeshit — just like they will when co-host Poland kicks off the tourney this Friday.
Tournament winners in 2004, Greece will look to use some of that Athenian luck to reclaim top spot this year. Meanwhile, in the EDM Euro 2012 tourney, Greece can justly claim the biggest name in its grouping: Christian Cambas. Soundwise, he’s working the same side of the street as Sharam, PleasureKraft and Nicky Romero, and he does it just right. Embodying the essence of Greek culture (and not, fortunately, the Greek economy), Cambas makes mature, sexy tracks that sound perfect on a boat rocking in the crystal blue off Mykonos, but are also rugged enough to stand up to the wear-and-tear of play in sweat-drenched clubs. Cambas is a name you’ll be hearing for while — and you could be hearing it everywhere. I mean, nobody picked Greece to win in 2004, and look how that turned out. Could Cristian Cambas be the next Guetta?
The first-ever multi-day EDM festival in downtown Toronto, Digital Dreams will feature full sets by Kaskade, Afrojack, Duck Sauce, Richie Hawtin, Dubfire, Steve Lawler, Alesso, Major Lazer, R3hab, and many more.
bpm:tv wants to send you and a friend to Digital Dreams! We’re giving away five pairs of tickets – plus, as a Grand Prize, one pair of VIP tickets! (Travel not included.) CLICK HERE to find out how to enter our Digital Dreams contest.
Contest closes Monday June 18, 2012.
CLICK HERE for more information on the Digital Dreams Music Festival.
It’s no secret that Coachella, which kicks off today, is the festival all the “cool kids” swarm to. Maybe it’s the fact that no media are admitted, or just that the organizers somehow manage to book the best artists in the world year in and year out (many from our own EDM world) — whatever the reason, one thing is certain: this is definitely a box that needs to be checked off your bucket list.
Now, for those of you who can’t make the cross-continent voyage to that sunny valley in California — no worries, I got you covered. This week’s “Sweets” features tracks from some of the hottest acts set to smash up Coachella this year. Put on your cargo shorts, switch on the sun lamp and crank the tunes. Close your eyes and it’s almost like you’re there. OK, I said almost.
bpm:tv producer Declan O’Driscoll has been down in the Sunshine State covering Miami Music Week 2012. Here’s a sampling of his photos from the week’s biggest events.
Stress. All weeks are not built the same, a point proven by this week. Plenty of grey-hair-causing, wrinkle-inducing. While I won’t bore you with the details of what gave rise to these symptoms, I will tell you the remedy. When a day, week or month really has you on the ropes, the best way to recover and rebuild is with a healthy soundtrack. This week I got ripped a new one, and these tracks helped keep the ship above water. Brand new tracks from Felix Cartal, FatRat and Vaski, plus some household names.
SWEETS
Pretty sure it’s safe to say that Nicky Romerois 2012. Probably my new favourite big room track. Smells like Miami.
Directly — as in minutes — before I heard this, I said “If I hear another Gotye remix, I’m never listening to that song again.” Then I heard this. What do they say about losing something? It’s always in the last place you look. Sidenote: The original version of this song just so happens to be the biggest track in the world — and if you’re a regular “Sweets” checker, you would’ve learned about it HERE back on Oct. 21. Plenty reason to booooooooookmark us!
First we speak of the original. Diplo really knows how to make a smooth r&b track. The way he massages the beat to Usher’s voice is something you’d expect from producers like Danger, Darkchild or Timbaland. Sick. Then Vaski just f**ks it all up. Nasty!
I don’t have a new video for you this week; if you’re searching for one, check yesterday’s Zeds Dead post. I do, however, have something a whole lot better: that latest instalment of Scott’s Selections. Six very very very heav tracks! Be sure to pick it up.
TGIF on what has been a sluggish week. Most people I’ve talked to are still trying to get out of that holiday slump and get the gears moving again. Last weekend, the city of Toronto was pretty much a ghost town where concerts were concerned. While this week definitely has more in the way of shows on offer, the winter grind is in full effect; it might just be easier to turn on the iPod and invite a couple of friends over.
And if that’s your choice, wicked! I got a couple of tracks to keep you warm and toasty!
THE SWEETS
While searching my gallery of songs I noticed that I didn’t have a single remix of this track. For some reason, that surprised me. Natalia Kills‘ anthem “Mirrors” takes on a whole new persona courtesy of Omega.
A track that definitely deserves some recognition. Tommie Sunshine adds a nice up tempo backbeat to what is already an amazing song. Arcade Fire are indescribable.
A little pop never hurt anyone. This track is made for both clubs and radio. With luck, a video will accompany this — because I personally wouldn’t mind seeing Neon Hitch provide some visuals specifically for this track …
Sweden, Sweden, Sweden! They don’t even know how to make an ordinary track. It’s either go big or go home. With industry hotshot Nervo teaming up with Mister-Stadium-Anthem-Only Avicii, there was only ever one possible outcome.
Want to be a successful producer/DJ? Follow the R3Hab formula: consistency! Drop so many tracks that even your haters will be believers. I can smell Pacha in this song!
Two of your favourite artists (kiddddddddddding) … but let’s be honest: Chris Brown and Pitbull are two of the industry’s biggest acts right now. So if you can’t avoid ‘em, join ‘em — preferably with extra bassssssss! Clinton Sparks is a G!
Last but not least, something to really rock to. I love anthems like these: they seem to put a smile on my face no matter where I’m at. Hope it does the same for you! Sound Keepers don’t play around!!
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
