The last time I went to a HARD event, it was the outdoor HARD Fest held in the Los Angeles State Historic Park on a warm August day last summer. Crystal Castles, Major Lazer, Flying Lotus and Diplo were just a few of the names topping the bill, but even the star power couldn’t allot for one truth I discovered while in attendance: you have to be fucked up to enjoy this shit. While most of the attendees favor ecstasy, ketamine, or whatever other drug cocktails are making their way through the dance community, that summer I went for a margarita/beer blend that took a little while to reach its optimum effect but proved successful for my overall enjoyment. Last Saturday, I was… well, I was too hungover to drink. Needless to say, I wasn’t looking forward to the party, which would be topped by Simian Mobile Disco (performing live), Fake Blood, and Destructo. And though the night didn’t pack the punch of my first HARD, I have to admit that being sober at a rave wasn’t the worst thing to ever happen to me, thanks to the revelation that was Simian Mobile Disco.
Though there were a significant number of DJs on the bill, Simian Mobile Disco saw primary support from two solitary electronic music entities. Destructo is the HARD house DJ, playing every event they have thrown for the last couple years. As an entertainer, he is top notch. It is rare that you see a performer in this musical realm so eager to get away from his equipment, but repeatedly Destructo charged the front of the stage to hype-up the crowd, serving his duties as opener perfectly. Musically, it was all build and release, providing the kind of backing dance music that the swarms of druggy dancers rely on to make their peaks feel great, but remaining ultimately non-descript.
Following him was Fake Blood. The British DJ classed it up a bit, relying less on traditional electronic tools. In turn, the crowd seemed less responsive. Maybe it was his lack of a Charlie Sheen-based light show (which Destructo had), but it seemed like classiness does not necessarily equal fun at these sort of things. Regardless, it was an impressive set of house beats and was a clear step up musically from Destructo.
Now, carrying around a camera at a rave-like show is a strange experience. It made me less approachable for drugs (only one person asked me for pills), but more approachable for personal photography services. Everyone asked me to take their picture. While I explained to them that this was for an article, not, like, their Facebook, some tried to coerce me into it. Then I further explained that even if I took their picture, the chances of me using it are so slim that it would hardly be worth the time. Furthermore, I informed them that they were clearly on drugs, and they might want to give a second thought to having their picture taken for an international website. So was I a buzzkill? Yeah. Yeah, I was. But the good thing about people on ecstasy: everyone took it really well and kept their smile on their face.
Finally, Simian Mobile Disco prepared to take the stage. The walls of the club were lined with rolling kids getting personal glow stick shows and petting each other’s furry boots, but on the floor, anticipation was high. The large DJ table was removed from the stage to reveal a circular rig of wires and plugs and switches. It looked like a really difficult physics problem. And, to see what James Ford and Jas Shaw were able to do with the complex set up was nothing short of amazing.
For dance music, we are used to seeing some dude with a lap top create music to where the amount of “live” output is questionable. And usually, we are just there to dance, so it is not really a concern or interest to what the DJ is doing. But watching Simian Mobile Disco perform, it is hard to look at electronic music the same way. Watching them work this strange circuit board to make lively, fun, and often intriguing sounds makes other DJs and producers performances look like kid stuff. The two artists would circle the rig, often moving at maximum speed to get to the right piece of equipment in time. Furthermore, I couldn’t see a laptop on stage. Maybe there was one that I missed, but either way, Simian Mobile Disco live meant watching Simian Mobile Disco work. Rarely is this much effort exerted to ensure that people have a good time.
And I haven’t mentioned the thirty-foot tall lighting rig that stood behind them, alternating colors across the cube design to go perfectly with the music. At the start of Simian Mobile Disco’s set, some media members from major publications came out of the woodwork, assuring me that what I was about to see would be awesome. And, fuck was it.
Which brings me to HARD, which I must commend. Because, as I am not an electronic music junkie or weekend warrior, and though I may find it hard to relate to the kids who live for this stuff, I can appreciate HARD’s commitment to the culture. They show a genuine respect for the audience’s money and time and never fail to offer exciting acts, top-notch production, affordable prices, and an atmosphere that feels safe. With so much negativity cast towards raves by the media and right-wing parent groups, it is comforting to know that one organization gets it right.
