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Bombardier – From Violence to Fury

The midwest United States is, for many people, the birthplace of modern electronic music. The area has produced a long line of influential labels, DJs, and producers, as well as playing a key role in developing genres and shaping new directions for future generations to follow.
A number of artists have left their mark over the years, but few have made an imprint on as many different strains of electronic music as Jason Snell; the shape-shifting musician who has made quality contributions to a wide range of styles via an ever-growing list of projects.
His late-90s cassettes turned heads worldwide, and he soon found himself releasing material on a number of influential labels. From Hangars Liquides in France, Addict and Ghetto Safari in Milwaukee, Vinyl Communications in California. The visionary Detroit label LowRes even dedicated the Division 13 sublabel to his output.
The Hard Data dives into the heart of darkness and brings you an in depth look at the man behind the monikers.


You’ve produced work under a number of different aliases over the years. At what point does a new project emerge? Do you discover, as material nears completion, that it stands apart from other work and deserves its own name, or do you enter into the creative process with fresh concept in mind and approach it differently from the outset?

It initially comes up as a need for new expression that I can’t comfortably produce under the Bombardier name. I’ve had the Bombardier moniker the longest (started around 1997) so each new project is in relation to that foundation. When I find myself working on new material I like but it doesn’t feel like a “Bombardier” song, I start considering other options. After having so many monikers in the late 90’s – Bombardier, 13th Hour, Kamphetamine, and Useless Generation – I was reluctant to start anything new again, particularly because in retrospect all that late 90’s material is very similar in tone and could have easily fallen under the Bombardier name. So for years I tried to expand the Bombardier umbrella rather than start new projects, but I’m constantly exploring and eventually ran out of runway.

The purpose of new names isn’t so much to distinguish my work for listeners but rather free me up to express what I need to express. The last few years I’ve wanted to explore more melodic, pretty ambient music and kept balking at pursuing it because it didn’t feel “Bombardier” enough. The Bombardier ambient sound is more atonal and dark and I felt restricted by that history and body of work. The result was The Space Where She Was, which was initially a song title about the strange phenomenon of when someone leaves or dies and their physical space, the room they lived in, the bed they slept in, the space they occupied in a community is now empty.

In contrast, my 5th of July band project was created as a fresh concept. I was auditioning different vocalist when I lived in the Bay Area and connected the most with Jessica Schoen. She grew up in Chicago and listened to the same industrial and goth bands I did in the 90’s. She liked the dark atmospheres and percussion of my Bombardier work and we both wanted to work on something down-tempo. I love working with her vocals and she’s incredibly tolerant of how much I manipulate them in the mix. I’ll often start with a simple backing track and she’ll sing lyrics that either of us have written. I usually then break the backing track into individual sounds, chop up her vocals and reverse them. I listen to the vocals and sounds and get a sense of its unique DNA, and build the song from scratch. Once we did our first show (January of 2016) the visual aesthetic came together – a sort of David Lynch meets Sleep No More. That led to a number of film shoots in the spring and the overall project is becoming more multimedia than just a band.

On the subject of the visual component, you do much of the graphic design for your releases. Is there a difference in how you approach creating moving images to accompany music and how you craft the elements that go into the package elements of a release? Does this process of matching images to sound differ greatly from providing soundtracks to film, where the images come before the audio? 

There are two different directions. When I design album art, I know the music and look through my photos to find something that connects well with the sound of the song or album. When I work on films (whether scoring someone else’s film or shooting my own), the footage / image comes first and I then began to “hear” the corresponding sounds in my mind that fit. And the challenge then is getting my machines to make the sound I heard in my head. So with graphic design it goes sound to image, and with motion picture it goes image to sound.

An interesting aside as I’ve learned more about sound production and mastering – the process of adjusting levels, pan, or effects to move the musical elements in the sound field – is its incredible similarities to graphic design. Changing the alpha on a graphic element feels like changing the volume on a musical element, etc… They use a similar non-verbal part of my mind that moves from focusing on individual elements to the whole picture, back and forth, during the editing process.

You’ve moved around a lot, is environment something that has a distinct impact on your output?

It definitely does. There’s an inverse relationship between the amount of chaos in an environment and the amount of risk I’m willing to take creatively. When I moved to NY in 2000 I thought the activity of the city would inspire me creatively. However the opposite happened – I began to take less risks with my music. It’s only when I’m in quiet places that the loudest music comes out of my brain. When I left NY in 2009, my art and music had atrophied to the point where I thought I was just out of ideas. I moved to a quiet apartment in the Bay Area and slowly began to feel creative again. However that city-type of compression came back up as the tech boom hammered the Bay, and I started to lose focus again. I moved to LA and that helped, but as it is also becoming more expensive I know I won’t be here forever. I spend a good amount of time in Iowa where I have a comparable studio set up as my California one. Some of my best ideas have come out there. On the flip side, I need some exposure to great artists and new music to stay inspired, so I do this balance of spending some time in cities, seeing shows and jamming with other artists, and some time alone in the middle of nowhere making music.

Bombardier performing in NYC

Do you use different gear, or tailor your studio set-up for each individual project?

My Bombardier work has been heading in the direction of outboard gear again. I started with gear in 1995, a drum machine, and slowly built on that. I didn’t use software until about 2011 when a friend loaned me Maschine for a weekend and I liked what it could do. Using software has taught me a lot about sound production – EQ ranges, compression, effects – that I didn’t learn from my early gear because I just blasted the signals through distortion pedals and a 4-track. However making music just with software doesn’t fit my style. I like the erratic sounds of wires getting crossed and the hum of machines and pedals. It’s a more raw sound and fits the Bombardier style.

5th of July began software based and still is, although I’m experimenting with bringing in some sounds recorded from my modular of gear into it. Because of Jessica’s vocals, working in software makes it easier to arrange around them. It’s more delicate work and software helps with that precision.

And the melodic, lo-fi sound of The Space Where She Was is outboard gear. Even if I use a software synth, I route it through a chain of external pedals. Most recently I’ve been experimenting with an AI I programmed into my Refraktions iPhone app. I’ve been having it send generative sequences to my desktop synths (the Waldorf Blofeld, the Analog Four) and my modular kit to make its own songs. I set it up, tap the iPhone screen a few times, and let it create a composition while I turn knobs – essentially like having a robot band mate. That’s produced some really beautiful results – lo-fi melodies and drones that fits the project well.

You mention ‘generative sequences’ in relation to The Space Where She Was. That term was coined by Eno to describe the use of algorithms or processes to compose ambient music. This is fitting considering the ambient nature of the material, but also suggests an influence in terms of approach and structure. What are some of your biggest influences, and who are some of the artists you’ve been exposed to recently that you’ve found particularly inspiring?

I use the term “generative” in the same way Eno did – a composition run through a series of algorithms that generate new sequences. I’m pushing myself and the music by developing an artificial intelligence in my Refraktions app that can remember and respond to a musician’s initial choices before the algorithms are applied. The generative code in the app began as randomized selections of sounds and notes. Now the AI has a memory matrix that remembers the musician’s choices, stress-tests those choices against a randomized element, and produces a result that is new, yet favoring the instruments and notes the musician prefers. It’s a blend between existing trajectory and new input, which is how I experience life in general. My goal is to make this sequencer generate sequences and rhythms that are as organic and life-like as possible within a technological environment.

In terms of influences on this process and my ambient music in general, Mahr is the top of my list. She is a musician out of Madison whose music strikes a balance between dark and beautiful, complex and understandable, like a lucid hallucinogenic trip. Perhaps there is something about the Madison area, because I credit Ablecain as the biggest influence on the breakcore I’ve made.

Other influences include the abundance of performers I’ve been able to see in Los Angeles these last two years. Orphx’s modular set was the best performance I saw in 2016, followed closely by Richard Devine and his two coffin-sized modular racks. Also Autechre, Alessandro Cortini, and local artists from the LA modular scene like Bana Haffar and Baseck (who I’ve known now for 19 years – we used to trade breakcore cassette demos). Not a week goes by without several world-class electronic artists performing in Los Angeles. It’s an honor and privilege to be here right now.

How different is your live set-up from the studio you use for production?

I’ve experimented a lot with my live set up – playing off gear, Ableton, Traktor, modular, or any combination of them. When I’m traveling a lot, I usually have a Traktor X1 mapped to be a 4 channel mixer, with a live stream going into the D deck. That live stream could be a drum machine, synth, my app – just depends on the set and the sort of sound I’m going for. I experimented with Ableton for a while (and certainly will again) but gravitated towards Traktor so I could play full songs that have their progression built it. It also opened me up to mixing other artists songs into my sets, which was new for me because I started as a producer and not a DJ. So my production studio is often what I’m traveling with, but when I’m stationary, I have a set of hardware synths, pedals, Maschine controller, and Elektron boxes. Here’s a full list of gear that’s scattered between my 2 studios:

Maschine Studio
Elektron Rytm and Analog 4
Moog Delay, Bass Murf, Drive, and chorus
Electro Harmonix delay, flange, reverb, phaser
Novation Bass Station, Bass Station II, Super Bass Station rack and drum station
Waldorf Blofeld
Roland JV-880, R8, MC-50
Boss SYB-3 synth filter, DD5 Delay, Metal Zone, and Hyper Fuzz

That last pedal, the Boss Hyper Fuzz, is the piece of gear I’ve had the longest and is a fundamental piece in all my favorite tracks. I started using it in 1993 with a guitar and amp, making feedback and learning how to get beautiful tones in noise. Later I started running 808 kicks (from the R8) and that began my hardcore and industrial catalog.

At Furthur you played a techno set on the Network 10 Venus stage on the Friday night, and then were called upon to take a Saturday night slot on the mainstage. You were able to perform a completely different style with no notice. How did that come about, and how much work goes into always being prepared to shift gears like that?

There were a lot of factors, but basically it boils down to something I heard in NYC years ago. Luck = preparation + opportunity. It’s sort of a Karate Kid thing, waxing the car and painting the fence over and over because it’s the next task in front of me then in all comes together in important moments like these.

The preparation element was being on tour that summer and playing about 15 shows before Furthur. They were DJ + live hybrid sets, each one being unique, something I did as a personal challenge. I was also pushing myself to move away from the safety of planned out sets and pick the first track of a set just seconds before I start. I’d try to launch off the moment, transitioning from the previous artist and reading the energy of the crowd. By the time of Furthur, I knew my gear, I knew my songs, and could enter and exit at any point. I was listening to Fixmer McCarthy’s last track and knew to pull up a techno track I did called “Pavement” that my friend Joey (Blush Response) had told me sounded like Nitzer Ebb. I knew my destination, which was to ramp things up to a hard set by Perc, and I was filling in for Lenny Dee, so each time I looked for a new track I simply thought, “harder.”

The other part was the opportunity, which came about through several tenuous, simultaneous threads. Even the night of the event, several random coincidences occurred (me watching the show from backstage, Perc being delayed at the airport, Joel not finding out that he was needed at 1am instead of 3am) but what is even more interesting to me were the threads that began more than a year and half before at a very small show in LA.

I had been booked to play a Thursday night in the outskirts of LA. I knew other people who had played this venue and liked it, but for whatever reason the turnout was really low. It was essentially artists performing for each other and about 5 other people. The venue was huge so it felt painfully empty. It was one of those nights where anyone could have bailed and no one would blame them. But my attitude is to do the best I can with whatever is in front of me so I enjoyed playing and listening to the sets on their big system, hung out with the other artists, and enjoyed the evening.

One of the other artists was JB (Zeller) from France. We hit it off and the next summer he booked several shows for us in Europe. In June, I played a hardcore set in Renne, posted it online, and that was heard by Maria 909 in New York. Later that summer, David (Cervello Elettronico) – who also was at the LA show – booked me to play at Nothing Changes in downtown New York. Maria showed up at that show, we hit it off, and a month later at Furthur she was key in advocating for me to play in Lenny Dee’s spot.

If I rewind the tape and think if I had bailed on that small LA show or had a bad attitude, would JB or David want to continue playing shows with me? Would I have been in Renne and Maria heard that recording, or met her in New York?

All of these elements combined to make that moment where Kurt asked me if I could play main stage with 5 minutes notice. Without hesitation I said yes and the rest was auto-pilot: Plug in the gear, get a sense of what to play immediately, and perform the best set I can play.

Do you see common elements that connect your entire body of work?

I think the common elements are darkness, hard-driven sounds, grief, and a sort melancholic beauty. That comes out in almost all my mediums – illustration, painting, film, and music. It can pendulate from hard techno to dark, beatless atmospheres. The Space Where She Was project is probably my biggest deviation from those themes because it moves into pretty, melodic sounds, although they are probably still on the dark side of the spectrum compared to most melodic music.

I think another element that comes out is that my body of work is uniquely me. Of course this or that element is going to overlap with my peers, but I don’t think people hear one of my tracks and say “oh that’s just like so and so.” I was talking to a friend in France who I did a remix for and he said “You’re an ovni in the industrial scene.” I asked what ovni was and he said “UFO,” meaning my sound is unique. I took that as the biggest compliment.

Over the years, I’ve heard many times that my music is too dark, too hard, too weird, too whatever. The benefit of that is I’ve developed an incredible amount of resilience and persistence. A few years ago I was in a slump and wondered if I should stop making music. I thought it through and wondered, “well, what else would I do?” and realized I’m built this way. I have to create. It’s not up to me. I wouldn’t be happy being a Wall Street broker or project manager or full-time dad. I find my equilibrium through creating. So I do it regardless of whether it’s going to land well with others or not. It’s emotional survival for me. There are times where it connects with a lot of people and times it doesn’t, and during the down times it becomes about what the music does for me, not others, that gives me persistence and meaning. It’s cynical, and usually with experimental music at some point it goes from being “weird” to most people to becoming “visionary.” It’s a validating feeling, but not something I need to count on to keep going.

Articles, Digitracks, Reviews

Sadistic – Another 30 Minutes Of Sonic Power [CSRDIGI010] – track review

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2017 starts out nicely as Sadistic’s digital EP Another 30 Minutes Of Sonic Power is released on Canadian Speedcore Resistance! It’s a sequel to his 25 Minutes of Sonic Power, which came out on CSR 2 years earlier. Sadistic’s previous works, as well as CSR’s latest releases, have gone by unnoticed for me so far and coming across this EP was a very pleasant surprise. His music is an interesting development in the primarily underground psychedelic hardcore, which has been evolving into many directions since early PCP releases. The EP consists of 4 tracks with cosmic themes and sounds expressing the intensity and mysteries of the universe in the form of hardcore. Sadistic is filling the gap between subgenres such as flashcore, crossbreed and UK hardcore techno (i.e. Deathchant etc.) as they are merged together into a unique fusion of space hardcore clocking in at around 210-217 bpm. Track elements include smashing and rolling bassdrums with a twist of higher laser frequencies, crossbreed snares, aethereal soundscapes and melodies as well as ASMR tingles inducing effects. Although the tracks are more easily digestible and dancefloor friendly than many of the more experimental flashcore releases, they don’t succumb into typical buildup and drop boredom either. There is enough variation to keep things interesting and everything flows smoothly. Soundtrack for inner space travel and cosmic dancefloors!

Track previews:

The EP can be bought on Hardtunes.

[UPDATE: Sadistic’s interview published!]

Articles

Scene Report: Northeast Ohio & Southwest Pennsylvania

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Growing up in Akron, Ohio, I was fortunate enough to be surrounded by a great music scene. Whether it be The Black Keys & The Pretenders from Akron, or heavy metal mainstays like Mushroomhead, Chimaira, Marilyn Manson, or Filter from Cleveland, drawing inspiration from home was easy. However, it wasn’t until my late teens that I began to hear some of what the region’s underground dance music scene had to offer.

My first ever show was a small weekly booking at The Vortex, a popular local club in Akron. My buddy Nate Woodruff, whom also comes from an instrumental background, booked me for this gig. I had been producing a few years prior but I felt it was my time to give DJing a go. Sadly, there was a steady learning curve I had to endure. As time went by, I not only began to learn the nuances of DJing, but also learned the lay of the land. Akron is an interesting city when it comes to underground dance music. First, you have many young bucks looking to take on the scene, promoting parties that tip the cap to modern dance music, with breakneck bass and steady aggressive sounds. But when one takes a step back, they can see that Akron is also a scene of thriving vintage and avant garde producers and promoters alike.

When an outsider asks of Akron and dance music, the first thing many people will tell them about is an event series called Contrive. This series has been around for years and showcases some of the best local DJs the scene has to offer. Primarily centered around the house genre (although other four on the floor sub-genres have been featured), these parties take you back to the nostalgic sounds of Brooklyn, Chicago, and Detroit. Ran by Mark Roscoe, these shows have a cult following of both new and old heads from the region. Featuring great DJs such as Justin Bailey, Joshua Gilliland (of Rubber City Promotions), Ricky Spanish and more, integrity is an abundant trait at this event.

Live set up for Contrive in Akron, Ohio. Credit: Rubber City Promotions

If house isn’t your taste, that’s ok. Another event that has popped up in the scene in recent years has been one of my own, Audio Arena. Once an outsider of the rave scene, it took a long time for me to comprehend what all of the fuss was about. When I would go to metal shows, it was an experience. People didn’t just stand and watch, and if they did, the band always gave it their all to keep everyone entertained. From there to watching one, or sometimes two people DJing…it was a tough transition. Because of this, I wanted to host parties that weren’t just a basic rave environment. In some way, shape, or form, these parties had to keep the attendees involved.

My first rule about Audio Arena is always featuring DJs of many different sub-genres on one bill. I have always believed that music variety is paramount in appreciating your own strengths, so whether it be house, trance, breakbeat, trap, dubstep, drum & bass, UK hardcore, hardstyle, or anything else that engages the mind, there is a place for it at my shows. But what makes my shows more unique is the location. Albeit stressful and expensive, we have been able to pull off three parties at laser tag arenas. They all went seamlessly, yet, I still wanted to break more barriers. In January of 2017, I threw the regions first ever trampoline park rave at Sky Zone in Boston Heights, Ohio. I was worried about many factors, but we ended up breaking an attendance record and by the end of the night, many were saying how it was one of the best parties they have ever been to.

Audio Arena 4.0 – Trampoline Park Edition, Boston Heights, OH. Credit: Maddeax Khole

But enough about me. Let’s continue. There are other promoters I want to give a shout out to, including Nick Baker of Kosmik Kahuna and Joseph Ryan of Druidic Productions, who throw events with style. I also want to make sure I mention two prominent local labels who have made huge imprints on the national and international scene. First, Sweetdrop Digital is a label ran by Justin Hachat AKA Justin David. This label specializes in the sounds of progressive trance, as well as working with other melodic sub-genres. Second, Crowsnest Audio is a label ran by Tyler Swan AKA Lord Swan3x, whom actually attended my high school alma mater. This label is known for its heavy bass music and has amassed great street teams in Canada and even overseas. Also worth mentioning is Crankdat, who is a rising star out of McDonald, Ohio by way of Kent State University. He rose to fame almost overnight and is now touring the country.

Before we move on, we would be remiss to leave out our neighbors to the north. Cleveland, Ohio has always had a vibrant scene, and it’s dance music scene is one you would expect from a major city. In the center of it all is Cumulus Entertainment, ran by Eric Weinart and Shaun Malone, respectively. This duo puts together phenomenal productions multiple times a year that rival most major events in places like Miami and Las Vegas. Their hallmark shows, Winter Warm Up & Radiate Festival, are thrown at the legendary Agora Theater & Ballroom and draw thousands of people every time Cumulus has an event.

Winter Warm Up 2016, Agora Theater, Cleveland, Ohio. Credit: Cumulus Entertainment

Another household promoter in Cleveland is Tru Events, headed by Michael Mellon. Tru Events would be the company known for bringing in all of the A list DJs on their major North American tours. Their venue of choice is Liquid, a club on West 6th Street in Downtown Cleveland. This venue is one of the best the city has to offer, with a 21st century feel, 360 bar, and industry-standard sound. It is very clear that if you find yourself in the confines of Northeast Ohio, and you feel the need to dance, you will most certainly find what you are looking for.

This is not where the story ends; not by a long shot. Only a short 111 miles away is the metropolis of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a melting pot of some of the best underground music in the United States. By nature, Pittsburgh has one of the oldest rave scenes in the nation, and as The Hard Data Founder DJ Deadly Buda can attest to, is still going as strong as ever. Back in the late 80’s and early 90’s, a group of DJs were inseparable, and little did they know that they were all destined for greatness. Turbo Zen Records was the name of the game, and these DJs ruled the land. Known then (and some now) as DJ Deadly Buda, +FX (now DJ Virus), Dieselboy, Richie Hawtin, and a few others, these performers took part in some of the more legendary parties in midwest raver lore, including Soul, High Voltage, and Power Rave 92′. Also in the house scene came a DJ who is still very much in the game. Known as Euphoria, Eric “DJ Strobe” Cohen was one of the leaders of the house movement in the city.

Fast forward to today and not much has changed, which is a very good thing. Pittsburgh is thriving with tons of promoters and DJs, all whom bring their own special signature to the scene. Let’s begin with Hardstyle Family, which is ran by Eric Wade. It’s not difficult to figure out what kind of parties that this company throws, but if you are THAT dense, they organize some of the better Hardstyle and Hardcore parties in the region. Although their long running series Rave So Hard is wildly successful, nothing can match the pure ferocity of Fantasyland Festival. This open air festival has been held in Ford City, PA for the last couple of years and features a main stage which is designed to visually jaw-drop each attendee. When the night gets darkest, a separate stage is open for silent disco, a very popular trend in the scene.

Fantasyland Festival 2016, Ford City, PA. Credit: ArcaneRaver23

If harder styles isn’t your thing, feel free to check out an event by 1UP Productions. This company is mainly ran by Ron “Rizzo” Gianfrancesco. These events are generally as multi-genre as you will find in the scene and include some of the most creative themes in the region, making for an always entertaining experience. Head down to their home venue, The Braddock Elks, for a great underground feel. Another great promoter is BC1 Productions, manned by T.J. Harris, whom like myself, gathers inspiration from the old school and brings it to the new. Although they don’t throw many shows annually, when they do, they pull out all the stops.

One of the more paramount promotional companies in Pittsburgh would have to be 1337. This company is fronted by the duo of Robert Burton and Justin Doverspike. Generally throwing a handful of events a year, they pride themselves on a well-executed marketing plan, outstanding visuals, and a lineup that is bested by very few. Over the years, 1337 has become the front-and-center company of Pittsburgh underground raving, and their promotional efforts don’t go unnoticed by anyone.

1337 “Era” NYE 2016 Party, Pittsburgh, PA. Credit: Jeff Poole

Last summer, I was fortunate to be a part of Shipwrecked Festival, which was held at Club Changes just north of Pittsburgh in New Castle, PA. This was the second Shipwrecked Festival and was ran by G.O.D. Audio/Visual Productions, in conjunction with Dirty Ramen. These companies are ran with loads of experience by Ben Bridegum and Sean Lush, respectively. If you are looking for that essential variety we all crave, both of these promoters know what it’s all about and bring it to the masses.

Last but not least, we have some fresh promoters in the business, although one would not know it at first glance. Bass Technology is ran by Sammy Padgett and has thrown some of 2016’s most memorable events. Leading this is the event series, Invaders of Outer Bass, which in the Fall of 2016 was thrown at Cruze Bar. With some of the best club sound I have heard in Pittsburgh, this show drew hundreds of people and reminded us that the Pittsburgh scene will be thriving for generations to come. Also relatively fresh to the scene is Bassburgh Promotions, ran by the three-headed monster of Kevin Petted, Seth Hoover, and Chris Stankay. This trio throws events more frequently than some of the aforementioned promoters, and they still manage to do so with superb precision, locking down headliners and a very solid supporting cast.

Although these seem to be the names to remember in the underground, there are still many other niches in the Pittsburgh scene. For instance, 2step Tuesdays is a weekly get together at the Tiki Lounge, which is one of the most unique bars I have ever been to. Headed by Miaa Rigby, this weekday party is a nice change of pace, generally featuring more downtempo music that still gives an electronic edge. Hot Mass is another major gathering of likeminded folks. This nightclub in the heart of Pittsburgh shows that techno, house, and other smooth sounding rhythms are very much welcome in the scene. Some of the DJs featured at this club are of legendary reputation. If you want to see a true art form, this is where you would go. Last but not least is a show series called Lazercrunk, which is organized by Geoff Maddock. This event series focuses on avant garde genres, specifically breakcore, and is currently hosted at Belvederes Ultra-Dive. National and international acts come from all parts of the globe to participate in this one of a kind party.

There are so many other people and places I am leaving out in this midwestern gold mine of music, but I have run out of time. I will leave that for you to discover. After all, some of the best treasures are found, not given. So if you are looking to breakdance to breakbeat, shuffle to hardstyle, twerk to trap, or do whatever your heart desires, you would be foolish to find yourself out of options in this Mid-American masterpiece.

Articles, Events, Reviews

Basscon presents Angerfist, Radical Redemption, Minus Militia and The Hard Data Ballroom Takeover Event Review

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December 23 was the return of Basscon to the Belasco Theater in Los Angeles. Unlike previous Basscon shows however, this promised to be very different. Insomniac managed to bring out a very special lineup featuring exclusively raw hardstyle and hardcore acts, a first for Basscon! In the main room, Basscon featured Angerfist, Radical Redemption solo set, and the US premiere of  Minus Militia. In the Ballroom was The Hard Data’s very own Ballroom Takeover, featuring The Hard Data DJ Team – DJ Deadly Buda, Mindcontroller and Lost Boy. The hype for the US debut of Minus Militia, along with the return of Angerfist, brought a larger than life crowd, even selling out the show in the last few days of ticket sales. It was raining hard when many of the partygoers arrived at Belasco and many were getting drenched while waiting for security, but as I watched people get checked in, the excitement on their faces was palpable. Everyone knew they were in for a good night!

Belasco’s two separate rooms allowed the crowd to wander around the venue between the two stages easily and get a little taste of all the artists playing that night. I was reminded of many fond memories from previous shows at this venue as I walked in hearing Darksiderz playing one my favorite hardstyle tracks, TNT & Audiofreq – Screwdriver, as I made my way to the Ballroom.

The Ballroom was packed full of loyal hardcore heads for The Hard Data DJ Team and I felt like I was immediately surrounded by friends from all over coming up to say hi. Mindcontroller was on the decks when we walked in, and we made our way over to see The Hard Santa. My friends and I told him to check his list, and he said despite us being very naughty this year, he still had a present for us – The Hard Data Ballroom Blitz CD – a special CD mixed with everything from raw hardstyle to happy hardcore to hardcore and uptempo. I always love receiving CD’s at shows and I knew we would be listening to this on the drive home!

The Hard Santa passing out The Hard Data DJ Team Ballroom Blitz CDs

We bid Santa farewell and did a time check; there was just enough time to grab a drink at the bar and make our way to the dancefloor before Radical Redemption. As we walked to our ususal spot we had the pleasure of running into Chain Reaction and Crypsis! I had a short conversation with them and Chain Reaction told me that he was very excited to play for the US crowd for the first time. Crypsis added that it was exciting for them all to finally bring Minus Militia to the US.

I looked around the room and it was packed as Darksiderz finished his set. The anticipation for Radical Redemption to begin had built an immense amount of excitement from the crowd. When Radical took to the stage his powerful baselines and melodies echoed throughout The Belasco! Radical’s set was a whirlwind of raw hardstyle and his set included a great mix of some of his popular tracks, including Smack Bitches, HardBass Tribute, Suicide Baseline, and a collection of his iconic Brutal tracks including: Brutal 3.0, as well as crowd favorites Brutal 5.0 and his brand new Brutal 6.0.

As Radical Redemption finished his set it was time for a short intermission while Joey (Radical) ran to get his wardrobe changed for the Minus Militia set. In the meantime while the crowd waited, a live vocal female singer alongside Darksiderz kept the corwd entertained. As we waited, I looked over to the bar and I noticed Angerfist standing nearby. I went to go talk with him and he also mentioned to me that he was excited to play. He said that it was amazing to see so many people come out for the night and he couldn’t wait to play some hardcore for us! It was at this time I saw Crypsis, Chain Reaction and Radical Redemption take their place crouched behind the decks in their flack jackets and preparing for their US assault. Finally, it was time for the US debut of Minus Militia!
What happened next is hard to put into words. The lasers created a web of light over the crowd and powerful kick rolls and screeches brought so much energy to the crowd, I thought the barricade fence at the front of the stage was going to fall over from the force of the crowd that raged behind it! Their set included Obey and Arise (Official Militant Mayhem 2016 Anthem), Cracking Your Ribs, The Genesis (Supremacy 2014 Anthem). To complete the Minus Militia experience, Chain Reaction stood at the edge of the stage waving the large red minus Militia flag over the crowd before finally throwing it out to one very lucky fan.

Last but certainly not least, it was time for Angerfist to unleash hardcore upon the crowd. The mosh pit that had formed for Minus Militia grew as people dug deep to finish the night with hardcore. Angerfist pounded the crowd with his track selection, including classic tracks like Incoming, The Depths of Despair, Streetfighter, The Voice of Mayham, Strange Man In Mask and Just Like Me. I was also very excited to hear (and from the cheers of the crowd so were they) when Angerfist crossed over into dropping several frenchcore tracks, including The Sickest Squad ft. Lenny Dee -Minimal is Criminal, Radium – Rocking Fire, and his collabs with Dr. Peacock – Caveman and Inframan.

Overall I thought that the night was a blast and I hope that this show opens the door for Basscon to throw more exclusively raw hardstyle and hardcore events! Relive the night and check out some of our photos here. Up next for Basscon – Check out 15 Years of TNT featuring TNT aka Technoboy and Tuneboy, Audiofreq and Mekanikal on January 21, and Atmosfears’ North American GATE Tour featuring Atmosfears, Code Black and Tuneboy with a ‘Classics’ set on February 24th.

In closing, I would just like to take an opportunity to say a very special thank you to my friend Elise Valiquette aka DJ unicorns for her help with this article and for the continued adventures we have together, Joel Bevacqua and The Hard Data for continuing to allow me to contribute, and thank you to all my friends (too many of you all to name) who continue to come out to shows and create such great memories with me! 2016 was epic, have a safe and happy New Year and I hope to see you all in 2017!

– CabZ

Articles, Events, Reviews

Winterfresh Music Festival 2016 Event Review

Saturday, December 3 was the return of Fresh Entertainment’s winter-themed festival to Los Angeles – Winterfresh Music Festival. The night promised to host a variety of styles in separate rooms throughout the venue, from hard dance, house, trance, dubstep and drum and bass -all of which I fully intended to check out at the beginning of the night- but, like a Siren luring unexpecting sailors to their doom, the Hardstyle Arena stage sucked me in at the be-ginning of the night and I remained until the end of the show.

The day had been marked on my calendar since the announcement of Partyraiser’s return to LA and DJ Thera’s US debut at the end of Hardstyle Arena: Raw and Disorder, and my Facebook timeline seemed to be teasing me and building my anticipation for this show. The complete lineup for the Hardstyle Arena stage featured
artists Non Toxic, Eni, Alex Kidd (who unfortunately was unable to perform due to visa issues), DJ Thera, Partyraiser, Lady Dammage, and was to be hosted by the legendary MC Ruffian. I was excited for potential of the night ahead – 2 US premier arists and especially uptempo hardcore!

I walked into the venue and I caught up with some friends from AZ I hadn’t seen in awhile, grabbed a drink at the bar, and then proceeded to the Hardstyle Arena stage where I caught the end of Non Toxic’s set. I looked around and noticed the room had been converted into a winter wonderland to enhance the winter theme of the night. There were snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, large snow covered trees on the stage, Christmas lights, and Fresh had even thought to add a custom Winterfresh Snapchat filter! When Non Toxic finished with their final track my friend DJ Eni took to the decks. I had just interviewed Eni before the show, so I was excited for his performance and was really entertained by his track selection of reverse bass and oldschool to get the crowd warmed up! Approximately halfway through his set, Eni brought up a special guest, DJ Hauyon, and together they premiered their DJ team, the Druglordz, and even premiered their first collab – Dominator (Druglordz Reverse Bass remix).

Following Eni/Druglordz’s performance, MC Ruffian stepped up to the crowd and introduced DJ Thera for his US debut. Chances are if you’ve been a fan of hardstyle or hardcore for awhile you have heard Ruffian’s voice; he was the legendary voice of Qlimax until 2015 and can be heard in countless aftermovies and livesets from shows overseas. Ruffian’s familiar tone of voice paired with the cadence of his speech were instantly recognizable and I was exciting to hear him right in my hometown. Before Thera could perform his first track however, there was a special pause in the action- a marriage proposal! One of the dancers was called to the front of the stage, and the crowd created an opening. Her boyfriend stepped up to her and a banner unfolded behind him asking if she would marry him, she said yes! It was a very special moment in their lives and it was touching to be apart of it.

It was then time for DJ Thera to take the spotlight. Anyone familiar with DJ Thera’s music, or his Theracords label knew that his set would feature a variety of classics as well as raw hardstyle. It was exciting to see him perform and I thought he represented himself and his style well for his US premiere. A few of the tracks that he performed included MYST – Man Bear Pig, The Sexual Thrill, and of course the Winterfresh Anthem ft. MC Ruffian.

By the end of Thera’s set people getting wild, the laser production was on point, drinks were flowing, and looking around I could tell people were having a great time. I also had a feeling that everyone there had prepared themselves to go harder for DJ Partyraiser, and I knew moshpits were inevitable. Partyraiser’s high energy DJ style took the crowd to the next level, and his set include one of his most acclaimed tracks – Sound Becomes One with Destructive Tendencies, as well as his new track with F. Noise under their alias Scaphase – Enter the Snakepit (Snakepit 2016 anthem), but one of the most unique reactions from the crowd that I got to witness during his set was when he dropped F*ck It by Lunakorpz and American uptempo/terror DJ Tim Shopp. I was so proud of not only the recognition of the crowd to Tim’s track, but at the conscious effort of Partyraiser to play it and give a subtle nod to American hardcore during is set.

Finally to end the night, it was the US Premier of Lady Dammage, and I will say I don’t think anyone was prepared for what she had in store for us! Hardcore, uptempo and terror were all the menu and Lady Dammage serve it up relentlessly! I never thought I would get to see Lady Dammage perform, much less in the US! I don’t know if some partygoers even knew what hit them, and for anyone who may have missed it, check out her track with Broken Minds Thunder God (240bpm edit!!), and Fear Me Bitches that she played that night.

In closing, I would just like to say that this night was incredible! Fresh’s attention to detail and the quality of their events should put Fresh events on anyone’s “must attend” wishlist. Ruffian added an element to the party by interacting with the crowd’s energy, and along with the lasers, sound quality, and the banging lineup, I know Thera, Partyraiser and Lady Dammage will confirm that California knows how to party! I really enjoyed myself very much and I look forward to their next event, which will be sooner than you think- Fresh has just announced of the resurrection of another one their retired themes, Fresh Days… stay tuned for more info to come!