The haze has lifted and the body is mending itself back together. First off, thanks to everyone who can’t out over the past weekend; to everyone who sent a kind message; and of course to the venues and bands who made this possible and gave it their all.
DDC has been my de facto venue for putting together showcases for some time now. Our first rendezvous was for the epic (how did that even come together?) Fake Fuzz Fest held back in 2014 – a two-day fest of music, food, and art that put Mr. Gaymer and me through the wringer. So it only felt appropriate (and masochistic clearly) to go back to where it all started and throw myself into the pits of hell. But oh, what glorious music was made over Friday and Saturday. Every band was firing on all cylinders and I couldn’t have been more honored.
Night one kicked off with none other than Guiguisuisui, an affiliate of mine who’s gone through evolution after evolution over the years, slowly metamorphosing into an avant-garde art rock duo that feels like a CNY celebration laced crossed with a peyote trip. It’s a world filled to the brim with detail and is unlike anything I’m seen.
Run Run Run have been proving themselves to be one of the instrumental scene’s most vital players – instilling their tropical sprawling sound with mellowed-out grooves and layers of freewheeling guitar dissonance that can easily sweep you away leave you in a daze – for the occasion, they had Zhao Kai (vocalist of Bedstars) on the mic leading the band deeper into the weeds of mischievousness, whose dry delivery and often hilarious prose fit nicely alongside the band’s penchant for surrealism.
Last Goodbye has long been one of my favorites – they have a way around a rhythm that feels devilishly propulsive – it particularly begs you to dance. Dream pop embedded with aplomb and lush elasticity – dangerous and tender all at once.
SNSOS, fresh off their EP, by the way, gave probably the finest performance in their already storied career, and I’d be lying if I say I didn’t get more than a little misty-eyed at the end of their set. Simply put, they brought the house down, jumping with facility from song to song, infusing their sound with math rock playfulness, emo rock pulp, and post-rock crescendos that are brimming with youthful vitality.
Closing out the night was veteran electronic producer thruoutin, who utilizes everything from Chicago footwork to field recordings to create a dizzying genre-bending concoction that’s both dance floor ripper and bedroom mixer. And what a treat he gave audiences (we were past 2am at this point mind you) – turning his set into a propulsive work-out session (think Spinner class) providing uplifting quips and slogans to keep the party cranked to 11. One of the finest curtain calls ever too. So yeah, night one wrecked me!
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