Lurking in the corners; sneaking into the hottest spots in town—The Shadow takes the pulse of the Valley’s nightlife scene.
October 31, 2011. All Hallows’ Eve. Three years ago I was preparing for one of the best concerts I have ever seen, but I didn’t know that yet. Halloween is always a good time, especially when you’re attending one of the top party schools in the country in the country. (Fork ‘em!)
That night, I was going to see the dubstep master himself, Skrillex, with four of my closest friends. There are a lot of preconceived notions about the mix master these days, but back then, we were just in it for the good vibes. Skrillex’s screeching, industrial sound made us want to dance. We worked on our glow-in-the-dark skeleton costumes, which were a hit, and you bet we shook those bones. We got to the show, found our dancing partners and waited for Skrillex to play.
I really don’t even remember who opened for him that night. All I remember is Skrillex, his stage production with insane visual designs and his heart-thumping set set. He incorporated hip-hop, dubstep and remixed songs, driving the crowd for Skrillex has been a rollercoaster. I don’t think it was Skrillex himself that made me question if I liked him or not—it was dubstep and the scene in general. The genre overwhelmed me. Here was this bunch of loud and hard computer noises thrown together with little melody. I couldn’t process it.
Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed Skrill’s first album, Recess, but I wasn’t too interested in his music after that. Unless, of course, it was a live show, which is why you should see his absolutely bonkers. The show has since made it to my top 5 concert list. I still remember it like it was yesterday.
After the concert, we went to Old Town’s Smashboxx to keep the party going. Although the crowd wasn’t big, it didn’t kill our vibe. The best part
was that I was still 20, so the thrill of getting into Scottsdale’s “rave cave” was exciting—especially since the security that hadn’t let me in a week before was again checking our fake IDs. We passed. Now Smashboxx is closed and only lives in my head, compartmentalized under “Under 21 moments of badassery.”
Throughout these past years, my love show at Mesa Amphitheatre on October 9, even if you’re burnt out dubstep. Shows in venues like this are always best because they’re more personal than a massive fest like EDC or Ultra. And if you’re feeling a little antsy, don’t worry. The rave culture is so accepting of one another and newcomers. They permeate good vibes all around.
Skrillex is some entry level shizz. If you’ve never been to a dance music event, now’s the time you can check it out without committing to a full-fledged festival. Choke it up and prepare to get down with the industry “it” boy. He just wants to get you dancing.
