Hard Haunted Mansion NYC (review, interview)
Monday, October 24, 2011 at 11:37 PM Photo by: Brian Reilly
By: Kate Reilly
HARD did it again, this time bringing its Halloween tradition to NYC. For the past four years, HARD has hosted HARD Haunted Mansion the weekend before Halloween at the Shrine Expo Hall in LA. Well, this weekend was the first HARD Haunted Mansion Pre-Party at Terminal 5 in NYC featuring two dubstep legends, Skream & Benga!
DESTRUCTO, aka Gary Richards founder of HARD, started off Saturday night getting the crowd pumped for the four acts to come. He played a variety of songs including his newest single “Technology feat. Oliver”.
Next up was UK’s Gesaffelstein who played his first ever live NYC show and he did not disappoint.
The U.S.’s own Dillon Francis came on after and his electronic vibe had everyone in T5 on their feet and dancing. The song of the night had to be his newest single, released not even a week ago, “I.D.G.A.F.O.S.” Dillon Francis is definitely someone to keep an eye out for in the future. If he keeps playing how he did last night, there is nothing but great things to come.
From the UK came programmer, producer, and DJ, Joker. Joker was able to get the crowd all ready for Skream & Benga by playing not only his original songs but also a remixed version of Magnetic Man’s “I Need Air”.
Finally the men of the hour, Skream & Benga! Seeing Skream & Benga two previous times, they definitely took their set to a whole other level. They did not start off playing the well-known remixes and Magnetic Man songs we all know and love, but instead played their heavier dubstep and Disco music. They had Sgt. Pokes MCing the whole set with chants like “ When I say Skream, you say Benga!” Without a doubt Skream & Benga killed it!
Overall HARD NYC went all out and partied HARDER than ever before.
A moment with Skrean & Benga before the show:
You guys have always had a melodic dubstep feel and a wide range in style, can you explain some of the trends we are seeing in today’s dubstep?
S- Sarcastically answers, “ We love it” pauses “I can’t stand it”
Sgt. Pokes-“ I love it in regards to the old melody sort of stuff, I think you need to have that, that aspect of things when talking about the current sound. What’s changed is less producers have got an identity because more producers are all trying to emulate other people, so you end up going to a night where you hear that sound the whole night, so those kind of tunes, high energy tunes have no dynamic because you go from one to the next, to the next, to the next, to the next, so its just like, like a constant kind of, you know so there is no deeps and tropes, its just like a solid song. “
Skream - Although you put out two albums last year, is there an album in the works for 2012?
S- Laughs, put his hand over his eyes
B- “ He’s albumed out”
S- “ I’m just taking some time out to, to try and get back on making songs again. My new single [Anticipate feat. Sam Frank] is coming out on November 14th.”
Benga- it has been a few years since you put out an album – any plans for one in 2012?
“ In April, hopefully.”
Skream – Your new song Anticipate feat. Sam Frank is HUGE right now – can you explain the story and emotions behind that song?
S- “ The song is written, it’s like a message to an unborn child. I just had a child like three months ago and Sam Frank who wrote this song was also expecting. Yea it’s like we are just exploiting our children basically, nah I’m joking. Yea, that is what it is.”
Magnetic Man – What are the plans for Magnetic Man in the future? New Album?
S- “ Yea, definitely in 2012.” In regards to a tour, “ there won’t be any more Magnetic Man shows until the album is done.”
Think Magnetic Man will tour in the US?
S-“ A million percent yes, if we have room we will do a world tour.”
What rising dubstep artists should we be on the lookout for in the coming year?
B- “ There’s a guy called Rumble, 16 years old.”
S- “xKore is sick! Dismantled, he’s definitely the one to watch.”
