Recently in Superb Shows Category

A couple weekend ago I had the pleasure of seeing SOS play in Miami. Again, I had high expectations for this supergroup. Miami is one of those places that doesnt get started until the sun comes up, so SOS did not go on until about 3am.

The music was just mediocre. Yes, they had some compelling tracks sprinkled throughout, but nothing that seemed cohesive and moving as a complete set. The funky house music is gone and has given way to the techy feel that is pervasive in today's dance music.

Of course, I missed their tag team set up on the terrace around 6am, so maybe they picked up the pace!

I wish I could see them again back in the hayday of 2006-2007 and even earlier parts of 2008. It seems as if music genres are cyclical, so hopefully the great SOS will come back for those who are longing for more.

Last Saturday evening I traveled to Chicago to watch one of my favorite groups, SOS, deliver a set at Vision nightclub. SOS has been my favorite group for years now and always goes above and beyond what I expect at any time.

Their performance Saturday was nothing less than spectacular. From opening to end, Desyn, Demi, and Omid worked together so well to create an awesome aural experience.

I'm always amazed how these 3 guys can coordinate their actions and sounds coming from 6 cdj's, 3 mixers, and effects all over the place. Must take a ton of practice. I managed to secure a position from above the stage to watch the magic happen. Blinking lights everywhere made it look like the cockpit of a space shuttle.

While the performance, mixing, effects, and layers of sounds were of excellent quality, the selection of tracks and music is changing from their typical soulful, playful and uplifting house feeling. Now I realize that the three guys each bring a whole different background of music, genres, and experiences to the table, however the impression that the music leaves on your soul is of a different feeling and character than past shows from these guys.

The music they were playing was a punchy, hard, in your face kudoosh that leaves you feeling overwhelmed by all the different sounds, layers, and effects coming from every direction. There were a few classics thrown in throughout the entire set and of course at the very end the epic house/disco feeling classic by Roman Salzger and Manuel Tur - Won't Change.

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to such greatness and will continue going to as many of their shows as I can. However I miss that fun-loving, inspiring, and moving sound that leaves you just happy at the end rather than worn out by the barrage of kudoosh to the face.

I first saw the Bugger at the Frikki Tikki Boat party last march in Miami. After experiencing his set then, I was expecting a full-on minimal set with repetitive, driving bass lines and tech style grooves. But last Friday night he blew me away.

The Bugger came on about 10 minutes past 1am at the newly re-designed Spybar in downtown Chicago. The crystal clear sound system accurately reproduced the soulful sounds Steve thrusted upon our ears.

His performance broke down musical boundaries and seamlessly entertwined the deep soul of minimal with theatrical layers of story telling sounds. Each new song he displayed was a fantastically represented expression of feeling. What got me was that I was expecting plain and simple minimal that you have to groove to. But the Bugger's music incorporated that and so much more.

His minimal and tech style was apparent in the base layers, creating the foundation to build upon. However, this music had soul. He built upon the minimal bass-lines with industrious, melodic progressions to capture the mood and inject fantastic feelings into your heart.

The Bugger has elevated himself to one of my favorite DJ's out there right now. Right along the likes of Desyn, Steve Bug knows how to give a performance and a great show. See him if you can!

The bug has bitten. And what a fantastic bite it was!
 

Related articles by Zemanta

• Steve Bug