As this music culture begun by experimental producers in the underground scene of early-millennium London continues to evolve and transform into myriad subgenres and styles, the general public that’s not privy to frequenting raves and light shows remains in the dark, and the music fest regulars remain divided about what exactly is going on underneath all the womps and scratches.
One of the biggest names and most divisive figures in this equation is Sonny Moore, also known as the five-time Grammy-nominated electronic DJ, Skrillex, whose sold-out performance at The Moon in Tallahassee on Monday, Dec. 12, as part of his Mothership Tour still has the town’s ears ringing.
After reinventing himself into Skrillex about three years ago, the Los Angeles native and former lead screamer of From First to Last has taken the traditional wobbly bass of dubstep and basically thrown it into a hyperactive hadron collider and then cranked it until it sounds like pulsing vomit from the mouth of Satan himself. He’s selected the most extreme and energetic nuances out of traditional dubstep, combined them with an epilepsy-inducing spectacle of light, and amplified everything to the highest gauge the average concert-goer’s senses can realistically process.
By injecting this style into his own versatile beats along with remixes of some of the most popular acts in the pop world including La Roux, Lady Gaga and Benny Benassi, Skrillex has heralded dubstep’s transition into the mainstream by making the perfect music for the current demographic of American college thrill-seekers.
As a result, opinions on his public reputation are somewhat polarized.
Whereas some praise his eccentricity and originality, others lambast him for spitting out the opiate of an idiotic mass while portentously mourning the loss of the subtleties of dubstep past. If the performance at the Moon is any indication, however, audiences don’t seem to mind about the latter group’s opinions.
That distinction is crucial to understanding what Skrillex, and dubstep in general, is and is doing in this generation.
The music is less interested in impressing critics and music aficionados than it is in driving hordes of people together with synthesized, synchronized and syncopated impulses. On Monday night, the Moon was host to all walks of life: constant ravers sporting electronic toys in their mouths and rainbow Pomeranians on their boots, frat boys caught in a continuum of fist bumps, hip-hop enthusiasts, MDMA-riddled dancers, artists seeking inspiration in the sheer spectacle of it all, PLUR-obsessed “Kandy Kids,” wide-eyed newcomers and seasoned veterans alike. In that moment when Skrillex screams through the music for everyone to jump to the beat together and dance, though, it’s impossible to not feel connected to the hundreds of people whose brains are being massaged in unison by dozens of stage-dominating speakers, regardless of any previous division.
When cannons of confetti blast out over you and every individual piece changes color with the rhythmic pattern of dizzying lights, a feeling of elation is unavoidable. It’s no wonder there were guys handing out Capri Suns and “Good Vibe Tribe” arm bracelets free of charge near the front of the stage; the love in all that madness is undeniable.
Even so, the music is like a f***ing religious experience the first time you hear it live.
All these elements showcase how an artist like Skrillex can still sell out during a recession when the average ticket price is so extreme. For example, if you weren’t lucky enough to get involved in one of the Tallahassee-based contests like local clothing company Top Notch Era’s free ticket promotion a few months back, the average price ended up upwards of $120.
While it was previously dismissed as an inevitable fad that would just fade away quietly, it’s now clear that dubstep is here to stay. With the rise of artists like opening acts Foreign Beggars and Two Fresh and Skrillex’s cementation in music history with the first-ever Grammy nominations for an electronic artist, it’s easy to see that dubstep is a powerball that’s ready to roll full steam ahead.
Hopefully the post-modern hippies of the dubstep movement will pave the way for a more tolerant world. Every generation does have its soundtrack to freedom and love, after all. Ours just happens to involve raging.
