quoted 7 lines On the subject of Mr. James' live set, I was hoping someone on the list
> On the subject of Mr. James' live set, I was hoping someone on the list
> could tell me what exactly he was doing at the Strange Days event. My
> memory of the entire evening is hazy at best-- all I remember is him
> playing an Eon track-- was he simply DJing or did he play any of his own
> material live? I don't recall recognizing anything. Any enlightenment on
> this matter would be greatly appreciated...
>
I've posted about this a few times as it was quite a formative event in
my young life. I'm looking at the flyer that I dug out right now.
Saturday, September 17, 1994. The week before I had gone to lollapalooza
to check out the beasties, smashing pumpkins, tribe called quest, etc.
but instead remember being blown away by Stereolab who made the fans
standing around the second stage put their fingers in their ears.
Another life changing performance. Anyhow, standing in the long line to
get into the event I happened to see a rave flyer in the dust. I picked
it up and read the back: Dee-Lite (only LA performance), Aphex Twin
(only west coast performance), Jason Bentley, John Bishop, Doc Matin,
Mark E. Quark, Markie Mark (sf), Frank C., Chris Flores, Orlando. Ticket
price: $10. doh! I had picked up promos of the domestic On single and
SAWII at a record show not too long before and I was intrigued. I didn't
get it really. I had no idea of the amazing world that was waiting out
there for me. I found a fresh flyer for the event on a table and stuffed
it in my pocket. Bought tickets at Tower the next day. We (my
girlfriend, 2 mates and one of their brothers girlfriends) drove up to
Downtown LA that night not knowing what to expect. As we got closer to
the skyscrapers we could see searchlights in the sky and lasers dancing
in the air. It looked like something out of Akira. We got a brief
glimpse of the event from the freeway as we approached the parking area
and our jaws dropped. If you've seen the end of Strange Days you know
what I mean. Imagine being there, it was fucking surreal. Parked in the
structure and got on a bus that drove us to the entrance. We were fed
nice catered snacks and had all the water we could drink. Around the
main stage where giant video screens playing the new years eve 2000
footage that is in the film. Several assault type vehicles were about
with cops in riot gear and military garb. You couldn't tell who was a
real cop and who wasn't. The first few hours were mostly your boring
standard rave techno. boom boom boom. The event was MC'd by some lame
east-side deep house crew it seemed like. Lots of shaved heads and
waving of Mexican flags. You figure it out. I wandered around the
filming area and snuck around back and got to meet Ralph Fiennes. He
looked like shit. My girlfriend and mates were picked up as extras and
are actually in the film. If you look at the scene on the ground right
after the countdown and they throw the confetti and some people run
across the screen and the film cuts. My girlfriend is the one in the
hat. Anyhow, after a few hours of meeting up with people I knew and just
checking things out dee-lite took the stage. I watched from the side.
Not very interesting, but the ravers seemed to get into it. A few other
dj's followed and then suddenly the music took a turn for the hard and
nasty. Stupid deep house cuts were replaced with nasty acid lines and
606 beats. I looked up on stage and there was some geezer with an
enormous beard. I reckoned he was about 40. Totally emotionless, just
cuing up the records and letting them rip. Some people were into it,
others were not. The Deep House crew MC took the mike and shouted at the
audience "come on people lets hear it for Aphex Twins! Aphex Twins!" So
this was the Aphex Twin. I watched his dj set and was hooked. I had no
concept of rephlex or hard acid or fucking idm or anything like that but
after that night I was a changed man. I was...a trainspotter :)
_____
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(/ ReSH
Live & Direct from the G-Spot,
Orange County, California, USA
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