It was around 8pm, two hours into London duo Dusky’s four hour Sunday evening serving of techno, when the night felt like, in retrospect, it reached a premature climax. The crowd had settled into a elated rowdiness, bathing in the tidal swells of Dusky’s deft command of build and release, the drops that mustered an errant, “Woo,” an hour prior were now eliciting barn-wide cheers of approval. This was open-air festival spirit, contained in a CBD market.
To the crowd’s merit, the energy sustained a momentum that belied the increasingly hushed mix in the PA. “Turn it up, turn it up,” was the futile chant as a flustered-looking Ten Walls commanded the stage. The Lithuanian producer offered an emphatic look, as if to say he’s doing the best he can. The oppressive, menacing scale of Ten Walls’ beats compensated for the imposed decibel limit. Penultimate selection Requiem, a huge tune with a capital, “TUUUUNE,” was supplemented by a crowd-wide chant of its blown out melodic stomp.
Maybe I’m making too big a deal about the lack of volume. It’s just frustrating to perceive a trending shift in music festival focus from the music. This ain’t Melbourne Soft Shell Crab Burger Week y’all.
BY LACHLAN KANONIUK
Loved: Sea of shoulder-adorned fist-pumpers for Requiem.
Hated: Have a guess.
Drank: Too many VRBs for a Sunday.
