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Well I dont know how big this review will be but if I had all the time in the world I wouldn't be able to summarize how amazing this night was. Getting there was absolutely no problem, the place looks like a fortress from the outside which added to the atmosphere and vibe so much so that I couldn't imagine a more fitting place for the German duo to make their Montreal debut.
I got there around 1:30, when they were supposed to start, but by the time I got in and in front of the lap-tops, they were still prepping and the previous DJ was laying down some banging tracks getting people in the mood and ready for the main attraction. Around 1:50 the DJ stops his last track, everyone claps and the two masterminds rise to greet their adoring fans. I was front and center the whole time they were doing their live show except the one time I ran back to buy water (thanks to the visuals that reminded me...a stick-figure drinking from a water fountain with the words drink flashing on and off!) and ran back to my spot. Ame Shaffhausen is the tall man of the group and Wayan Raabe is the shorter and smaller one. The former was on the Macs primarily and the latter was on the knobs but they were switching spots here and there. Needless to say, for anyone who's heard of their tracks (and who hasn't for godsakes?!?!) their live set was flawless from start to finish. Starting with brooding base that shook the walls of the fortress, progressing into glitch-like latin-flavored beats and synths, always having the insect-like chirps and quirks with divine melodies that made you think you were part of the underwater world of electronic dance music. Their use of voice-samples was perfectly balanced through-out the whole set reminding you of Zab at some points but never letting you forget that theirs' are from another planet, another dimensia, another galaxy of infinite possibilities.
Their live set was punctuated by their hit tracks, all expertly placed at the exact right moments, and in order of occurance these were:
Soopertrack
Fernweh
Stammgast
Titelheld (closing track of the live set, the one that absolutely tore the roof off the house and made every single person in the crowd gasp for breath and life)
Of course each one was a completely different (and 100X better) experience than the original versions you can find on beatport and the ones that countless of DJs spin nowadays most notably Sven Vath and James Holden, the two label-gods that have Extrawelt's biggest hits under their wing.
When they finished, Ame quickly took out and dusted the starting record for his DJ set. By this time I needed a cigarette and I got outside to smoke it. My only brake during the whole night.
As I walked back I awarded myself with a Guru-Smoothie (yummy) and danced the rest of their DJ set with the biggest smile on my face. They tagged for the set, one playing this one, the other searching for the next one and asking his buddy whether it was a good choice. The amount of respect they showed each other in their preformance is somehting all DJs need to aspire to, truly professional and loving.
Of the tracks they played I know one is most often spun by Vath and is out-of-this-world magnificent but for the life of me I do not know the name of it. The other was of course the one I mentioned in my first post, Holden's Lump, and I can't think of a better closer for them. The poor dude who was supposed to continue the vibe after them was mock-pulling his hair out for Lump and finally couldnt even manage to mix in his track but let it conclude by itself and then had to wait a good 5 minutes while the whole crowd screamed,yelled,hollered ,shouted and clapped to the the two geniuses.
Ame told the next DJ they were going to go upstairs for a break and a smoke so I took my opportunity to run to the front and get to meet them. Wayan came first and I shook his hand, thanked him for their set, told him they were amazing 3 times (I was honestly speechless, no other words were coming out of my mouth) and told him I hope they come back very soon. He listened to me intently and thanked me, told me he was glad I enjoyed it and that he hopes they come back soon as well.
Regular fan-boy to DJ 20 second conversation but I felt my night couldn't of gone without it. Ame passed by us while I was talking to his partner so I didn't get the chance to thank him but there was a specific moment in the night when he saw me and I thanked him silently with my hands to which he put his on his heart and mouthed 'thank you' , which is enough for me.
I left as soon as they went upstairs, more satisfied than I thought I would be and so happy that this will be one of the parties I will remember clearly for a long time to come.
All in all my fellow TAs, with all the posts that are going on now about Dj Mags 100 poll and the Pvds, Avbs and Tiestos that still rule the popularily and get all the money they don't deserve, it is parties like these that comfort me into thinking true edm still exists as an art. The fact that there were only two or three of us from this board that went to the party only shows how absolutely twisted the opinion of music of the board-members are (apart from the ones who genuinely wanted to come of course but couldn't because of money or jobs).
Thank you Ame Shaffhausen and Wayan Raabe, you are masters of the art and true pioneers that will only continue to grow and get to influence countless of aspiring DJs and artists.
MT
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