Electric Zoo 2011
Unfathomable amounts of ridiculously sick electronic beats |
| 1 | | Friday
September 2nd
* After the bust that was Identity on Jones Beach (half of Steve Aoki and all
of DJ Shadow getting canceled due to a storm), I was keen to pick up some
electric zoo tickets off craigslist for $250 a piece. I couldn't have been
happier with my decision to go |
| 2 |  | Felguk
Palmtree
* Couple puffs of american spirit black and some dirty house (excellent
drops) were a great way to start my day. 'I just came to say hello' was
sampled and Felguk seemlessly blended what we know and don't. Futuristic
metallic imagery, colorful trippiness |
| 3 |  | Bart B More
So It Goes
* Music Music Music (track) was a highlight of this innovative dirty house
artist. Minimal background was cool but not something you need to be up
close and personal with to enjoy |
| 4 |  | Feed Me
Feed Me's Big Adventure
** A huge meeting ground for a lot of great people. His music always
connects with me, perhaps more than with most |
| 5 |  | Rusko
O.M.G.!
* Everything a main stage act should be, from what little I heard |
| 6 |  | Busy P
Rainbow Man
For some reason, I wasn't really diggin it. Didn't stay for long though |
| 7 |  | Markus Schulz
Toronto '09
* Definitely dig Toronto. Must not have been here long cause I don't
remember the set, but my notes say I liked it. |
| 8 |  | Benny Benassi
Electroman
Lots of scattered sounds. Wasn't bad but I didn't enjoy what I heard. |
| 9 |  | Robbie Rivera
Do You Want More?
* hilltop room was the perfect place for his set (juicy music is a good mantra
too) |
| 10 |  | SebastiAn
Total
*** The best thing I saw on Friday. Nice drops against a background of
planets in space, 'obey' flashed every now and then as well. I couldn't help
but feel like I was a soldier in an army heedlessly succumbing to every
which whim of the 'votez sebastian' machine. Highly recommended, and I
had never heard any of his stuff before zoo. |
| 11 |  | Moby
Play
Nothing bad here per se. But Play is only so good and the beginning of his
live sets was less impressive. |
| 12 |  | MSTRKRFT
Fist of God
** Masters of their craft. Great set that I unfortunately remember very little
about. |
| 13 |  | Martin Solveig
Sur La Terre
I wasn't feeling it at the time. But I'm inclined to say I'd like the guy if I
gave him a solid chance. |
| 14 |  | Tiesto
In Search Of Sunrise
* Gets a star cause it's like whoa omg i'm seeing tiesto. Barely bothered to
see much of him at all though cause it wasn't that interesting. |
| 15 |  | Plastikman
Closer
** I remember vaguely being very happy with what I heard. |
| 16 | | Saturday
September 3rd
** I knew Sunday was going to be awesome, and Friday was going to be
almost as good, but Saturday came out of nowhere and impressed the fuck
out of me. A lot of great dubstep and heavy house |
| 17 |  | Daedelus
Bespoke
(Did not arrive in time to see this set. Will try and get an earlier start next
year) |
| 18 |  | Sub Focus
Sub Focus
* Mostly just cause he was way better than Kid Sister and Sean Tyas |
| 19 |  | Sean Tyas
Seven Weeks
I'm not really into Trance so I wasn't really digging the set |
| 20 |  | Kid Sister
Ultraviolet
Probably the most annoying set of noises I heard at zoo. And that includes
hearing 'I Just Came to say Hello' and 'I Got a Crush On You' a half dozen
too many times |
| 21 |  | James Holden
The Idiots Are Winning
** Very surprising and impressive set. Holden was quiet and intimate,
which was an excellent change of pace and gave me great vibes to start
the day |
| 22 |  | Sidney Samson
It's All Funked Up
* Feels like someone that'd be on mau5trap records, which isn't a bad place
to be |
| 23 |  | Beardyman
I Done An Album
* Layered and interesting beats, so I enjoyed myself. Probably would've
been even better if I could've stayed longer |
| 24 |  | Sander van Doorn
Supernaturalistic
* Solid Old school house |
| 25 |  | Porter Robinson
Say My Name
*** Killed it. Hit a lot of easily recognizable stuff ('harder better faster
stronger', 'i remember', 'rebels', 'raise your weapon', 'one more time', 'scary
monsters', 'cloudburn'), but was constantly mixing well and had intermittent
blinding lights and bleeding bass to keep us all interested. The most
impressive display from someone I'd never heard of coming into the festival
easily |
| 26 |  | Skrillex
Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites
* I like Skrillex, but I hate the people who like Skrillex. I simultaneously
enjoy and cannot stand listening to him spin live. Still, the attention he's
been able to garner is in many ways deserved and Skrillex is a talented
musician. As Deviant has said, Skrillex "makes me feel like a kid running
around a candy shop, or like I've just huffed paint" |
| 27 |  | Above & Beyond
Group Therapy
* Chill electronic feel that I dug. Original track 'Sun & Moon' as well as a
remix of 'One More Time' were highlights |
| 28 |  | Dirty South
Dirty South
Something vibed me wrong here. I enjoyed the set kindof and dirty south
weathers the crowd nicely but something was missing for me. |
| 29 |  | 12th Planet
Ptera Patrick
** Smooth dubstep I enjoyed thoroughly |
| 30 |  | ATB
Distant Earth
Not that bad but just not good either. I'll continue to listen to their track
'9pm til I come' though |
| 31 |  | David Guetta
One Love
I was amused at what I saw. Guetta's taken in a lot of influences and fairly
frequently demonstrates he's talented, but any good momentum he's
building up, he manages to ruin shortly thereafter |
| 32 | | Danny Tenaglia
Hard & Soul
Cool colors, but tame. The weakest of the closing sets, but probably would
have grown on me over time. |
| 33 |  | Ferry Corsten
Twice in a Blue Moon
* Pretty cool song i heard |
| 34 |  | Joachim Garraud
Invasion
** Busts out 'clocks' on a weird piano and totally gets away with it. Had
cool house/daft punk-esque highs and nice bass drops as well. Would liked
to have heard more for sure. |
| 35 |  | The Bloody Beetroots
Romborama
*** Raging to these guys was perhaps the most fun I had all weekend. I'm
not sure I'd even enjoy listening to a record by these guys, but I loved
raging to them spinning live |
| 36 | | Sunday
September 4th
"I didn't even take any drugs on Sunday, and it was like the most drugged
out day ever" -an anonymous friend |
| 37 |  | TOKiMONSTA
Midnight Menu
(Missed this set just barely because they were playing at 11am and I
arrived right as they were finishing. Oh well, whatever, nevermind) |
| 38 | | Felix Cartel
N/A as in he hasn't actually made one yet
Laid near the main stage listening for a while cause it was early. Didn't
hear anything special at all. |
| 39 |  | MiMosa
Silver Lining
* Woulda been 2* if he had played less rap. When he works it out he
really works it out |
| 40 |  | Umek
Responding to Dynamic
Not bad but nothing special happened when I was around him |
| 41 |  | Big Gigantic
A Place Behind the Moon
* Saxophone, drums and high electronotes. Fun set |
| 42 |  | Excision, Datsik & Flux Pavilion
Boom
* Filthstep (minus Flux Pavilion). Side note: seemed a bit odd that security
was so intent on inflitrating chaotic crowds to stop people from smoking
weed during this set but I saw about a half dozen joints put out by security
during the set. |
| 43 |  | Chris Liebing
Early Works
From what little I heard, I didn't want more |
| 44 |  | Calvin Harris
Ready For The Weekend
* Refreshing and upbeat. 'Flashback' was a highlight |
| 45 |  | Snoop Dogg
Doggystyle
** still d r e, nuthin but a g thang and rockwilder opened up things in
fantastic fashion as I, like many others, were refreshed to hear someone
talking and not a bunch of electronic noises for a change. But when he
played I love rock n roll, teach me how to dougie, lean back and back that
ass up I was a little frustrated at how poppy and mediocre mainstream the
end of the act was. |
| 46 |  | Fake Blood
Fix Your Accent
Pretty weak set from what I saw. Lots of flashing lights just like everyone
else I saw. |
| 47 |  | Michael Woods
Nitro
* Real solid from my blurry and distant memory. |
| 48 |  | Gui Boratto
Chromophobia
** Mellow sometimes, but brought it mostly. I was happy to have bummed
a newport off of a kid who (after offering me molly, sour and something
else, which I politely refused) I could only assume was some kind of drug
kingpin, but was dismayed that during my scattered and recovering state of
mind, I missed his rendition of 'Paradise Circus'. |
| 49 |  | Chromeo
Business Casual
* Sounded good in the distance. |
| 50 |  | Jack Beats
Revolution / Out Of Body
* Loud and pretty intense |
| 51 |  | Nicolas Jaar
Space Is Only Noise
*** Sitting right in front of the bass was a fantastic idea. His chill show
reminds me of a Trentemoller or Nosaj Thing, but in the chaos that was zoo,
this was as perfect a chill set as I could ask for. |
| 52 |  | Afrojack
Lost & Found
** I just came to say hello, ..i'm a sucker maybe?, pod de floor (well
received), 'give it everything tonight', 'rolling in the deep' |
| 53 | | Gabriel & Dresden
Gabriel & Dresden
* Sampled losing my religion, which is chillin. I'm pretty sure that's the only
thing I heard them do. |
| 54 |  | Diplo
Decent Work For Decent Pay
** I barely remember at this point |
| 55 |  | Infected Mushroom
Legend Of The Black Shawarma
*** 'Pretender' was sick. These guys were an absolute mindfuck in the
best of ways. Flashing lights, angry vocals |
| 56 |  | Boyz Noize
Oi Oi Oi
** Nothing but good things to say |
| 57 |  | Plastikman
Consumed
** Real good shit. Bass notess, fascinating vocals. Billed as Richie Hawtin,
had no idea this was Plastikman I was seeing again because it was such a
different vibe. But it was great nonetheless. |
| 58 |  | Armin Van Buuren
Mirage
Between * and ** Personal Jesus was not good, but there's a universal
sound here that's quite enjoyable. The only problem I had with his set was
that he keeps reminding everyone: "I AM ARMIN VAN BUUREN" over and
over. |
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