Papel Mag | Electric Daisy Carnival 2011: Third Time's the Charm

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Electric Daisy Carnival 2011: Third Time's the Charm

Lunes 29 de Agosto de 2011 13:23 Vasco A. Carinhas

The Luis Muñoz Marín Park’s, alongside the Tito Puente Amphitheater, debut as venue for the third installation of the Electric Daisy Carnival in San Juan was a step-up from the, originally planned, location repeat of last year’s Sixto Escobar Stadium. A veritable maze, sans Minotaur, provided the audience with a wide-open space in which to lose themselves around their musical ambience of choice.

The pathfinders alongside this musical safari were welcomed/forewarned of its setting’s intrinsic blueprint with an extremely helpful map of the staged surroundings. The vespertine wonderland’s power emanated from three parallel rhythm headquarters. The Kinetic Field opened its sprawling stage as the epicenter, into an expansive turf wherein the dancing figures could choose in between, of a crushing body-tightening to free[style]ly impromptu dance floors gradient moving towards the beat pasture’s edges.

On the field’s border the Cosmic Meadow settlement acted as an enclosed arena in which the dancers were hold captive in a blasting all surrounding light shown systematically connected to its main stage’s acts. A trail circumventing the fenced pond concluded its destination into the exquisitely violent palpitations stemming from the Bass Pod’s cul-de-sac. In a state fair’s memorabiliac disposition the path in between the three power sources was interjected by performers and dancers in eye-popping attires, carnival rides, fairly priced fresh fruit makeshift kiosks, food stands, and drinks stations. In the dark of night, and the overwhelming crowd surroundings, the festival map became a prized ally.

The Puerto Rican talent was proudly represented by the electrifying Western band La Frekuencia and the fantastic voyage that is Foglia opening the Field. Consequentially, the fresh musings of Kleptic and the wholehearted performance of Xtasys started up the the Meadow, while at the same time the incendiary motors of the Pod were being warmed up by the ferocious dubstep duo Propane and the addictive old school homage approach to drum&bass emanating from Trixx.

The Kinetic Field’s international line-up started with the electro[house] infusion of Italian Alex Gaudino followed by the warm-up British house sessions of D. Ramírez. The highly spirited presentation by the Canadian band Dragonette, whose femininity transpiring husky vocals underscored by their [neo]disco explosiveness, engrossed the audience into swinging hops that evoked a fascinated reply from their lead singer about the crowd’s dancing response.

USA’s dedication to the Billboard philosophy was prized in the hits mash-ups of Z-Trip, driving the crowd into frenzy as the Field’s coup de grace neared its stage. Israel’s Infected Mushroom was welcomed into stage by deafening roars of excitement rolling off the crowd. The live presentation of the psychedelic trance band provided the epitomical release of the Field’s thrall over the audience.

The Field’s cool down was taken care of by the still hard pressed shocks of Netherlands’ electro[house] sorcerer, Sander Kleinenberg into the mellowed out progressive expansion of German duo’s Cosmic Gate’s trance addition to the mix as closure.

The muddy dancefloor and slight heat inside the Cosmic Meadow didn’t impair the enclosed audience from uninhibited bodily expressions. America’s electro[house] representative Kill the Noise began the overseas offerings in the Meadow. Australian house duo Bag Raider’s live presentation worked stealthily as a come-hither spell around the Meadow drawing the crowd like moths to a flame. The hip-hopedly glitterized guettotech of San Francisco based Claude Vonstroke drove the audience into full use of their glowsticks and breakdance moves.

North Carolina’s Porter Robinson held captive a pushing audience with a revolutionizing approach to the electro formula, driving upscale beats into [self]made fringe boundaries. Italian electro duo Crookers played with sublime chemistry onstage as a fermentation of the communal drink slowly offered to the thirsty crowd, leading the way to the wrap-up act from Dutch trio Noisia’s beats infused drum&bass which prevented many from succumbing to exhaustion.

Colorado native’s Fury’s drum&bass outburst kick-started the Bass Pod’s international line-up. Finland’s grind[core] exponent Houratron forced heels to be ground into the amphitheater’s floor in violent outbreaks. LA based Photek delved elusive old-school UK beats into his ethereally fluxional drum&bass mix, bringing cries from satisfaction from the PLUR era ravers.

The quintessential performance of the evening in the Bass Pod was provided the City of Angels’s native 12^th Planet. The [ragga]jungle infused vocalizations and high spirited antics onstage, over a deliciously savage [electro]dubstep bed, made the performer the star of the Pod’s musical menu.

The live presentation from Fench drum&bass band Dirtyphonics sustained the high-note frenzy implemented by their predecessor in a satiating highlight. The PLUR old-school scene once again had a special best-wine-saved-for-last moment with the pseudo Canaanite performance of Brazilian drum&bass legend DJ Marky. The musical zeolatry effect of the Bass Pod’s infusions kept the faithful offering their last sparks of energy as homage to the high-lined shamanic procession on top of the stage set-up.

The third installation of the Electric Daisy Carnival in Puerto Rico provided a carefully delineated production, expelling satisfied dancers into Hato Rey’s streets. To those who have followed their previous venues, the night felt as an upgrade.