Brightest Young Things

photos by priscilla de lima - ledesma and sexy fitsum
words by Marcus Dowling and Adrian Ledesma

It can be said about Steve Aoki that he isn't the world's greatest DJ. You can say that about a lot of other people as well, but, what can indeed be said about Steve Aoki is that the guy knows how to play beats that club partygoers into fits of severely intense delirium, then throw the party in a UFC style guillotine choke and leave it in a sweaty, tired and broken heap by the end of the night. The last time Aoki rolled through the cavernous, 30,000 square foot main room at Ibiza, he mauled it. No, not just murked, but mauled. In coming back, there was an intense expectation that he met and surpassed, much to the joy of the cheering and wildly dancing throng below.

Aoki isn't everyone's cup of tea. His style, loud, bass heavy, highly electro and dubstep driven, replete with fits of exhorting the party along with belligerent screaming and histrionic fits of Iggy Pop style thrashing, jumping and headbanging is more of performance art than a night at the club. That's what his fanbase is derived from. Like Gallagher being a comic that smashed watermelons,you come knowing that you're going to dance, but it's the "surprises" that make it a destination event.

I haven't seen someone cry in a rave type atmosphere since I was 18. I saw that on Saturday night. It was a myriad of things, sure, but, there was this lone dancer, in the middle of the floor, happy to be there, having the time of her life, then Aoki drops a track by the Bloody Beetroots, and she brightens, then the track really kicks in, Aoki mounts the table that just an hour prior he had launched champagne and Corona showers from to chant along lyrics in a manner consistent with any number of punk acts, and it flowed. Tears of joy, tears of excitement, tears of pure, unadulterated deliriousness. It's one of those amazing moments that makes you understand what takes a guy from star to superstar.

The bill was rounded out by Blatta and Inesha, a young Italian duo that is presently touring with Steve Aoki as his openers, and in the midst of their manic stylings on the CDJs, they dropped a remix of Major Lazer's "Pon de Floor" that may have been ever slightly more intense than the original, and, having heard the original track in rooms 1/10th the size of Ibiza prior, hearing that track fill every crevice of a room that size was pretty incredible, and took the enjoyment to a brand new level.

Opening the night were local favorite Matt Nordstrom and newcomer Orlando Villegas. Yes, this "newcomer" is actually Dave Nada, but under the "Orlando Villegas" moniker, he plays a bit deeper and a bit funkier, and, though unusual to see Norstrom and Villegas in the role of opener, they fufilled the role perfectly, setting the table for the ravenous absurdity that followed.

While the perceived large room "douchiness (for lack of a better term)" of Ibiza doesn't exactly make it the most inviting of venues for the average clubgoer, but on Saturday night-everyone had fun.

Adrian's play by play recap here:
I have an addiction.

9PM- Couple of friends over, pre-gaming, and watching Saturday night music vidzzzz, such as: "I have a Feeling" by Black Eyed Peas.

11PM - We all got psyched; blasting music and talking shit while driving down to DC to party harder, son!

11:30PM - Parked the car next to the Ibiza ; wifey bla bla bla-ing about how she wants me to write a review on tonight's electro DJ, Steve Aoki, that she "really really really digs". This girl.

11:31PM- I never heard of the guy but she got us on the press list and trapped me saying that I'm the writer and she's the photog for BYT. Done. She understands my love for dance music. I get it I get it.

11:40PM - We arrived. not too packed but still a good bunch of peeps... to the bar for shots and long island ice t-s.in the hip-hop room, checked out the alluring crowd while heading to the other side of the club where the dance music gets played.

12:150AM- Shot and drank

12:50AM - Guys dance obnoxiously too baby

1:15AM - Wifey got up on the stage's VIP area to get closer shots of Aoki and to meet him...I saw her briefly greeting him, she got the shots and the crowds were continuing their boooooom boom pow while Nadastrom and later Inesha were doing their take. Aoki teased the crowed with his hasty appearance,

1:35AM - Hello Aoki. Aoki spinned the table .... we're assaulted by the sound coming from this zen looking dj

1:40AM - Got tipsy, the music spinning, and the lights were so right. Wow, what an ironic performance...very different but still oddly familiar

1:50AM- Aoki rushed into the crowd some more

2:00AM- Another drank. free this time, thanks bar tender lady! jump jump jump! Drinks are expensive dawg...but I wanna really feel this good night...another long island por favor!

2:40AM- Getting to accomplish my straight up good feeling and in a stunned zone because I never heard about this DJ who's amazing energy won us over including me. The reaction was positive and unique...people dancing with their glow sticks through Their iphone application, peeps video-taping with their phones, girls calling others up and turning on the speakers of their phone, txting....weird cell phone nation indeed.

3:00AM- Everyone in a trans.wow these lights. the crazier the crowd gets the crazier he gets.

3:15AM- Gotta go home. I'm drunk and done.

4:00AM- Realizing that tonight was a good night

Good feelings are my addiction.

Another addiction of mine are free downloads. Get Steve Aoki's "Gifted" remix with Kanye West and others ((HERE))

and now some very special FITSUM shots (full set here)