Last night at Necto, Kill the Noise ignited the stage for an electrifying set to a crowd of several hundred patrons. While I rolled up a little later than normal because my pre-concert nap went longer than I expected, I was greeted with pounding drum n’ bass as I walked up the steps to the dance floor. In the back were the usual kids who wear gloves with glow-lit fingers, the guys with hats that resembled bears, and the folks who think it’s a good idea to wear other group’s merchandise at a show that someone else headlines. Nevertheless, I was ready to get into the groove and have a good time.
As the night went on, I routinely became most energized with throwbacks that were then remixed into new material by the experienced DJ. Taking cues from the crowd of what college kids would go wild for, he played the main line to Snoop Dogg’s “The Next Episode” followed by a distorted second half that incorporated in his own style. Additionally, he played “Hold On” (Sub Focus remix) that used the acapella vocals of legendary “All I Do Is Win” by DJ Khaled.
The most hilarious part of the night was when he announced he was going to play something we’ve never heard before, and then started playing the build up for DJ Snake’s and Lil Jon’s “Turn Down for What.” I laughed pretty hard, and then some when he played Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up” to effectively Rick Roll his entire audience. The crowd bursted out shouting the lyrics to this extremely odd break from the norm at a club. But, as a 33-year old producer, Kill the Noise, or Jake Stanczak, likes to play around with the younger kids by mixing the unexpected outside the heavy dubstep and drum n’ bass influenced tracks.
My favorite part of the night is where he played some of his own original music, like his “Talk to Me” remix of Brillz’s track. By drawing out the sound of a man saying “talk to me,” he was able to create an eerie and creepy feeling that only added to the anticipation of the drop.
While he does have major collaborations with artists such as Flux Pavillion and Feed Me, it is always a treat to see a producer showcase his own talent at the stand. Especially for a devoted audience who will be able to recognize earlier tracks, it only adds to the overall concert experience. For example, when he played his track titled “Kill the Noise Pt. 1” the audience went into a “Kill the Noise” chant to root for the man at the top of the stage. “Kill the Noise Pt. 2” had elements of a choir in the background, which is part of his style to include traditional vocals (that get distorted) with more heavy beats.
By the end of the night, Mr. Stanczak was getting tired and hopped off the stage at 1:30 a.m. to let the openers close out the show. Openers Two Fresh and Botnek started with The Who’s “Baba O’Riley” from the 1970s that features heavy arpeggio and was featured on my 1970s listening exam in my electronic music class with the RC. At this point, my friend and I knew that the core part of the night was over and that they would try to bring the energy down by the end of the show, which they did.
Overall, it was a great experience to hear some of the innovative ways in which producers like Kill the Noise try to keep their shows interesting and not just the same tracks you can get on Soundcloud performed live.
