Spot light cannons bounced light off the cloudy night sky directing countless cabs full of kandi kids, space cadets and go-gonauts to the appropriate launch pad for an out of this world dance music mission. Presented by Triad Dragons and Global Dance entering Skylab 2012 Blackout felt like warping off into a totally new galaxy filled with heart pounding beats and brain tickling lights. The Denver Coliseum was ready for take off…the main launch pad was erupting upon arrival and it was only 8:45; over 9,000 pairs of moon boots were strapped on tight as energetic Ecotek began lifting the gravity in the room dropping banger after banger like an overactive meteor shower. The energy in that room, that early on at an event was setting the tone for how extraterrestrial this experience was going to be.
Zedd took control of the Skylab rave shuttle directly after Ecotek’s amazing launch and immediately commanded the crowd to sing along to his classic tracks and elegantly produced vocals. The 23 yr-old German producer was the shooting star of the night putting his passion, heart and soul into his performance and flawless DJing… Even though his set time was earlier he played the perfect role in keeping the energy sky high but also gave the crowd plenty of time to catch a breath, relax and float back into meditative outer space.
Hit the jump for more favorite sets and memories from the night like: Borgore / Gareth Emery / Porter Robinson and more…
In between Ecotek and Zedd I scrambled to find the Reload Propulsion Lab (quite a name for a side-dubstep-bass-stage) but once I found it – I knew it was time for Israeli dub step-demon Asaf Borgore. I pushed my way through the mess of space costumes, raver babies and bro steppers just in time to jump behind the gate for some epic media footage. I captured some front row jaw-clenching bass faces, got rocked in the head by a giant inflatable beach ball and then moments later Borgore dropped Sweet Shop – Doctor P (Flux Pav. Remix) needless to say my hearing my never be the same. Borgore…. Borgored on my ear-drums – Rave Lesson learned, time to buy ear plugs.
Borgore’s set was filthy, sweaty and the perfect dose of womp that I needed to break up the club-pounding kicks of the main Skylab Launch Pad. After a brief stop in the media area – I was immediately drawn back into the upper deck of the main arena as Gareth Emery spun an old-school favorite Sandstorm and then dropped it perfectly into a modern, newer big-room track – hats off to Gareth Emery for that live drop, that was an unforgettable memory for me. He put together an impressive set dropping in and out of some of the summer’s hottest progressive house and keeping the energy high with some past time favorites.
Last but not certainly not least Porter Robinson took to the stage in a fury following Gareth Emery’s last finale tracks. Porter impressed me with the swiftness behind his DJing; quickly jumping from track to track keeping not leaving much room at all for a long breakdown. I enjoy when a DJ keeps the energy high and harmonically + perfectly mixes from one ecstatic peak to the next – this really sets the average DJ from the superstars DJs. Porter’s excitement got the best of him at one point as he prepared for a oversized electro house drop with a large snare rolling build-up into … silence. But as all performers know the show must go on – Porter’s reaction to this natural mistake was perfectly professional as he spun back the build-up quickly on the CDJ and set it for launch jumping right back into his set as if he had meant the slip up all along – what a boss. Porter Robinson you sent my mind, ears and soul into another audio & visual galaxy… what an amazing head lining set. Thank-you SKYLAB 2012 and hope to see you next year….
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