Rave Tapes

Online collection of rave tapes - audio tape recordings of raves, underground clubs and live DJ sets recorded around Los Angeles.

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EDC Las Vegas 2026 live set recordings by Rave Tapes – the Debrief!

EDC Las Vegas 2026!

TLDR spoiler: here's the whole Rave Tapes EDC Las Vegas 2026 live sets PLAYLIST on SoundCloud!

The debrief...

It's been a couple weeks since the music stopped. The ringing in my ears has ceased, the stardust in my eyes has cleared.

The event is such an ordeal, so thoroughly exhausting – physically and mentally – I understand why most of my peers in the older set don't attend anymore. EDC seems like a young person's game.

Yet, I am called back by the music, driven to capture, document, and share, like usual. And if it means I need a week or so to heal and recover after the fact, so be it. But, I've been busy during that time!

It means…I have my collection of EDC recordings to offer, once again!

And boy, this one was a doozie.

Here's the recap of what I saw and what I recorded.

Fun opening b2b set by "the Deans" Max Dean and Luke Dean. Started with slower house-y tracks then moved into what I would describe frat tech house. Good energy.

I got a really great set from Roddy Lima but the upload got a rare copyright strike, so that one's no longer available.

I had never seen Underworld live pa before, Somehow, I managed to miss them all these years, I'm ashamed to say. So I wasn't going to miss this opportunity. OMG no regrets, the set was absolutely moving, absolutely touching. Musically the performance seemed perfect, but you could just tell the duo were in their element and having so much fun themselves. And this was a live pa set, which means the music tracks were generated and mixed in real-time with a daw and a bunch of audio gear, not canned tracks. Extra special.

After Underworld at CosmicMeadow, I ran over to Neon Garden for Joseph Capriati's EDC 2026 live set. Holy smokes, such a solid and consistent set of upbeat and accessible tech house. Now I understand the hype surrounding Capriati.

I started Saturday at StereoBloom - one of my top 3 stages at EDC - for a 3-set block of sick bass house. Dreya V blew me away, she played my favorite style of intoxicating bass house. Dicip was next, continuing the bass house vibe and integrating popular remixes. I actually did record Omnom but the audio is no good. I think they crank up the volume for the primary headliner, and in this case the SPL's were just high enough to overload my recorder's circuits and cause distortion. Unfortunate!

Next, I caught The Prodigy at Cosmic Meadow…but I did NOT record! A) I assumed it would be streamed, B) I needed a break and watched while relaxing in the bleachers. From up in the stands, the crowed seemed a little subdued – common for Sat night as everyone is so physically thrashed by that point. But the band's energy was high and the performance was solid. I really did need the rest time, but I still regret not recording.

I finished Sat night at BassPod for a back-to-back set by Doctor P, Flux Pavilion, and FuntCase. Damn this was so good. While I appreciate dubstep, I tend to like house more, so I'm pretty picky about the dubstep sets I hit, if any. This was the right choice. The boys seemed locked in but relaxed and having fun. And the setlist was immaculate. Some of those Flux Pavilion joints hit me right in the emotions! Outstanding performance.

My first stop Sunday was Frankie Bones set at Neon Garden. Been a fan of Bones for 30+ years, and I wanted to hear what he would play on a big stage at EDC. Of course, a master dj…dj's masterfully. He played and iconic and symbolic collection…house or techno or tech house…not sure if I want to try to label it. An audio journey of classic and funky rave vibes with current remixes, somewhat different compared to typical Neon Garden sets. It was perfectly appropriate, perfectly amazing. A masterpiece.

After Frankie's set, there was a bit of chaos on the raceway. Strong winds above 25 mph caused temporary closures of some big stages. Temps were starting to drop, so I headed for the intimate Insomniac Friday stage, set up to "simulate" an old-school warehouse rave!

One of my absolute favorite LA heroes was on the decks – Steve Loria! I wasn't sure what he would be playing but, damn. Within a few seconds I realized Steve was delivering something special. He seemed BETTER than I remembered! Every track was perfectly selected and precisely mixed. I was in heaven for his set, and so thankful it was recorded. I'm excited you get to hear it, too!

As if his Neon Garden set wasn't enough, Frankie Bones showed up at Insomniac Fridays stage and took over after Steve…and played another iconic set! I have to be careful about overusing words like "iconic" and "special" and "legendary" because they'll lose their impact. But once again, it's as if Frankie knew he had a unique opportunity to "school" this generation of ravers, to teach them what funky rave music and classic techno are all about. He succeeded in his mission, and you can hear the evidence!

My last set this EDC was the two-hour journey by DJ Tennis b2b Red Axes. One of my fav sets of the festival. Inspired and creative house, tech house, and bass house. Been listening to this one a lot, myself.

Finally, I'm sharing two sets I didn't see myself – I was elsewhere on the grounds recording other sets. Mark Lewis and Donald Glaude qualify as og rave royalty and played sets at the Insomniac Fridays stage, set up to pay homage to Pasquale Rotella's original weekly Insomniac club. The stage showcased dj's from that era, many of whom played the club, 30 years ago. Both Mark Lewis and Donald Glaude's sets were unbelievably solid. Both have continued to dj all these years and it definitely showed. These guys are masters, listen to the sets to hear for yourself!

Overall, 2026 was a fantastic EDC. Wind and cold were problematic on Sunday, but that did little to dampen the overall PLUR spirit of the weekend. PLUR is alive and well at EDC, for the most part.

The next question is, what about next year? It was just announced that 2027 will be TWO back-to-back weekends!

The problem with two weekends is that I can barely survive one! It's unclear what I will do, and my involvement with EDC next year may be different, possibly in a more official capacity. If that happens, there's a chance I will be able to capture content from both weekends. But it's too early to know anything definitive at this point. We'll see…

My best photos from EDC Las Vegas 2026!

Friday opening ceremony at Cosmic Meadow stage featuring Max Dean b2b Luke Dean.

Towering plumes of orange flame erupt across BassPod stage during Doctor P, Flux Pavilion, and FuntCase b2b set at EDC Las Vegas 2026.

Neon Garden's stage production was particularly mesmerizing this year.

Strange green characters glow on massive screens while Omnom plays at StereoBloom stage, Saturday at EDC Las Vegas 2026.

Peggie Gou during b2b set with Ki/Ki at CircuitGrounds stage.

Gateway to Kinetic Field,  EDC's largest stage. Beyond, a goggle-adorned face dominates the elaborately-themed stage.

Fireworks burst above Insomniac Fridays, an intimate stage set up to simulate an old-school warehouse rave!

Green light washes over the crowd inside Insomniac Fridays, the 'rave within a rave' at EDC, celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the original Insomniac underground club in Los Angeles.

A touching memorial and tribute to DJ Dan, beloved LA DJ who passed this year. Dan dj'ed at the origianl Insomniac parties, 30 years ago. RIP.

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Joseph Capriati EDC Las Vegas 2026 live set

Here's audio of Joseph Capriati's EDC Las Vegas 2026 live set (full set) along with video and pics! Recorded May 15, 2026, at Electric Daisy Carnival, Neon Garden stage.

Video clip of Joseph Capriati at EDC 2026! Note the unusual production elements flowing above.

Trippy visuals!

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UNDERWORLD at EDC Las Vegas 2026 live set

Here's audio, video, and pics of Underworld's live pa set at EDC LV 2026, May 15, 2026!

Full set audio:

Video short of Underworld at EDC 2026! ID: Long and Dark

More video! ID: Two Months Off

Pic of Underworld at EDC!

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LSDream EDC Las Vegas 2024 Live Set

This is a 70-minute audio recording of LSDream EDC Las Vegas 2024 live set, recorded Friday, May 17, 2024, at Cosmic Meadow stage. The set began at 1:50 AM.

LSDream at EDC Las Vegas! Cosmic Meadow stage (the one with the grass!), Friday night, 1:50 AM main headliner start time, perfect weather in the 80-90's all night long, light breeze.

Conditions were ideal. Vibes were high. And LSDream delivered close to a perfect dose.

I've been waiting to catch an LSDream live set, but I didn't have a chance until now. This was LSDream's debut EDC set, and I wasn't going to miss it.

Holy smokes. Funky dub step, trip hop, and bass music, certainly with a psychedelic edge. Not too far from what Griz is doing, with trippy keyboard runs instead of brass horns.

The show's visuals capitalize on the "lsd" reference with a non-stop stream of brightly colored, undulating pattens and constantly morphing imagery.

Maybe it was the exhaustion that always accompanies EDC day 1, maybe it was the overwhelming audio and visuals, maybe it was something else, but this old school raver was feeling a bit overwhelmed by the experience haha. The dose may have been a little too much for me, actually.

For the second half of the set I went into isolation mode. Hat on. Face buff on. Sunglasses on. Pashmina pulled over head blocking face. It's a setup that tells others you're currently unavailable, and they'll generally leave you alone.

With the visual stimulation muted, I leaned on my totem pole/mic stand for balance and I settled into the groove.

And what a groove. Very heavy beats with wubby, funky bass lines, rap lyrics, inspirational vocals, and trippy accents galore. The melodic keyboard runs sounded as colorful as the multicolored video screens. Do people still use the term "trip hop"? Because that's what some of it sounded like to me. Certainly dubstep and space bass. I'm just trying to come up with the appropriate genre labels.

For the final 15 minutes I was feeling cagey. I wanted to retreat to the grandstand, catch my breath, and regroup. But I wasn't going to sacrifice the end of the set. So I locked in and endured. I mean, the music and visuals were top shelf. This recording is proof. But I'm a fragile human being too, and sometimes I get vulnerable and overwhelmed, too, just like anyone else. But I'm also Rave Tapes. So we push through and capture the audio, if possible.

Set ended. I found my sanctuary up in the bleachers for an hour before heading down to Wasteland to catch Clawz b2b Domina.

What a trip! And we have the soundtrack to remember it by. I hope you dig it!

Follow and support LSDream!

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Mark Farina Halloween 2015 Live Set

This is a 3-hour audio recording of Mark Farina Halloween 2015 live set recorded in Orange County, California, on October 31, 2015.

Mark F'ing Farina. Easily in the top 5 deep house dj's. Probably in the top three. Maybe in the top 2?

Come on. I've never heard someone deliver such deep funk so consistently. Every. Single. Time.

So this is an interesting recording. It's not from my archive of classic rave recordings, nor something recorded recently. This is the audio counterpart to a live video stream I did all the way back in 2015.

Today, post Covid, the mention of live streaming elicits not even a yawn, we are so desensitized to it by now. For obvious reasons, the real streaming revolution happened 2019-2021. So I consider it a little feather in my cap that Rave Tapes was running good-sounding, multi-cam streams long before the trend took off.

The event? A cozy Halloween party hosted by Swerve Underground, the monthly event hosted by producer/dj Wally Callerio of Dufflebag Recordings and partner/dj 1st Nature. Wally has been a respected producer for years and had the right connections to pull some amazing names down to their Orange County venue, an hour south of Los Angeles. Names like Dereck Carter, Doc Martin, and other titans of the deep house movement.

So when the opportunity came up to do a live video stream of their Halloween party, taking place in a cool bohemian art space, with special guest Mark Farina? Pfft. It was the chance I had been waiting for, lol!

So, miraculously, the whole thing went off almost without a hitch. I say almost because I believe power was cut to the decks at one point. But considering it was a 2+ hour set, we forgot about it almost instantly after power was restored. Otherwise, the internet connection was good, my gear held up. It happened. In fact, here's the video evidence:

So this is the audio to that. While the audio in the YouTube version sounds unbelievably clean, this sounds even better. I finally went back and properly mixed the four audio channels, left-right stereo pair from the dj decks, then left-right stereo pair from the room mic.

It sounds absolutely pristine, if I do say so myself. I had to decide how loud to keep the mic levels vs the feed from the dj mixer. I think I am happy with these levels but I might change my mind and update the file at some point.

The content? Well, it's good ol' reliable Mark Farina. Of course every dj has a "look" and Farina certainly has his trademark glasses and scruffy chin. But man, when you see that familiar visage behind the decks and hear the funky bass line over the system, you know you have nothing to worry about. You know you're in for a good time.

Last time I saw Farina was EDC 2022 Bionic Jungle stage. It was very late Sat night. Actually very early morning Sunday about 4 am. Still dark and trippy.

Saturday. Hump day. People are grinding in more ways than one. And Mark is closing out little Bionic Jungle. I don't mean little in a condescending way. Actually, the inconspicuousness of the stage is what made it so great. It was def an intimate space and you could get right up close to your favorite deep house dj's. My only issue that night was that it wasn't going to yield a complete Rave Tapes recording. Yes, I recorded while I danced there. But knew I was arriving late because of another set, and I knew I was leaving early because I don't like getting stuck in parking. While there may have been an hour of material, the other issue was there was a nasty buzzing coming from some vibrating stage rigging.

So that's probably why I'm mentioning EDC here, because it's a good opportunity to discuss it since there will never be a Rave Tapes recording from that night to link it to.

I guess my point is, be it at Swerve Halloween 2015, EDC 2022, or the other times I've heard Farina play, Farina always, ALWAYS, delivers a top shelf performance.

While I'm always eager to bring these live sets to you for the sake of your listening pleasure, truth be told, I get excited when posting these because in most cases it's the first time I get to have easy SoundCloud access to the mixes, too.

And with this one, I'm over-the-moon thrilled for completely selfish reasons ;)

Nevertheless, please enjoy!

Follow and support Mark Farina!

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Mark Farina Spotify

Mark Farina SoundCloud

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Josh Wink Futurama Rave Live Set 1995

This is a 138-minute audio recording of Josh Wink Futurama rave live set recorded in Los Angeles on December 16, 1995.

Rave Tapes · JOSH WINK - Futurama Rave Live Set 1995 LA

The live set that shouldn't be. Anyone searching for Real Rave Sh*t has found it.

Finally, this recording will get the attention it deserves. But I'm not sure where to begin. Should I talk about Jason Jay, first? Or Josh Wink? Or Marlon and Anthony? The technical difficulties?

First, one of the co-promotors, Jason Jay (@electricdayzent). He was a force of the LA rave scene throughout the 1990's and 2000's. His biggest legacy was co-creator of Magic Wednesdays, a rave-like mid-week club. The location changed over the years but Jason and partners DJ Eli Star and Auro Michael always managed to snag the biggest names touring through LA at the time. Jason launched several other brands over the years including Fun Haus, Omni Center, Dreamland, Kandi Festival, Party Monster, and Monday Mondays. But the iconic event we all remember from rave's heyday was Futurama. I had a chance to ask Jason about the concept:

"We wanted to base it on futurism, like the World's Fair back in the day, as well as the positivism we felt in the rave movement."

It's unfortunate Fox Television created an animated show some years later using the same name. But to me, "Futurama" will always mean Josh Wink's first Los Angeles rave live set.

My memory of the location is fuzzy other than being in downtown LA. I remember setting up my gear on a narrow, unfinished staircase behind the dj decks, probably because I arrived late and the room was already crowded. Apparently, there were more than 4,000 attendees that night.

The whole scene was sketch. The room was likely overcapacity. I was balancing on a staircase. And I suspected there was a problem with one of the turntables, or with one of my cables, or both.

When the skinny kid with overflowing blond dreadlocks made it to the decks, we breathed a sigh of relief. Josh Wink had arrived!

I'm just glad we captured the whole set, given the chaos of the situation.

Here's what happened. I got there first. I pugged in my usual setup: dj mixer line out into my personal Realistic mixer, stereo mic into Realistic, Realistic out to Sony D7 portable DAT. Later, my friends Marlon and Anthony arrived with their DAT recorder, but it was too late for them to pull a second, clean feed from the DJ mixer (they preferred a dry signal without the mic). The only thing I could give them was copy of my signal which had the mic. It was better than nothing. So eventually we had two DATs rolling in time for Wink's set.

It happened. We were there. We recorded it.

And 15+ years pass...

At some point I dug up the DAT but quickly realized it was damaged. Not sure what happened but the signal was all crackly. Was it possible to restore it somehow? Maybe. But I filed it back in the archive and forgot about it again.

But then my old friend Anthony reached out and we start chatting about the good ol' days. I asked him if he ever ripped his recording of Josh Wink. He did! But, he said the recording had issues. One of the stereo channels was ruined by constant dropouts and noise. He applied a simple fix my copying and pasting the good channel over the bad one. Not a perfect solution, but better than nothing. He sent it over. And yes, it was a lot better than nothing.

Then I sat on it for a couple more years.

Finally, I dug it up for some reason – probably because I was itching to hear it again and analyze what Wink played night.

But being the perfectionist I am, I had to do my part to improve the recording. I edited out remaining dropouts, added some stereo separation, and applied my mastering chain.

The result? Spine-tingling!

This recording transports the listener right to the moment in 1995. The mic is loud in the mix, so one can really hear the room. The background noise is quiet at the start but by the middle of the set you can hear a packed room hooting and hollering with the beat.

And the song selection? Holy smokes! This is really relevant stuff. Wink works in all the Ovum hits of the day including Are You There and Higher State of Consciousness. I always thought of Josh Wink as a house DJ but thinking about it more, we would probably call it techno? Does it matter?

Josh Wink tracks exploited the Roland TB-303, the awkward silver box that generated those classic, squelchy acid bass lines. But while most acid and/or techno featured 303 basslines that were mechanical and dissonant sounding, Wink coaxed a degree of 'funk' out of the machine that few others could. I would say it was common to hear funky/jazzy elements in music produced by West Coast musicians at the time. Making a 303 sound funky was a novel, SoCal-flavored approach.

In addition to the Wink Ovum tracks, he worked in several iconic anthems of the time.

Power outage. About halfway through the set the power got cut. Jason later told me how he was protecting the last spare fuse with his life. When that failed, they resorted to closing the circuit by pressing a wad of aluminum foil into the fuse box and holding it there by hand until the show was over. Real Rave Promotor Sh*t.

I edited out about a minute or two of silence but included the brilliant way Wink restarts the set.

The finished product is an imperfect masterpiece. Respected producer/dj dropping a 2+hour set at a real rave in LA in 1995, and we get to hear what it sounded like?

Yeah, real rave sh*t, right here.

By the way, as someone who still attends events to this day, the LA rave and underground scene is alive and well. And honestly, besides the occasional appearance of a cell phone, the vibes are not too different. Incredibly, some of yesteryear's masters are sill out and about, still playing gigs, including Keoki, Doc Martin, Josh Wink, Mark Farina, Joey Beltram, The Crystal Method, among others. So if you're out in LA maybe we'll see you there!

Follow and support Josh Wink and Ovum Recordings!

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Ovum Recordings SoundCloud

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Ron D. Core Live Set - Technostate 9/9/1995

This is a 60-minute audio recording of Ron D. Core Live Set at Technostate on September 9, 1995, in Los Angles.

Ok. Time for a history lesson.

The original Los Angeles rave scene. Two names are considered absolute founders of the movement, guys who defined the genre. Ron D. Core and DJ Dan were the 4 AM heroes. When they entered the building - usually followed by entourage of record crate luggers - the experienced ravers breathed a collective sigh of relief. We knew in a few minutes Ron or Dan would blast the party into outer space.

Although their styles differed, the two formed a collaboration that would last years. They often appeared on flyers together. But the lasting project was the DX2 mixtape series.

EVERY OG LA raver had DX2 tapes in their collection. For me, the first was the original DX2 cassette, bought at DMC Records on Melrose. That copy had a yellow J-card. It eventually broke and I replaced it with one that had a pink j-card. DJ Dan played on one side, Ron D. Core on the other.

I'm not going to analyze that tape here and now. I'll just say it was transformational. Sure, there were other techno, house, and breaks djs playing similar stuff at the time. But the partnership of the hardcore techno dj and the funky breaks dj produced some really iconic tapes. The dj's "voice" on either side of the cassette rang out loud and clear.

Ron always embodied the renegade raver spirit. He developed the Dr. Freeclouds branding, which featured the logo of a crazy-eyed doctor tossing out pills like they were candy. He eventually parlayed his experience, fame, and business acumen to open Dr. Freeclouds Last Record Store Standing, an Orange Country record store that continues to thrive today.

This recording is special for several reason. First, the sound quality is pretty much as good as it got in the 90's. This was recorded with my trademark setup. I used a cheesy Realistic mixer to blend a line signal from the dj mixer with a cheap Sony stereo mic. I recorded to a Sony D-7 portable DAT. The integration of an audience mic made it possible to capture the shouts and whistles from the crowd.

Next, this was a Technostate event. Technostate was (and is) a trusted brand for putting on legit raves. I'm talking dirty warehouses, old theaters, industrial and commercial spaces, featuring the most respected dj's in the game.

I performed a live pa set at this rave under the alias Geobeat. I was running Opcode Vision sequencing software on a Mac IIci, a Roland JD-800 keyboard, Ensoniq EPS 16+ sampler, along a Novation Bass Station, 909, 303, and an SH-101. But that's a story for another day. This story is about Ron's set. I can't remember who played first. But as was my habit at the time, I recorded all the dj's playing, not just my own set.

Finally, the mix itself makes this an extraordinary recording. The opening track warns listeners of what is about to happen: "BLOODY FUCKING HARDCORE!"

The next hour is classic Ron. He jams one relentless track after another. There's a lovely buildup around the 46 minute mark that erupts into quite a release. A few times the crowd can be heard chanting "Hardcore! Hardcore! Hardcore!"

Toward the end of the tape the tempo gets up to…I want to say 140+ bpm? I'm too lazy to measure it right now. I'm just trying to figure out if the music qualifies as gabber, or is it still hardcore techno? Does it really matter?

The point is, if you want to hear what legit raving sounded like in 1995, you won't find a better example than this.

This post serves two purposes. It's a service to the graying heads, the og ravers of yesteryear who reminisce about parties like this. But there is a growing contingent of younger folks who weren't around in the early days, who have a fascination for the original scene. I suppose it's analogous to my fascination with 60's rock while I was a teen in the 80's, a time dominated by MTV pop and new wave.

By hitting play, the listener steps into a time capsule and emerges in that dark theater, circa 1995. These were the days of towering speaker stacks you could walk up to and stick your face in. Lights were those frantic "intellebeams" that spun around and flashed.

This is a classic rave experience, presented by the classic rave dj playing classic rave music. An historic document in its own right, but what a freaking banger, too! Enjoy!

Ron still appears at events occasionally. I had the pleasure of catching up with him and his business partner and wife Helen at Traumafest in Los Angeles (feat. Goldie, Altern-8). His all-vinyl set was extraordinary because it seamlessly blended older-sounding tracks with modern ones. I didn't record that night – a friend did. I really hope the recording gets shared because I really want to hear Ron's set again!

In the meantime, if you happen to be in the Orange County area of Southern California, you will thank yourself for visiting Dr. Freecloud's Last Record Store Standing. Ron and Helen are always acquiring vintage lots of wax to resell. BUT, they are major distributors of new pressings and represses, too! Vinyl and record players seem to spiking in popularity, so record labels are churning out tons new releases as well as re-releases. Scrolling through Dr. Freecloud's Instagram feed, any avid record collector will quickly begin to drool with envy.

While most of the content I post nowadays is freshly recorded, I'll occasionally go back and pluck things out of the DAT archive. This recording of Ron D. Core is absolutely perfect for newer fans who want to know what was really going on at mid-90's raves.

Follow and support Ron D. Core!

Buy new and used vinyl records at Dr. Freecloud's Last Record Store Standing online shop!

Follow Dr. Freecloud's Last Record Store Standing on Instagram!

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9-30-2023 UPDATE

Just an FYI, I replaced the original SoundCloud file with a better sounding "remastered" version. This post got a lot of traction. I think my og raver groups appreciated seeing a historic live set from a beloved hometown hero. As is my practice, I listened to the recording for a few days after sharing it. The mix wasn't sitting right with me. The power of the bass and "electricity" of the performance wasn't coming through. This recording is too significant to allow a mediocre mix to stand. I believe I originally ripped this recording from dat around 2016-2018. While my technique and gear weren't bad back then, I like to think my skills have improved since then. I recently upgraded my studio monitors as well, which helps a lot with dialing in better-sounding sounding mixes. This version features more bass, cleaner eq, and more consistent levels. It now has the fidelity and clarity it deserves.

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Boris Brejcha Live Set - Factory 93 at Grand Park 2023

This is a 2-hour audio recording of Boris Brejcha Live Set - Factory 93 Grand Park, in Los Angeles, recorded on September 3, 2023. The set began at 10:00 PM.

Ahhhh this one was the essence. This one was the nectar, the ether, the syrup, the perfect substance.

This was two hours of Boris Brejcha at Grand Park Downtown LA, delivered through a Factory 93 sound system.

This...was two hours of bliss.

The undulating melodies, powerful speakers, and hypnotizing lights quickly put attendees into stupor.

And what a comfortable groove, a perfect moment, it was.

The events at Grand Park always make me chuckle when I consider the history. And the irony.

City Hall represents The Authorities. City Hall represents the police departments and vice squads politicians sicced on us raver kids back in the 90's.

So those of us "in the know" recognize the cosmic irony of partying today in front of City Hall, with full permissions and permits granted by City officials, with LAPD officers providing protection and safety.

And the sound system...oh, the sound system! Factory 93 knows how to do it right. I don't know the individuals behind the scenes, but I suspect a few folks on the team have been doing this since the early days. So they know exactly what a sound system needs for this type of music. And with the full power and resources of Insomniac supporting the endeavor, I suspect they can assemble any system to spec, per site. This array provided a clean, full spectrum signal loud enough to warrant ear plugs, yet within city sound level ordinances. Sound like that isn't easy to achieve, so let's give props when they're due.

The good news for us is a system in an outdoor setting like that presents perfect conditions for recording! In a word, this sounds amazing.

Boris fans are going to be pleased. The sound is pristine, as are the selections and mixing. Boris was activated. As usual, he spent the first half of the set in-mask. He was the most animated person on the crowded stage; it was hard not to be touched by his energy and enthusiasm.

And the crowd was cool. Most people were dancing or at least swaying. Most people were friendly or at least tolerant.

And the weather was ideal, hovering around 69 degrees F.

So ALL the elements were there. The venue. The talent. The sound system. The crowd. The vibe. I was comfortable. This is my city, after all, my hometown. So I was in the right place at the right time. And I could just relax and settle into the moment, soak in the vibrations, breath, and take delight in what was happening. I know I had this silly grin on my face for most of the set. But how can one not smile in such circumstances?

I said I could 'relax,' but that's a relative term. All this time I'm still holding one arm outstretched above my head with my hand holding the recorder. Truth be told, it's a stress position. So what? I've seen photo books of Sadu monks in India who hold such stress positions for years as a sign of spiritual devotion. If they can do it for years, I can survive a couple hours. And truthfully, I am driven by a similar spiritual fervor, so I'm happy to do it. I honestly see it as a privilege.

So all the elements are there. The reording is rolling. I'm in my groove, doing my dance moves, entranced by the music and fog and flashing lights and happy faces and the backdrop of City Hall...and I am in bliss.

Hopefully listening to this recording gives you at least a little taste of the outpouring of beauty and love.

A note to the artists, creators, dj's, and copyright holders.

I don't do this to make money. I lose money doing this. Sure, I make a few ad dollars to cover hosting fees and such, but I'm not making back the thousands I pour into tickets, gear, and time.

In a word, I do this for Love.

The true heads in the scene know what I'm talking about. There are a lot of us out there who contribute in little ways, without expectation of big compensation. We do it for the satisfaction of building something special, and we do it because we love the music and the culture around it.

Of course, there's an element of wanting to promote the artists and further the movement. And the aspect of giving attendees something to hold onto long after the event ends.

You may be asking, what right do you have, Rave Tapes guy, to record and post other people's music? Fair question, and really a true moral dilemma. Technically, I don't have permission.

Yet, a hundred of my recordings are sitting there, live right now, on SoundCloud. I know the artists and copyright holders have tools on platforms lie YouTube and SoundCloud to shutdown unauthorized recordings. Yet, maybe a grand total of 3-4 of my recordings have been pulled over the years for copyright violations.

So what's going on? Why are the artists and ip holders allowing my recordings to persist? I have a theory.

An anecdote. The Grateful Dead.

The Grateful Dead was and is one of the most monetarily successful and prolific touring bands of all time. They weren't known for their studio albums. They were known for their live performances and spontaneous jams. Every set was unique. And they had a diehard following of tapers – primarily dudes who would buy special early bird tickets and show up with sophisticated recording gear.

The tradition of taping Dead shows spawned hundreds of 'bootleg' recordings that were traded like commodities among fans. It was especially neat to get a tape of a show you attended yourself.

The Dead saw no money from all those thousands of hours of fan-made tapes. They profited in a different way. They had the most loyal fan base I have ever seen. The real fans didn't only see one night or all three nights in one city. Hardcore fans would take time off work and follow the band...across the country...for months! Or they figured out some kind of hustle to make money in the parking lot before and after the show, selling t-shirts, drugs, or grilled cheese sandwiches. To those fans, the music was everything.

The Dead's positive attitude on taping engendered a following any artist or creator would envy. I'm not saying taping was the only reason for the band's success. But I am saying the bootlegs made a big difference in disseminating the band's music and contributing to the band's popularity.

In the old days, artists made money from records sales. Those days are gone. Few artists make real money from online sales and streams. Today, live shows and touring is where the money is.

So am I really hurting anyone by sharing the music?

The nature of this music style is extremely transitory. A dj set played last night is already old news. Tons of great new tracks get released every day, and dj's are quick to cycle through material.

I realized something. If it weren't for folks like me, the tapers, a lot of this music would disappear into thin air.

There were thousands of people there last night is a daze or stupor, either enabled by intoxicants or not, overwhelmed by the music and visuals, trying to socialize, taking care of bodily needs, checking their socials...and on and on and on. It's a freaking whirlwind of excitement and activity and it's hard to pay close attention to the music even when one is completely sober and alert.

When the two hours are over, what do people have left? Sure, they have a series of crappy but important cell phone videos. Maybe they bought a t-shirt. And of course they have the residual emotions and memories.

And for some, that is enough.

For me, it's not enough. I need to hear the damn music again. It was too good, too significant, too valuable to just let it dissipate into the ether.

So maybe I see myself providing a service. I'm sure some artists love what I do. I'm sure some hate it. But ultimately, they really do have control. Either they can flip the switch in their account to block my files, or they can drop a note in my SoundCloud, Facebook, or Instagram inbox.

It's happened before. When one dj asked me to take down a set, it was down within the hour, no hard feelings at all.

I'm not trying to antagonize you. I'm trying to help you. And if you don't like it, I can respect that. Please have someone on your team send me a note and I'll take it down, no worries.

Again, I'm doing this for love.

Respectfully, Rave Taper.

Follow and Support Boris Brejcha!

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Boris Brejcha Beatport

Follow and support Factory 93!

Factory 93 Instagram

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Boris Brejcha Factory 93 flyer

Boris Brejcha photos from Factory 93 at Grand Park 2023

[ravetaper]

Habstrakt Live Set - Hollywood Palladium 2023

This is a 90-minute audio recording of Habstrakt Hollywood Palladium live set recorded on Saturday, September 2, 2023. The set began at 12:10 AM the following morning.

Rave Tapes · Habstrakt 09 - 03 - 2023 HollywoodPalladium

I've seen many shows at the Hollywood Palladium. Deadmau5, Voyd, RL Grime, to name a few EDM acts. But I've been seeing shows there since the 90's, when Beastie Boys and Green Day used to play the venue. It's a cool space and an historic site, but I haven't been impressed with the sound quality in recent years. My main complaint has been the lack of bass.

That's why I was surprised by what I heard last night. It actually sounded pretty good. I did sense that the sound engineer waited until the final 30 minutes to really unleash the bass. But when everything was running full blast, I thought the mix sounded decent. And the recording reflects that. Usually the audio sounds muddy. But this time, I had to do very little adjusting to get a nice sound.

The sound wasn't the only good thing about the show. The crowd was beautiful, too.

This was the best audience I have experienced in quite a while. The vibes were pristine. No bad energy, no one being pushy, no moshing, everyone being friendly and polite. Apparently, Habstrakt attracts a really wholesome crowd. I was passing out stickers, trading kandi and making friends left and right. Such a refreshing change. In the couple years following Covid, many crowds have felt uncharacteristically aggressive and insensitive. So this was a welcome breath of fresh air.

Here's what I know about Habstrakt: not much. I know he's a French-born producer living and working in LA. But I also know he's producing some of the sickest bass house and tech house on the planet.

I know him primarily from seeing his name all over the Beatport genres I follow. When I see Habstrakt listed in the credits of a track, I know it's going to be a high impact banger.

Then there's the fact that I missed him at EDC Vegas this year.

I knew about the EDC set. I wanted to hit the set and record it. But, it was a closing set. No bueno.

I'm a middle-age raver and I go harder than 95-percent of my peers. Most of them stopped attending events years ago and would never dream about going back to EDC in their "old age." But I go. I go all three days, and I arrive early and stay late. I outpace and outlast kids half my age. But I have to draw the line somewhere. For me, the cutoff at EDC is 4 AM.

Believe me, I know how magical the closing sets are. But I can't do them because I can't get stuck in the post-show traffic jam. I like to pull out of the parking lot no later than 5 AM, just as the music stops inside the venue. I like to be back in my hotel room listening to the recordings by 6 or 7 AM. If I stay for the final set, I get stuck in parking and can't relax for another couple hours, which throws off my three-day schedule of eat-sleep-rave-repeat.

But leaving early means I have to sacrifice the closing sets. I've missed a million Kaskade Redux sunrise sets because of this, and I regret missing all of them.

Well, it was particularly painful to miss Habstrakt at EDC. I've been hyper focused on bass house lately, and Habstrakt is one of the frontrunners of the genre. Reports from his EDC set were overwhelmingly positive, but there were precious few videos of the set. When the Hollywood Palladium show was announced, I knew I would finally get my chance to experience Habstrakt live.

As mentioned earlier, the sound was better than usual. The crowd was better than usual, too. And the music was perfect.

Habstrakt delivered a tight 90-miunte set. Most of it was unrelenting tech house and bass house interspersed with a few breaks and breakdowns. Very danceable, which is the aspect I love the most. I'm not familiar enough with Habstrakt's catalog to know what percent of the tracks were produced by him, but I assume the number was high. The mic work was sparce and heartfelt. I could tell he was having fun and feeling grateful to be there.

Visuals and stage production were minimal but effective. The main visuals were provided by a wall of vintage CRT monitors behind the dj decks. The effect was retro but it aligned nicely with Habstract's grimy, high-contrast brand.

I'm very happy with the sound quality of this recording. Whereas most of my Hollywood Palladium recordings have issues, this one sounded close to perfect out the gate. I applied very subtle eq adjustments and brought the levels up, that's it. (Edit: I went back and applied my normal effects chain to increase the crispness and 'liveliness'.)

I'm going to check the mix in a few listening environments and adjust if necessary. Otherwise, enjoy it.

So checking my email yesterday I saw what I thought was phishing email. It had the Live Nation branding and said my ticket was ready for Boris Brejcha the next night – tonight – a Factory 93 show at Grand Park in LA. I was sure it was a phishing attempt because there was no way I would knowingly buy a ticket for Boris the day after Habstrakt.

Just to verify everything, I logged into my Live Nation account and...what do you know. I DO have a ticket for Boris Brejcha tonight. Bahahaha!

So after I get finished posting and sharing this, I will chill for a few hours, eat something, take a shower, get dressed, and do it all over again!

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Follow and support Habstrakt!

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Original Insomniac flyer for Habstrakt Hollywood Palladium September 2, 2023:

Alternate Insomniac flyer for Habstrakt Hollywood Palladium September 2, 2023:

[ravetaper]

Jungle 2023 Live Sets by Kenny Ken, 6BLOCC aka R.A.W.

Kenny Ken Live Set - Jungle 2023 Los Angeles Warehouse

132-minute audio and video recording of Kenny Ken Live Set at Jungle 2023, recorded at a Los Angeles warehouse, on July 8, 2023. Featuring Werd MC. The set began at 12:30 AM the following morning.

Rave Tapes · Kenny Ken Live Set - Jungle 2023 LA Warehouse

6BLOCC aka R.A.W. Live Set Jungle 2023, July 8 2023

60-minute audio and video recording of 6BLOCC aka R.A.W. live set at Jungle 2023, recorded on July 8, 2023, at a warehouse near downtown LA. The set began at 11:25 PM.

Rave Tapes · 6BLOCC aka R.A.W. Live Set Jungle 2023 July

[Video coming soon!]

Curious? Live Set - Jungle 2023 July 8 Los Angeles

80-minute audio recording and 52-minute video of DJ Curious? live set at Jungle 2023. The set began around 10 PM.

Rave Tapes · Curious? Live Set - Jungle 2023 July 8 Los Angeles

APX-1 Jungle 2023 Live Set feat. Werd MC

Rave Tapes · APX-1 Jungle 2023 Live Set feat. Werd MC

Here's a content dump from last Saturday night. The event was Jungle 2023, July 8 edition. This was next in a series of drum-and-bass events in Los Angeles produced by the people behind Technostate, a long-running and well-respected production crew.

The headliner was Kenny Ken supported by R.A.W., Curious?, and APX-1.

I have been told Kenny Ken is an OG of legendary status. I don't know firsthand because…well, because I'm largely ignorant of the jungle and drum & bass genres. I acknowledge I'm mostly aware of the LA-based og's, along with a few major UK names - that's it. Nevertheless, I can sniff out talent when it's presented before me. Thanks to R.A.W. and the Technostate crew for brining out Kenny Ken, because the set was delectable, start to finish.

A few comments about R.A.W.'s set. Raoul is the source water of the LA jungle scene. He was there at the beginning. He introduced jungle to LA. And he's been an 100-percent committed junglist ever since. He has to be one of the most prolific jungle producers out there. He has a massive BandCamp library of original works, remixes, and mashups, as well as sample packs aimed at music producers.

Every time R.A.W. plays, he brings something different. This night was noteworthy, as usual. His set was packed with fascinating 6BLOCC mashups and remixes. 6BLOCC is R.A.W.'s primary producer alias. He goes by both names. I'll title this set as 6BLOCC aka R.A.W. because it really feels like a 6BLOCC set based on the selections. I guarantee R.A.W. fans will be intrigued by this one.

The night opened by Curious? an og legend in his own right, who played alongside R.A.W. going back to the early 90's. His set was a dreamy journey of various d&b flavors.

APX-1, another heavy-hitter from the original LA jungle scene, closed out the night.

The next Jungle 2023 has been announced for Friday, August 11. It will be a free event, lineup TBA! Follow my socials for updates.

[ravetaper]

VOYD at The Torch LA Coliseum Live Set 2023

This is an 80-minute audio recording of VOYD The Torch LA Coliseum Live Set, recorded July 1, 2023, in Los Angeles. The set began at 9:40 PM.

Rave Tapes · VOYD - The Torch LA Coliseum Live Set 2023

Voyd is a different trip, something unique in a sea of sameness. I don't mind gimmicks. I actually like some gimmicks. Some of the best EDM acts in history - from Malaa to Daft Punk - wear masks. In the case of Svdden Death's alter ego Voyd, the skull helmet matched with the music and visuals creates an otherworldly experience that's both entertaining and memorable. I'm not going to rehash my discovery and fandom of Svdden Death and Voyd. You can read about that in my commentaries on other recordings:

Svdden Death Hollywood Palladium 2020 Live Set

Voyd EDC Las Vegas 2021 Live Set

Marshmello B2B Svdden Death EDC 2023 Live Set

Suffice to say I remain a fan. In the flood of shows advertised for Summer 2023, this event stood out. One, because it was Voyd. Two, because it would be at The Torch at the LA Coliseum, a new venue I hadn't yet experienced.

I was particularly interested in checking out the venue. I've been to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum dozens of times. The Torch is a confined area directly beneath the famous Olympic torch, sectioned off from the larger coliseum. It was an interesting setup. I liked that it was outdoors. I liked that it was in the shadow of the iconic peristyle and great torch - which had been lit. But the space felt a little cramped, especially toward the front. That was due to the elongated shape of the area. The stage was off to one side. I've seen pics online showing the stage set up in the middle, under the torch. Maybe I would have preferred that setup.

Sound was good. Lights, lasers, and pyrotechnics were good. The main visual was a 8-story black tower behind the dj decks. The face of the tower was one large led screen. But the screen was the transparent type, a relevant detail. Behind the screen, inside the tower, about 10 skeletons suspended with wires ascended and descended during different parts of the set! It was an apt visual. Likewise, the dj table was adorned with chains and fake severed heads.

The music was…Voyd. Right from the start, I felt that dread-filled pulse pouring from the speakers. It's just what I wanted to hear. Generally, I am a positive, optimistic person who dwells in the world of the decent. But the Gemini characteristic of dual personality rings true in my case. I have a dark side, too, the side that feels at home in the dark, dirty places of the underground, the side that can appreciate art forged out of anger, sadness, or pain. And then there's the underlying terror in Voyd's music. Occasionally I like to innocently feed my dark side by watching scary movies. It's with a similar attitude I approach Voyd.

Considering the neon flower-power PLUR vibes of the rave movement, I understand how Voyd tracks won't resonate with many in the scene. His crowd is certainly a niche audience.

Ultimately, the music is deep, dark, grimy, and sinister. It's seductive and intoxicating. Importantly, it sounds different than what most other dj's are playing.

For the final 20-30 minutes, Danny was joined by Marshmello in a surprise guest appearance. In many ways it felt like part 2, a continuation of their set at EDC Las Vegas 2023. By this time in the set, Danny had removed the Voyd helmet and assumed his Svdden Death persona.

And what a couple the pair make! It's a classic GOAT duo, right up there with deadmau5 and Kaskade as Kx5, or even the house music masters of Swedish House Mafia. The undead lord of evil dubstep teamed up with the marshmallow-head king of EDM trap-pop? What's not to love? As if the brand power of either wasn't strong enough. Together they really do make an EDM supergroup.

I don't do track lists. I'll leave that to others. I'll just post up the set and let it stand on its own merit.

A note about the audience. I'm not proud to say LA has got to have one of the most apathetic audiences in the world. Obviously, the crowd wants to be there. They shelled out lots of money and made an effort to get to the venue and fight through the crowds. But people in LA rarely clap, cheer, whistle, or otherwise show appreciation. Some do, obviously. There are exceptions to every rule. But generally speaking, LA crowds are largely quiet. I think there are two reasons. First, LA has so many good entertainment options, people have become desensitized to talent. Second, fewer people are performers themselves and don't appreciate what it takes to get up on stage and put on a show.

In the case of last night, I'm sure the heat made things worse. Temps had reached higher than 100 F in some parts of the city, earlier that day. So the crowd just seemed out of it, faded, aka tired.

I feel for the artists. They're up there pouring their hearts out and delivering unbelievable sets only to be met with a few scattered claps and mostly silence. I hope they know we love them and appreciate their live performances even when we do little to show it!

The recording sounds clean. This time I did very little processing and instead relied on the engineers at Zoom. The fact that the show was outdoors in a smaller venue meant it would be easier to capture a balanced mix. So far it sounds decent but I might tweak it a little after listening more. I hope you enjoy it!

Follow and support Voyd and Svdden Death!

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[ravetaper]

Mampi Swift, Star Eyes, live sets from Jungle 2023 Los Angeles

VIDEO and AUDIO live sets of Mampi Swift, Star Eyes, and R.A.W. live at Jungle 2023! Recorded on June 3, 2023, in a small warehouse near the heart of Los Angeles. Content below!

Ahh jungle and drum and bass. It seems there has been a resurging popularity in the genre recently, but did interest ever go away since the style emerged in the early 90's? I'm not sure.

I know that since the beginning, jungle offered an alternative to the inherently repetitive 4-on-the-floor beat of house, techno, and trance. As a drummer and percussionist, I was intrigued by jungle's complex breakbeats and chopped-up rhythms. It was very different than anything else being played at raves and clubs at the time.

Junglists were dedicated. I imagined they saw themselves as graduates of breakbeat and techno, whose taste had evolved into something more sophisticated.

The undisputed leader of the LA movement was and continues to be R.A.W. I've written quite a lot about him, I won't repeat myself. Suffice to say he has mythical status. If he showed up at a party, you knew you were in for something special. You could be sure he would bring things no one had heard before, as well as mix in anthems that he himself elevated into anthems.

I eventually drifted away from jungle simply because it was harder for me to dance to. I found the slower, consistent beat of deep house more seductive. But I admit my preference is purely subjective, purely personal taste.

Yet, the genre always maintained a following. Today, jungle events seem to happen quite regularly. And every year drum and bass has noticeable footprint at EDC, with 2023's lineup including Andy C.

This show was the second in a series of three underground jungle events in LA scheduled for Summer 2023. Not insignificantly, the production crew includes members that have been around since the early days. These folks know a thing or two about throwing all night dance events. As expected, all the requirements were met: smallish warehouse in a commercial district 15 minutes from Downtown LA, massive sound system, a few lights and lasers, and top-tier talent. What else is needed?

Last month's installment featured three amazing dnb artists/dj's I hadn't heard before: Kallan HK, DJ Dazee, and Empress. I didn't know them not because they aren't well known. I'm simply ignorant of the dnb scene, that's all. Dazee's set can be found on YouTube and SoundCloud, Kallan HK's live set is on SoundCloud. Highly recommended.

Likewise, I was unfamiliar with the two headliners this time: Star Eyes and Mampi Swift. And like before, I was blown away.

Star Eyes' set was a master class on drum and bass dj'ing technique. I often frequent dj forums on Reddit and elsewhere. Sometimes I'll offer advice to newbies asking "how to dj". In most cases, I want to tell them how I learned to dj – by watching the pros, up close, for hours.

And that's just what I did. I was there in the room recording, anyway. Of course I was fascinated by how the dj's cue'd up and mixed records. Back in the day, when dj's were positioned on the floor next to the dancers, one could stand to the side and watch – and study – the dj's moves.

The problem today is that most times, dj's are physically separated from the audience, either by a big stage or distant booth. A wannabe dj can't stand and look over a dj's shoulder anymore. Now, we fans are down in the pit looking up at the dj, with no clear view of the decks and mixer.

Well, videos like these are the next best option. The side angle provides an excellent view of the dj and decks, making it possible to observe their craft.

And what a craft.

One is mesmerized listening and watching Star Eyes seamlessly bring each track in and out, with flourishes of filter tweaks and fader cuts.

And Mampi Swift? Oh my days!

I told him afterwards his set was like a religious experience for me. I don't even listen to jungle and dnb that much. But holy smokes, I had never heard anything like that before. It was some powerful stuff. I have to go back and give the set a few good listens to fully comprehend the experience. I can just say that the tracks were really extraordinary. The production/sound quality was tops, technically speaking. But the sounds, arrangements, samples, and the builds... It was a mind-bending trip. A sonic journey through the lens of drum and bass, yes, but a fascinating musical journey regardless of the genre.

As is the tradition with this genre, the music is accompanied by emceeing. Originally, I was indifferent to emcees rapping over drum and bass. But it's grown on me. Indeed, if I heard it without an emcee, it would probably sound like something was missing.

Saturday night we were blessed with two local emcees trading off – MCMC, and MC Word. The guys add a lot. It takes talent to come up with the lyrical flows, remember them, and execute without fumbling. And good adlib is very entertaining. Balance is usually best, and fortunately MCMC and Word know when to let it rip and when to lay low.

Local legend R.A.W. opened the event. Respected veteran Scooba closed it out. Audio of their sets can be found below.

The recordings came out nice. The video is decent – my gear is entry level 1080 HD, old technology. Still, better than nothing. The audio sounds good – strong levels, no issues besides the dj mic levels getting hot occasionally (beyond my control). The audio of the YouTube and Soundcloud versions will be different, with the SoundCloud versions sounding slightly better.

If you missed this event, now's your chance to experience some of it. I hope you enjoy!

The next installment of Jungle 2023 will happen July 8. Featured artist will be Kenny Ken (UK). Visit Jungle2023.com for more info. I'm not sure if that one will be streamed live or recorded for sharing later. In any case, follow Rave Tapes on Instagram, SoundCloud, and Facebook to know when new content goes live.

Mampi Swift Live Set – Jungle 2023 LA dnb warehouse rave

VIDEO:

AUDIO:

Rave Tapes · Mampi Swift Live Set - Jungle 2023 LA Warehouse

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Star Eyes Live Set – Jungle 2023 LA dnb warehouse rave

VIDEO:

AUDIO:

Rave Tapes · Star Eyes Live Set - Jungle 2023 LA Warehouse

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R.A.W. Live Set – Jungle 2023 LA dnb warehouse rave

Rave Tapes · R.A.W. Jungle 2023 Live Set - LA Warehouse - June 3 2023

Follow and support R.A.W. (6BLOCC)

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DJ Scooba Live Set – Jungle 2023 Los Angeles

Rave Tapes · Scooba Live Set - Jungle 2023 LA Warehouse

Follow and support DJ Scooba

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Jungle 2023 – June 3, 2023 flyer

[ravetaper]

Reinier Zonneveld EDC 2023 Live Set

This is a 90-minute audio recording of Reinier Zonneveld EDC 2023 Live Set, recorded May 21, 2023, at Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas. The set began at 2:30 AM the following morning.

Rave Tapes · Reinier Zonneveld EDC 2023 Live Set

The biggest problem with EDC is the fact that one person can't be two places at once. In my case I'd be in three of four places simultaneously. There's just so much good talent to see, so many interesting styles, sub-genres, and stage productions.

Neon Garden would be stage I'd frequent more if I could. I happen to prioritize house nowadays, but I appreciate good techno, as well. When planning my EDC schedule, I hoped to hit at least one set at Neon Garden. I wasn't sure where to go after Marshmello b2b Svdden Death Kinetic Field. I suppose most would hang around for Excision. I've seen Excision plenty of times. I like his music, but I wanted something different. I wanted some techno at Neon Garden.

The stage is managed by the Factory 93 crew. I get a sense these are the techno "snobs" of the industry. I don't mean that in a derogatory way. I mean these are the purists, the ones really into music, who closely follow the producers who make the music and the dj's who spin it. The lineups always include the most respected names.

The theme and layout of Neon Garden is topic of frequent discussion. For the last few years, the area has beren defined by a collection of shipping containers, stacked and angled to encompass the stage and crowd area. Somewhat stark and simplistic, some like it, some don't. To some, the containers reminded them of warehouse parking lots – original rave locations. The minimalist production allows the music to take center stage. Others think the metal boxes look boring and don't live up to EDC's high production standards.

I'm indifferent. It's not the most spectacular production, but it's not bad, either. I assume the shipping containers have a practical purpose. They effectively block sound from bleeding in and out of the area. I also like the way they dressed them up this year LED strips. With the massive laser arrays firing off, the gyrating lights spinning, and the LED strips circulating, it's a powerfully hypnotic effect. The undulating visual patterns coupled with the repetitive, driving beats easily puts one int a techno-induced trance. Nice.

The lineup card showed "live" next to Reinier Zonneveld's name. I think that meant he would perform a live pa set using controllers and laptop(s) to generate the music. It looked like he had two controller devices positioned above the cdj's. I was too far away to see details.

The set was what I hoped for. Hard driving, impersonal, techno. Few vocals or lyrics. At a certain point in the journey, one may desire little more than a mechanical, familiar beat, something to hang on to, to prevent one from slipping too far from reality. That ever-comforting, up-tempo, 4/4 beat.

Follow and support Reinier Zonneveld

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I persisted in the dark crowd, swaying and bobbing my head, partially hypnotized, but still cognizant that my time at EDC was about to end. After this set, I would bounce, and EDC LV 2023 would be over for me.

To thousands like me, EDC is the highpoint of the calendar year. Yes there are big holidays, religious holidays, national holidays. Of course those are important. To the raver, big festivals like EDC are valued just as much, probably more so. Our year revolves around EDC.

When EDC ends, one feels a wide spectrum of emotions.

It's sadness mixed with elation.

Obviously, there is sadness. It sucks when the music stops and the party ends. It sucks to say goodby to the humans you connected with, but also to the space itself. The sacred space.

There's also a sudden sense of emptiness. When one is overfilled with music, light, energy, and human connection – for three days straight – mundane day four can be a shock. Emotional systems go haywire for a few days. Mine does.

At the same time, there is an overwhelming sense of satisfaction, completeness, and achievement.

The deed is done. The Journey is complete. I survived. But I didn't just survive. I survived AND witnessed some of the most incredible spectacle on the planet! I saw and danced to my favorite artists. I met new people and made friends. I communed with the giant Kinetic Field goddess. I traded kandi. I laughed and cried and felt all the other cliché emotions. It's a peak life experience, clearly, and all the associated emotions bubble up over the next 72 hours or so.

And then I feel that extra special awareness. I remember that I have the holy documents, the files, the recordings of the sets I just experienced!

I'm a planner, so I always plan to have an assortment of ice-cold drinks waiting in my car for the drive back. I nurse a strawberry Gatorade (electrolytes, yum!) and drive north along the two-lane highway connecting the premier lot to the 15 on-ramp.

It's around the time the sky changes from dark blue to gray. In the rearview mirror I see flashing lights from the speedway. Occasionally there will be puffs of fire. I smile to myself, knowing my people are still there, still raging, still going hard until the final notes of the final song of the final set end.

I loop around onto the 15 and pass the speedway on the left. Still going off haha.

There's a twinge of regret over leaving early, but that's quickly replaced by the relief knowing I'll be back at my comfy hotel room soon.

I won't detail my entire decompression routine, but I will say I got smart a few years ago and learned to stay in Vegas Monday night. That extra day makes everything less stressful. That Monday day I isolate in the hotel room, sleep, rehydrate, eat vitamins, edit and post sets until evening. Then I'll go out to fancy dinner with a Vegas friend and eat the first normal sit-down meal I've had in three days. During the the meal, I try in vain to explain the magic I just experienced. Regardless, it feels good to reconnect with an old friend, and we end up having a deep conversation about profound and spiritual concepts.

Tuesday morning, after a good night's sleep, I pack up, haul the gear to the car, and head back to LA.

That drive home through the desert is always surreal.

I refuse to listen to music for the first hour or so. Some of the sets I recorded are live and ready to stream off SoundCloud. I could do more testing of the fidelity over the car system. I don't. Not at first, at least.

I need some silence. I need to cleanse my auditory pallet a little. Also, there's still a beat in my head. After being pounded into my being for three days, the imprint of the beat remains long after the music stops.

So I just cruise home in the desert, cruise home in silence.

The next few days are a blur of motion. I spend every possible moment editing, journaling, and sharing sets, one foot still planted at EDC. But I have to address the mundane, worldly tasks, too. Someone has to feed the cat, take the kids to school, wash the dishes, and a dozen other household chores.

It's a balancing act. It takes focus and dedication, for sure. And finishing this set marks the completion of delivering my EDC 2023 content.

It's Monday, May 29, 2023. Veteran's day. Just about a week and a day since the music at EDC stopped. It took me that long to get out 11 sets. Not bad, I suppose, considering the balancing act I have to manage.

But it's a good feeling knowing I can tie a little bow around EDC 2023, consider it "in the can", and move on to the next project.

And there are indeed some interesting projects on the horizon...

[ravetaper]

Capozzi EDC 2023 Cosmic Meadow Live Set

This is a 60-minute audio recording of Capozzi EDC 2023 Cosmic Meadow live set recorded on May 21, 2023, at Electric Daisy Carnival located at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The set began at 8:30 PM.

Rave Tapes · CAPOZZI EDC 2023 Cosmic Meadow Live Set

I've already commented extensively on Capozzi's set at the Allegiant Rave Hanger, which started 30 minutes after this set ended.

This set, was the big set. Cosmic Meadow is several times bigger than StereoBloom, the more intimate stage she played last year. An 8:30 pm Sunday set seemed ideal. I knew the early timeslot would mean Cosmic Meadow would be full but not packed. One can move and dance without feeling squished. And the grassy meadow makes dancing more pleasurable.

The set itself...I can't comment on it yet. I have to listen a few times.

It's really one of the reasons I record. In the moment, a lot of things can happen that interrupt one's concentration on the music. Gosh, where do I start?

First off, earplugs. Wise ravers protect their ears. I've lucked out. Despite listening for years to loud sound systems, I luckily escaped tinnitus and other hearing problems. But at a certain point in my middle age, I didn't want to push my luck any farther.

I finally found a set of earplugs that stay snug and cut just the right amount of volume. The fidelity is decent. But the fidelity is only decent. Here I am standing in front of a world class system and I'm hearing a muffled version of it. Having a recording to listen to after the fact allows me to enjoy the clarity I had to miss for my own protection.

Then, there are the internal, bodily struggles. EDC is an endurance test. If one isn't prepared - physically and mentally - one will inevitably end up sitting in a chill zone for hours, missing sets, leaving early, or missing the next day entirely. One struggles with thirst, needing to go to the bathroom, sleep deprivation, dehydration, extreme heat, sore muscles, aching feet, and so on. All these issues compounded by the pounding bass and intense lightshow can leave one dumbfounded. Just standing/swaying and keeping composure becomes a challenge. Is a person in that state really listening to the music? I know I float in and out of awareness when I'm in such a daze.

And then there's just the drama that goes hand-in-hand with festivals with 100+k attendees. One is bound to run into folks who aren't up to speed on the PLUR perspective. Some suffer from main character syndrome and don't realize how their behaviors impact those around them. Usually issues resolves themselves. Sometimes security or medical has to be called in. It sucks, but it's a fact of festival life.

Not to mention the drugs and alcohol that might be at play.

So, to be fully aware, fully present, and able to listen carefully to what the dj is doing...is not always possible.

Truth be told, I was a little distracted during part of Capozzi's set (another person was being unthoughtful). Nothing major, and it did get resolved quickly. And the incident was minimized by an outpouring of support and understanding by the surrounding crowd. But I felt I had missed part of a set I had greatly anticipated.

I take comfort knowing I got the bits. I got the signal. Now I can take my time. Now I can drink in the set at my own pace, and appreciate it the way it deserves be appreciated. No earplugs. No idiots causing trouble. Just me and a set of speakers (or earphones) with nothing in between.

I'm going to listen a few more times and decide if I want to write some commentary about it. Listening to it now in full, I can hear there are several tracks that overlap with her later set at Allegiant Rave Hanger. But there are several different tracks, too. So it's def not the same set. Like the rave hanger set, it sounds like she goes a little hard in the second half. And a little dark. This should be good!

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[ravetaper]

Marten Horger EDC 2023 Live Set

This is a 58-minute audio recording of Marten Horger EDC 2023 live set recorded on May 21, 2023. The set was recorded at the Kinetic Field stage at Electric Daisy Carnival, located the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The set began at 7:00 PM.

Rave Tapes · Marten Horger EDC 2023 Live Set

I did not expect to record Marten Hørger. I thought the festival gates opened precisely at 7 pm, which meant I would miss the start of the opening sets. I was wrong. They actually opened the gates at 6:30, giving attendees plenty of time to position themselves before the first notes started at 7. Thank you Insomniac!

I arrived early on Sunday. Capozzi's Cosmic Meadow set would start at 8. It was the most important set of the weekend to me, thus I would be there well beforehand. I was there when the doors opened at 6:30, which meant I could record one of the opening acts!

Marten Horger was one of the opening sets highlighted on my Clashfinder profile. Why? Because I was seeing Marten Horger's name all over Beatport's bass house and tech house categories.

Because of a song called The Calling.

Because of a little track co-produced with Tchami called Gold Dust (Marten Hørger Extended Remix)

Within the last year I've started dabbling again in the art and craft of dj'ing, with special focus on the bass house category. I enjoy digging through releases on Beatport – and I kept noting Marten's name on lots of really exceptional tracks. When I saw his name on the EDC lineup, I put it high on my priority list.

When I got through the gates early on Sunday, I headed straight for Kinetic Field and set up before Marten started.

The selections and mixing? Chef's kiss! He did play The Calling! Yes! The vibe and atmosphere? These opening sets are some of the best moments at EDC. It's a couple hours before the crowds start packing in. You have room to move, room to dance, room to breath!

I also enjoy watching the transition from day to night, from light to dark. It's fun to watch the lights flash on as the remaining rays of sunlight fade away.

This is the first set of the final day.

The final day.

This is our last chance to embrace it, to squeeze the experience for all it's worth.

Friday, people are dazed and tired from the ordeal of getting to Vegas. Saturday they find their footing. Sunday is dessert. By Sunday, either you're not going to make it due to going too hard the first two days, or, you make a plan to make the most of it.

I pace myself and like to go out with a bang on Sunday. On Sunday, my attitude is go hard or go home.

Marten Horger's set started the night on the right foot. It set the mood perfectly, and gave me that bass house dose I wanted early on.

The night would unfold to be one of the most epic EDC nights ever, with two sets by up-and-comer Capozzi and an historic, mind-bending performance by Marshmello and Svdden Death.

I hope you enjoy! More Sunday sets coming...

Follow and support Marten Hørger

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[ravetaper]

Malaa b2b Wax Motif EDC 2023 Live Set

This is a 70-minute audio recording of Malaa b2b Wax Motif EDC 2023 Live Set, recorded May 19, 2023. The set took place at Kinetic Field stage at Electric Daisy Carnival, located at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The set begat at 3:06 AM the following morning.

Rave Tapes · Malaa b2b Wax Motif EDC 2023 Live Set

So I've developed a little obsession with a sub-genre called bass house. It's been around for a few years but I didn't really discover it until I discovered Capozzi last year at EDC 2022.

I've been doing this stuff for 30 years. And I have to say, I think I finally found my true niche.

I've always appreciated the various genres of electronic dance music: house, techno, trance, jungle/dnb, dubstep, riddim, and associated sub-genres. I could get comfortable at pretty much any EDC stage, for example.

I suppose my longest musical love affair involved deep house. Ever since Doc Martin's Unlock The House parties in LA, and ever since witnessing LA legends like Steve Loria, Marques Wyatt, Tony Largo, DJ Trance keep club kids and ravers dancing until 4, 5, 7, 8 am in the morning, deep house has meant something to me. The slower, shuffle-y beat mixed with soulful vocals and funky instrumentation felt more mature than the other genres. Plus, it was very danceable. You could go for hours and hours. And I did.

But during those years, occasionally I would hear house tracks that were...different. I'm not sure if you would classify it as garage, or a little bit electro, or something. But the tracks had, how should I say it, elements of...filth. I mean beats that were deliciously grimy. Simple but driving beats. Simple but driving bass lines. Simple but catchy vocal hooks. Minimalist but funky or soulful instrumentation. It wasn't commercial music or music designed for the radio. There was only one purpose to it: to give the dj a tool to make an audience keep dancing, in the most basic, primal way. I don't remember the labels but I remember Strictly Rhythm had a lot of tracks like that.

But I didn't know any dj's that focused exclusively on that style. There weren't any mixtapes of it, either. So, I continued listening to all the genres with a focus on deep house.

Part of my EDC preparation ritual involves mapping out the sets I want to hit. Every year there are must-see performances. But there are often gaps between my must-see sets. It's during those gaps that I seek out new talent.

Insomniac releases the official schedule only about a week before the event. Once released, I begin a frantic search to discover new djs to catch between my not-to-be-missed sets. The process involves googling for live sets on SoundCloud and YouTube. After previewing several recordings, I'll zero in on some artists and...

Ok I have to stop my train of thought and address the fan clacking.

I'm listening back to the set as I type, and it's really getting to me.

I don't know any other way to say it, but fan clacking is a form of narcissism.

"I am so important that I get to add my own, very noticeable, percussive rhythm on top of the music, whether those around me want to hear it or not."

What a self-centered attitude.

I am 100-percent for people vibing out, shouting, screaming, laughing, clapping, hooting, and otherwise spontaneously using their bodies and voices to express their elation. 100 Percent.

When it crosses over into using percussion or other musical instruments, that's when it crosses the line. A fan is a percussion instrument. It fits in the small percussion category like shakers, claves, wood blocks, cowbells, triangles, etc.

I paid good money and made an extraordinary effort to get to this event and to hear this dj play their music.

By clacking your fan next to me, you are degrading my experience. You're layering a cheap, cheesy, typically off-beat instrument track over the professionally mixed and mastered soundtrack.

That takes gall, friend.

I can hear critics saying "you're only concerned about this because you're recording. I don't care about your recording and I shouldn't have to tiptoe around you because of it."

Fair enough. But it's not only about me, or my recording. This is a hot topic on Reddit and Facebook. The disdain for fan clacking is widespread. And think about it. Any true fan of the music would be bothered. They want to hear the original notes without a tacky "clack track" over it.

AND – and this is significant – fan clacking sounds virtually identical to blown speaker cabinets. When speakers are fed an audio signal that's too hot, they will clip and distort. It sounds like crackling, or like cards being shuffled. It sounds like fan clacking.

So, the typical edm fan saved up for months, survived the ordeal of getting to Vegas, figured out room and board, finally makes it to the speedway after a transportation fiasco, makes it to the stage and finally their favorite artist takes to the decks. This is going to be good! The CircuitGrounds sound system is a world class system. It's going to sound amazing hearing my favorite songs through it...

...and then the clacking starts, which sounds no different than crappy speakers getting blown out by too much wattage.

It's not fair.

The R in PLUR stands for Respect. There has to be a way to respect each other enough so that we can have fun and even make noise, and still be sensitive to the needs and wants of those around us.

I faced this problem in the 90's with whistles. Honestly, whether we are talking about whistles or fan clacking, there's actually a correct way to do it. If you must do it, do it tastefully, on beat, for only a few repetitions, and then stop for at least 10 minutes. At the drop, do 9 beats of fan clacking. 1-2-3-4 1-2-3-4 1 then stop! I'm not unreasonable. I want you to have fun, too. But not at my expense, please. Thank you.

I'm trying to decide if fan clacking ruined this recording. I want to post it up as a testament to the problem. I want fan clackers to listen and answer this question honestly: did the persistent clacking make the recording more enjoyable to listen to, or less enjoyable? Maybe there really are some people who are indifferent to it, or maybe even like it? I have to imagine there aren't many, other than the clackers themselves.

Enough said. Malaa...

I learned about Malaa when it was announced he would play one of the coveted opening slots at EDC Las Vegas 2019. I still didn't fully understand bass house at the time. I sampled his music and liked the aggressive house-y beat and gangster rap vocals. Anyway, I like to record whoever plays those first Cosmic Meadow sets because it's a magical time. The festival just opened, the sun is still up but setting, energy and vibes are high. It's one of my favorite times of EDC.

The previous year we were gifted with a picture-perfect set by Anti Up, the iconic tech house duo Chis Lake and Chris Lorenzo. It's one of my all-time favorite recordings. It was pulled off SoundCloud because of a rare copyright flag by one of the labels I'm guessing. But there may still be a version up on Mixcloud or hearhthis.at. (Found it.) Since then, I won't miss an opening set if I can help it.

In 2019, in anticipation of recording Malaa, I got to premier parking lot on time. I had about 45 minutes to get from my car to the stage. It could work.

But then there was a problem.

In previous years, early birds parking in the premier Yellow lot would line up by their dedicated gate. The rest of the festival grounds were closed and off limits for two more hours, so security guards would escort groups of 40-50 across the closed sections and drop them off at Cosmic Meadow, the only stage open at the time.

In 2019, the system changed, without notice. That year, earlier premier parkers were NOT given early access to the back gate. If they wanted to go in for opening ceremonies, they would have to walk around to the front of the speedway. It's about a one-mile, 15 minute walk. The logistics change caused me to arrive at Malaa about 2 minutes after the set started. That was the first problem. The second problem was that the wind was pretty bad at that hour. So even if I had gotten there early enough, I'm not sure the recording would have come out. I didn't have a good windscreen that year (I did the next year).

Not recording Malaa was my biggest regret of EDC 2019. It was a good set, a great set. The crowd loved it. It was a vibe. I really would have loved to listen to it again and analyze the tracks and transitions.

Since that time, and since falling into Capozzi, I've realized Malaa's significance.

He's one of the drivers of the bass house movement. He may not be the first. There are other incredibly talented dj's pushing the sound (I want to record them, too!). But he certainly has a vibe, a look, and a sound that are his own.

I felt like an idiot when I missed his Shrine show in Hollywood a few months back. It was already sold out when I found out about it.

Obviously, seeing Malaa this EDC was non-negotiable. I've followed Wax Motif a little bit so I knew the back-to-back set would be good.

So here it is. I'll have to listen a few times before I decide what to do.

You know, I'm wondering if there is an AI tool I can use to fix the issue. "Remaster this recording without the fan clacking." Does such a tool exist yet? If it's not here yet, I'm sure it's coming soon.

For the moment let's keep it up.

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[ravetaper]

Marshmello EDC 2023 Live Set - Friday Kinetic Field

This is a 60-minute audio recording of Marshmello EDC 2023 live set from Friday at Kinetic Field. The set was recorded May 19, 2023, at Electric Daisy Carnival, which took place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The set began at 1:48 the following morning but there were two interruptions near the start. This is the uninterrupted final hour of the set.

Rave Tapes · Marshmello EDC 2023 Live Set - Friday Kinetic Field

I'm at the point where the audio is ready, the thumbnails are made, and I have to come up with some coherent words to accompany the post. I'm listening back to the set and...wow. It's hitting me.

This was Marshmello's Friday night set at the big KinteticFIELD. There were problems at the beginning.

It had started drizzling lightly, but it was raining hard enough to concern to the AV crew. There's usually nothing covering EDC's stages, as rain in Vegas at that time of year is somewhat rare. But then again, sporadic desert showers are known to happen.

The gear was still functioning 10 minutes into the rain, but the crew was nervous. They eventually brought out a large commercial folding canopy. It was big and heavy. And, it must have been new, because it looked very stiff. The assembly was so stiff, four guys couldn't manage to expand the structure and raise the canopy. The crew was struggling with the canopy for several minutes. Meanwhile, Marshmello is off to the side waiting to get back to the decks. The guys are struggling, the song is elapsing, the transition has to happen soon. Eventually Marshmello forces his way to the decks and attempts to salvage the mix, but it's too late. The blend trainwrecks. Marshmello throws up his hands and tells the crowd he'll hopefully be back in a minute after the issues get fixed. Bear in mind, it's still drizzling and the canopy still isn't up yet.

What was I feeling? I felt RELIEVED! Allow me to explain.

The trainwreck meant everything to me. It's called a trainwreck because the sound of two records clashing is pretty terrible, like watching a car crash or trainwreck. BUT, it can only happen if a DJ is actually mixing!!

This weekend was my first time seeing Marshmello. I honestly didn't know what his live sets were like. I know his history and know he's been a part of the scene for a while and is a legit producer. But one never really knows what's going on with the live sets. We assume all the artists are actually mixing tracks in realtime, but rumors abound about artists "faking it" or merely playing back a pre-recorded set.

I'm not saying I expected that from Marshmello. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect, and I always give artists the benefit of the doubt.

But the trainwreck proved that live mixing was live! Marshmello was legitimately killing it. In an instant, the guy's success was totally justified, and my fandom was likewise validated.

About the mix, it was one of those big room variety sets when the artist intermixes their hits with other classic anthems. And damn it was good.

I explained in the Marshmello b2b Svdden Death post how I've appreciated Marshmello's music over the years. I haven't been a super fan. I'm more into house, bass music, and more underground flavors. But I apparently have a soft spot for Marshmello's mainstream EDM trap sound.

Here's the thing. Some of Marshmello's melodies are pretty timeless. I don't know if his songs are as timeless as those written by Paul McCartney or Billy Joe Armstrong. But I am saying they are up there.

The melodies are so damn simple – just a few quarter notes and half notes using one of 'Mello's trademark raspy synth voices. Instantly recognizable, instantly sing-able. Even though I am a musician and a creative type myself, I still marvel at those who seemingly generate such beauty out of thin air.

People talk about crying during the emotional sets. I'm not admitting that it happened to me during "Happier", but I'm not denying it, either.

So the combo of the music, the trainwreck, overcoming the trainwreck, and delivering the remainder of set like a pro...it means I fight for Marshmello now.

Enough talk. Let's get this one posted and move on to the next one: Malaa b2b Wax Motif...

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