Bassnectar Causes a Frenzy in NYC

Marjana Jaidi / November 18, 2009

Bassnectar stopped by NYC last Friday for a sold out, ear-shattering performance at Irving Plaza. Along with opening acts Nosaj Thing and Joro Boro, Bassnectar quenched New York City’s thirst for dubstep… at least for the time being.

Joro Boro kicked things off with his worldly set that drew from a wide range of music. With oriental, indian, and even polka influences, it wasn’t surprising to learn that Joro Boro has toured with gypsy band Gogol Bordello.

Nosaj Thing took over at 11 PM with a more subtle, low-key sound. His set-up was simple – a laptop and a MIDI controller – but his hands were in constant motion. Just when I was beginning to liken him to Flying Lotus, he dropped his own remix of Flying Lotus’ “Camel”, solidifying the comparison. Other highlights included a bass-heavy remix of Busta Rhymes’ “Dangerous” and an interpretation of Kid Cudi’s “Man on the Moon” instrumental.

True to his name, Bassnectar leaned heavily towards dubstep and drum & bass, amplified by the wall of subwoofers lining the front of the stage. While he played genre staples like Emalkay’s “When I Look at You”, “Eastern Jam” by Chase and Status, and his own “Cozza Frenzy”, he also used songs and samples from every genre imaginable, including electro (Justice “Phantom”), reggae (Buju Banton “Walk Like a Champion”) and even rock (Led Zeppelin “Kashmir”). Hip-hop and dubstep have seen a lot of crossover lately, and Bassnectar didn’t shy away from putting in his two cents, dropping reworked versions of The Fugees’ “Ready or Not”, Missy Elliot’s “Work It”, and Pharoahe Monch’s “Simon Says”. Bassnectar’s set, which lasted nearly three hours, was coupled with a wide variety of visuals that included tripped-out animations and seemingly random video clips projected on a large screen behind him.

When he needs a change of pace from the bass-heavy goodness that is Bassnectar, Lorin Ashton turns to his side project, West Coast Lo-Fi, a more downtempo outlet for self-expression. After the jump, check out the West Coast Lo-Fi Remix of Bassnectar’s “Heads Up”.

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