This particular edition of Bassmentality at Wrongbar was very unique. I’ve been to this event countless times, but last week the two main acts were so much more than a DJ set. I first noticed this night was going to be different by the diversity in the crowd. Half of the attendees looked like dubstep fans while the other half looked like they were at an alternative rock show. It always pleases me to see a variety of party-goers at bass events, but this time I didn’t expect it was influenced by the particular artists performing.
When I entered the venue, Big Gigantic was just taking the stage. I could see why this event was attracting alternative music fans. The band consisted of two members: one guy on drums and the other spun and played tenor saxophone at the same time. I was extremely impressed with the originality of this act, their sounds worked together so well. I danced just as enthusiastically as I would for any other Bassmentality edition. The entire room was packed, and it looked like this American electronic jazz band already had quite the following here in Toronto, as hardcore fans went hard at the very front screaming the band’s name. When they took the stage, they announced it was their first time performing in Canada, so I immediately felt privileged to be witnessing a new act performing not only at Wrongbar, but in our country for the first time. Big Gigantic started out their set with various trap tracks and rap songs, which blend together well. After a few songs, the front man played his saxophone and he was extremely talented with it. He busted out an intense sax solo that successfully accompanied the beats he dropped. He spun some trap, played hard sax, mixed in some rap and kept integrating the jazzy saxophone solos. I could literally feel the floor pulsating beneath me from everyone dancing rhythmically to the jazz tunes this act was pumping out with their electronic tracks. I did not recognize most of the tracks they chose, but that did not bother me as I was so impressed by their unique style of performing that they brought to Bassmentality. Big Gigantic built up to the drop of dubstep songs with heavy saxophone solos, as opposed to the usual electronic build up. It was so refreshing to hear a new way to wow an audience with dubstep. The complex sounds and heavy drops of dubstep are becoming so common, that Bassmentality needed something alternative and exciting to bring the dance floor to life again. That solution was Big Gigantic; they had the room non-stop dancing to their jazzy bass. I finally recognized their final track, Flux Pavilion’s remix of Louder by DJ Fresh. The crowd went wild, especially when he played a sax solo to the tune of the song.
When Big Gigantic left the stage, the music stopped. It was just like a rock concert with a gap of nothing between acts, which I found very odd, but this Bassmentality hosted a different sort of electronic act, so it was forgivable. The hosts eventually played some trap music to keep us entertained while we waited for the headliner to emerge. The room was a chaotic swarm of enthusiasm when Foreign Beggars took the stage. This group consisted of three members: one DJ and two rappers. The rappers jumped and ran around on stage. You could tell they were having so much fun, and it was great to see they had as much talent live as they do on their recorded tracks. Every verse was recited live and accurately. Even the DJ was doing some live scratching that added an intriguing old school sound to their set. They dropped their original tracks Amen and Apex from their newest album, “The Uprising”. If it’s possible, I think their live rapping was even more intricate than their rapping on the album. They even rapped over tracks that weren’t their own, such as Centipede by Knife Party and Knife Party’s remix of Crush on You by Nero. I was pleased to here some of their older beats too, such as Seven Figure Swagger and Still Gettin’ It. Foreign Beggars formed a sense of family within the dubstep industry when they gave shout outs to their friends Bare Noize and Skrillex. Upon mentioning Skrillex, they dropped their collaborative track Scatta. I went so hard for this track; it’s one of Skrillex’s heaviest drops and I just can’t get sick of it. The boys went on to bring the crowd trap accompanied by their talented rapping. Foreign Beggars were very enthusiastic throughout their performance. The two rappers left the stage leaving the DJ to phase out the music and end the show. The rappers clearing the way allowed girls to jump on stage and dance for everyone to see. Everyone was still pumped up and going hard by the end of the night. Foreign Beggars are much more than just rappers and producers, they are performers and entertainers, and this Bassmentality proved they do it well.
