Oakland-based EDM duo Dimond Saints drew a sizeable audience at WOW Hall on Friday night. The group just kicked off the tour after releasing its third studio album “Prism In The Dark” earlier this month.
Dimond Saints comprises DJs An-ten-nae and Releece. The duo has made a significant impact on the underground EDM scene since forming in 2013. An-ten-nae is most famous for inventing the genre Acid-Crunk, which combines clips from TV programs in order to tell stories. Prolific beat-maker Releece makes up the second half of the up-and-coming duo. While they both have solo careers, their work together has drawn more attention from EDM listeners.
The show was opened by Eugene DJ ANIBUS, who sported a homemade fox mask with light up eyes for much of his hour-long performance. Mostly sticking to remixes of popular rap songs with big dubstep drops, the local DJ kept the small audience that was there early enough for his set occupied and entertained while they awaited the main act.
After ANIBUS finished his set with the classic dance remix of “Candyman” by Zedd and Aloe Blacc, Portland-area DJ Pacific Patterns took the stage. There was no wait time between acts, which kept the good vibes alive and well.
The Portland DJ stuck to his roots by performing a set that consisted of a variety of instrumental house beats that lasted for about an hour. While the music didn’t feature a usual amount of drops that you might suspect from an EDM artist, Pacific Patterns’ transitions were the most impressive aspect of his music. The DJ played more than 15 tracks, but the seamless transitions between songs made it seem as if it was one continuous song that constantly built upon itself.
Dancing, talking and music all combined into one as Dimond Saints set up their equipment in the sweaty dance hall.
Again with little to no layover between acts, Dimond Saints took the stage. As the audience gathered closer to the stage in a huddle around the front of the venue, the DJs began playing an intense, slow-churning mix from the latest album.
The DJs took a while to build their music, but they reached epic heights by the sixth song. Heavy, sustained bass accompanied by a blaring arrangement of horns led to a mid-song applause from the audience.
While there were many good musical performances, the best part of this concert — as with most EDM concerts — was the atmosphere.
The DJ duo kept to their stark personas throughout the show, but the audience continued to feel free as they released any inhibition that they might have come to in this judgement-free space. It actually might’ve been better that the venue wasn’t completely packed. The extra space allowed everyone to enjoy their own personal area of dance and relaxation without bumping into their fellow ravers every two seconds.
No EDM performance would be complete without a set of dazzling lights to accompany the DJ’s beats. Unfortunately, Friday night at WOW hall didn’t feature nearly the amount of visual distractions and entertainment that was so desperately needed.
Unlike rock or rap shows, EDM artists don’t provide much for audience members to look at. As entertaining as looking two guys playing with their laptops is, a visual component would’ve made this show infinitely better.
Yet again, the visual limitations of holding an EDM show at WOW hall overshadowed the solid musical performances from some DJs that are certainly on the rise.
If you missed this performance, don’t fret. The Oakland duo will be performing at several EDM festivals this summer, including Symbiosis, Electric Forest and Lighting in a Bottle. If you want to hear more of Dimond Saints, check out their website or head to their bandcamp to listen to their latest releases.
Follow Zach Price on twitter: @zach_price24
Dimond Saints impressive performance overshadowed by lack of visual effects Friday night
Zach Price
February 17, 2017
Dimond Saints performed at WOW Hall on Friday night in a performance that was overshadowed by a lack of interesting visuals. (Courtesy of Bandcamp)
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