Remember the scene in Jurassic Park where poor little Timmy watched the water in his cup ripple? Courtesy of a T-Rex’s thundering footsteps, scientists and Steven Spielbergs alike would explain this phenomena as the ripple effect. Now suppose Timmy’s cup is full of beer, (of course he’s grown to 21 years of age since escaping the island) he’s standing before the main stage at House of Blues in Boston, and his beer is getting sloshed from side to side, despite the fact that that there are no dinosaurs around. Courtesy of the DJ on stage and a massive sound system, bass heads would call this The Rusko Effect. Many partiers were lucky enough to experience this ear-shattering musical phenomenon on Tuesday, as bass master Rusko took to the stage at House of Blues for his Lift Me Up Tour. Joined by supporting acts Roni Size and Joe Bermudez, Rusko definitely left his mark on Boston, giving bass fans a wild night to remember.
Joe Bermudez kicked the night off with a standard 4×4 tempo, warming up the crowd with a multitude of EDM hits. His opener, a remix of “Move for Me” by Deadmau5 and Kaskade, was a perfect start to the evening, befitting of the low lights surrounding him on stage. Progressing into more upbeat tunes, Bermudez spun a remix of “Invisible” by Skylar Grey and the Otto Knows remix of “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap, having the whole crowd sing along. The great thing about Bermudez’s performance was that he achieved a balance of euphoric big room house with dirty electro drops, including popular songs such as “Alive” by Krewella and “Beam Me Up” by Cazzette. The peak of his set came when he let loose the current Beatport-topper “Sound of the Underground” by powerhouse Nicky Romero, which left the whole venue swaying left and right. Mr. Bermudez closed his set with “Stay the Night”, a collaboration between German producer Zedd and Paramore lead-singer Haley Williams that left fans eager for the next wave of music.
Next up was Roni Size, a British drum and bass artist from Bristol who’s set literally shook the stage. Feet stomped, heads rolled, and drinks moved. Literally, moved. There wasn’t an inch of the venue that escaped the pulsing sound waves. Pushing the tempo to 160 beats per minute, Mr. Size and his MC treated the crowd to various smashing songs like “Superstar” by Crissy Criss & Youngman and “Take You Higher” by Wilkinson. Even though many people find MCs and hype men annoying, Mr. Dynamite, Roni Size’s MC, interacted with the crowd just the right amount, telling them when to jump and cueing them to move their hands side to side in the air. Mr. Size unleashed many more bangers onto the crowd, playing songs by British band Chase and Status such as “Machine Gun” and “International.” However, the wildest reaction from the crowd came when Roni unleashed “Sweet Shop,” by Doctor P, causing the crowd to morph into one jumping entity that fist-pumped to the deep kicks and crisp snares of Doctor P’s anthem.
By the time Roni Size finished and Rusko was about to take the stage, fans were in a frenzy. Many took up to chanting Rusko’s name, demanding he come on stage while the House of Blues stage crew set up Rusko’s DJ platform. The place buzzed with anticipation, and eventually the crowd’s impatience was rewarded; lights dimmed, people screamed, and the British dubstep artist cued up a notoriously deep opening tune that blasted through the woofers in sync with a foam cannon. Ruskosaurus Rex had arrived. Record after record smashed into the crowd – it looked more like a riot than a crowd at a concert. Rusko had created his own mosh pit in Boston and he commanded the audience like marionettes, hypnotized by the beats he controlled. Playing many of his original productions such as “Somebody to Love” and “Rubadub Shakedown,” a collaboration with Rod Azlan, a very animated Rusko danced up on stage in his booth, moon walking and grooving along as he pleased. A dynamic DJ, he has the talent of showing the crowd that he is enjoying the music just as much as they are. It’s always a mood killer when the DJ just mixes and looks bored, yet Rusko delivered his energy to the crowd and the crowd fed right off of it. It was a marvelous set, rattling ear drums and pumping adrenaline, creating that feeling of bliss that everyone loves. If bass music could leave a footprint in the mud, this is where it would be.
