Saturday night was a big one for the Denver bass music scene. Dubstep fans both old and new were able to witness a very rare and special event at Sub.mission’s first installment of BASSment Underground Saturdays @ Club Vinyl. Local bad boys Buttah, Subliminal and Dillard played some seriously top notch sets and legendary Swedish dubstep duo L-Wiz made their Denver debut performing a live set filled with both new and old material that had the crowd going absolutely mental. The chemistry between every artist and the crowd was simply was absolutely amazing and the vibes in the basement were so think you could’ve sliced them up and served them on a platter. So whether you missed it or you want to relive it, we’re going to pull up a “5” and go back to Saturday night in this edition of “The Rewind”.
From even before the doors opened the night seemed as if it was going be very intimate. Upon walking down stairs you could feel the vibrations of the sub echoing through the stair well, it was as if the frequency had taken form and grabbed you by the hand to lead you into the basement. Buttah had started playing and he came out swinging playing some of the best deep and dark tunes to set the tone for the night. Now Buttah has been around for a minute and he’s no stranger to the Sub.mission stage but there were some that had only see him play drum and bass sets, so when he came out laying down the proper bass weight it’s safe to say that he turned a few heads and gained a few more fans. His set was absolutely top notch and he had everyone on the floor, including those just walking in, moving to the tune. Though the selections he pulled covered a good amount of the dubstep spectrum, the vibe and tone of his set was a perfect way to start the night. The crowd loved the energy he showed as a performing artist and it’s safe to say that we’re all looking forward to the next time he plays.
Next up was Sub.mission resident and all around bad man Subliminal. Now it’s no secret that this man is a straight up boss. He got on the decks, took the momentum that Buttah had built up and absolutely smashed it out of the park. With a perfect mix of both dubstep and grime that ranged from old fan favorites to new bits that only a few have heard, Subliminal used his veteran selector skill to blend and double drop tunes so perfectly together that there were moments where we couldn’t tell where one tune ended and another began. There was a point during his set where he was pulling out and laying down some classic tracks and we could see the nostalgia in the eyes of the OG’s who were there when those tunes were new and the curiosity of “What tune is this?” in the eyes of the new schoolers. It was a pretty amazing moment to witness and we knew that it wasn’t going to be the only time that happened during the night. Subliminal did a top notch job of bridging the gap between the past, present and future of not only the tunes he was playing but also the crowd he was playing to. He’s a master of his craft and when he finished his set he us all revved up and ready for Dillard to take control.
As fellow Sub.mission resident Dillard took control of the dance the vibe of the night was in full swing. He came on and continued to carry the momentum that had been building up all night with his proper selection that comprised of his own material and some Sub.mission favorites. As he powered through his set, pumping out dubbed out bass weight madness, we took a moment to step back and observe the space and the sound. The room had begun to fill up the vibes being felt from the front to the back so well that even the vendors and live painters in the back were dancing. Excitement was in the air as well all let Dillard do his work and play the part of soul controller. After a quick trip upstairs for a smoke break and a few conversations about future Bassment Underground Saturday shows we came back down just in time to catch the last few tunes Dillard had laid down. He finished his set with perfection as he left everyone on the dance floor begging for more. As the L-Wiz’s setup was being put together we all stood and patiently waited for the main event.
As we waited for them to start their set there were a few conversations that could be heard regarding what was about to happen. There was no doubt that everyone in the room had been listening to their new album “Orange Tree”, as well as the GetDarker mix that was going around that week and when L-Wiz came in with the first tune everyone seemed to shut up and rush to the front. The moment had come and we we’re all more than ready for it and within the first few minutes it was apparent that this was going to be a live set was unlike anything we had ever seen. Ola went in on the decks with such energy and emotion that he immediately enthralled the crowd. His energy radiated throughout the room as he flexed his selector skills by flawlessly mixing in and blended material that was a mix of old, new and unheard of. He flawlessly captivated us while Claes played live keys & synth on top of his selections. This was well beyond any back to back set that you typically see from a DJ/Producer duo. Their chemistry on stage was palpable and they made it seem that we we’re right on stage with them. The highlight of the set was when we finally heard “girl From Codeine City” coming in. The room went absolutely haywire as everyone that wasn’t on the dance floor stopped what they were doing and rushed to the front. As the tune dropped the lighter crew showed up in full force and when the energy was at its peak Ola pulled the tune for a rewind and it felt like the room was about to cave in on itself. They played three versions of “GFCC” and continued to carry that energy with tunes from “Orange Tree” as the night began to wind down. Their set was, for lack of a better word, flawless, the legendary dubstep duo came in full force and when their set ended they had fans both old and new standing in awe. As quickly as it had come, it was over and the night we seemed to wait so long for would finally join others in our memories as one of the most memorable nights in Denver Dubstep history.
Sub.mission’s first installment of BASSment Underground was indeed a special one. It was a return to our roots in many ways as one of the legendary groups responsible for the innovation of the dubstep sound played in the basement where Sub.mission had called home in its beginnings. It would seem that things indeed are coming full circle for the bass music scene in Denver’s SoCo district. With February events from all the bass tribes on the horizon and the amount of love between the crews, it definitely is beginning to feel like the “Sutra” days in the SoCo district again. The past, present and future of bass music are once again all under one roof, or in one basement we should say. As our esteemed host XTS would say “Keep it locked and pay attention” because things are about to get a lot more fun for all of us in 2016.