"Duke Dumont waltzed on stage to an overwhelmingly rapturous and supportive audience... but more or less played it safe by sticking to personal tracks."
Paris-based DJ/producer Shiba San kickstarted the support acts of the night, spinning his remix of Denney's Low Frequency, released in February earlier this year. The sold-out event attracted a very young, frustratingly careless crowd, half of whom ecstatically chanted "SHIBA SAN" after the initial build up and drop in each and every one of his tracks. Quite a number of kids in the audience had their vision blocked by the endless sea of smartphones waving about in the air, including, at one point, the DJ's — whipping out his phone to take some snaps mid-set. Shiba San's performance was honestly a fairly weak impersonation of a DJ set. There was very little variation between tracks and the bass sample he used made it sound like each song he played was exactly the same, or simply a remix, of the previous track.
He ended with his iconic 2014 track OKAY, before Berlin-based producer Claptone took to the stage in his trademark golden-beaked mask, top hat and white gloves. About 20 minutes into his set, he spun his remix of Disclosure's Omen which dramatically lifted the energy in the room and had people dancing and singing along with the lyrics.
He played more tracks along funk-house lines and threw in a remix of The Chemical Brothers' Block Rockin' Beats. It was diverse and well-rounded, adventurous and yet consistently entertaining set, with Claptone casually pouring himself glasses of champagne on stage and in between tracks. He played The Music Got Me, Another Night and David Zowie's House Every Weekend.
English DJ/producer Duke Dumont waltzed on stage to an overwhelmingly rapturous and supportive audience and showcased a mixed bag of songs, but more or less played it safe by sticking to personal tracks. Among his remixes Dumont played mostly happy, uplifting house music, including Watermat's Bullit and Volkoder's Sensation (with a sample of Destiny's Child's Lose My Breath). He rounded out the show with a couple of his own tracks including Won't Look Back, My Love, capping the night off with cult-classic and crowd favourite Need U (100%).
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