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Coming from a punk rock background, it’s hard to imagine that I can be found at many electronic based shows and even giving it a try myself. I’m sure I’ve stated the above a few times now, but this fact is not only my story; but also the story of Jesse F Keeler and Al-P. These two guys form the globally-praised Canadian electro duo known as MSTRKRFT. With Jesse starting his music career as one half of the punky/thrashy/dance band Death From Above 1979, it’s clear that this sector of musical inspiration is still a part of MSTRKRFT’s sound today. Al happened to produce the albums of DFA1979, and spent time in a few short lived punk and electro-pop bands himself before joining forces with Jesse to become the producers and live dj’s under the name of MSTRKRFT.

Alright, so we got the story down in brief. Punk rocker roots + interest in the dance scene + turned DJs + contributions from the finest of electro or rap artists = MSTRKRFT. See where I’m coming from? This is the recipe for a rowdy show, and after seeing them live back in 2008 at Pemberton Fest, I have been waiting for a second serving of their distorted electro goodness.

Last Thursday at Whistler’s finest, Garfinkel's nightclub I had my chance to catch the boys live once more. The place had a really great vibe and the hype was heavy. Everyone was ready to party, and tons of homies were in attendance. MSTRKRFT hit the stage just before midnight, right after an opening set by Dre Morel. I hadn’t been this stoked in a while. I’m so glad that all the new attention to Whistler is bringing in some world class acts to our small town!

After killing it on the dancefloor all night, I have taken some time to reflect on the kick-ass set and come up with an opinion. This is hard to say! The crowd loved it and so did I, their fusion of distorted hard electro with classic Daft Punk-esque original compositions, I’d say that they did the job right. Afterall, the girls do love the whole “All I do is party” thing that JFK and AL-P have planted on us forever. One thing I have noticed compared to the last time I saw them was a few years ago they had more of a pure electro-dance-pop sort of feel, and now they have made a harder comeback with their latest album, Fist of God, and it seems they are going more club-vibe. It’s hard to explain, but I’m not sure how I feel about that.

I feel like I have made the transition from dance-punk to electro with MSTRKRFT, as they were the first electro act I caught onto. That being said, it’s hard for me to diss anything they do as they will always be relevant to my music interest. So yeah, awesome time and it was good to catch these guys again. I look forward to seeing them again and see how they progress in time; they’re definitely here to stay.

Huge thanks to Garf’s for the awesome service and staff as always, MSTRKRFT for killin’ it, Jesse Nelson for the shots, Ryan Kenny rocking the video cam, all the bros that came out and partied, and the local promoters who keep bringing in the freshest acts!

I grew up as a punk rock kid. Ever since I started buying my own cds and searching for my own personal music, and not what my parents would feed me as a child, I’d always be looking for the essential punk albums. It’s been a while since those days, but I’m still a punk kid at heart. Over the course of years, I have expanded my tastes, gone through phases, and matured with age. To date, I can honestly say that I love it all. I mean, of course I don’t listen to a lot of current garbage, but I can definitely tell the difference between fresh and crap.

One of my more recent hobbies has been creating mixes as a DJ. Like I said, with time comes new things and a lot has happened since collecting punk cds as a pre-teen, to mixing electronic-based music to my current time. I’m happy though, being diverse in taste brings success. To me, music makes the party; it sets a mood and people want to dance.

I’ve been to my fair share of punk shows. NOFX, Comeback Kid, Bad Religion, Rise Against…you name it. In my more recent years, I’ve also attended many electro performances from the likes of MSTRKRFT, Soulwax, A-Trak, Justice, Bloody Beetroots, Crookers….I can go on forever. One thing that these diverse genres have in common is the energy. There is something about experiencing the music live in person that makes it so much more powerful. I’ve grown quite the addiction to music of all types that can get your body going. That being said, I will go to any show I can possibly attend.

This brings me to my latest live experience, Steve Aoki. For those who have not heard of the name, or don’t know; Aoki is a world-class DJ in the relevant electro scene, founder of Dim-Mak records, producer, and all ‘round entrepreneur within his industry. I was supposed to catch his set when I was in Los Angeles for HARD-Fest, but I missed pretty much all of his show. There was a ton of hype leading up to it, so I eliminated the option of missing out on the next opportunity to see him.

Anyways, the venue was Garfinkel’s Nightclub in Whistler, BC. It seems that this place is one of the nicest venues in town, and it never disappoints. I knew that this sold-out show was going to be a good one. Damn, was that a miss-assumption! It was definitely not a good one, it was a totally kick-ass one and probably one of the best live shows I’ve ever been to. Now, if you’re keeping up with the electro scene, you’d know that Steve isn’t the best of DJs, but he sure as hell knows how to put on a party and bring everyone together for an amazing time.

(Me - the journalists get to have fun too! haha)

The line was long and cold, but my group of friends and I finally made it inside and stashed our coats. We hung out for a while during the opening set. The place was getting so packed! I haven’t been to many shows in Whistler, so I didn’t know what to expect. Long story short, Aoki hit the stage and started his intro, which I recall sounding like some old show tune or talking. The intensity built up as the ticking to “Warp” began, and the crowd budged forward with each tick. Luckily I had a spot snagged in the front row. When the track dropped, Aoki got on the mic and got the crowd wound up while yelling the count down in the song. Now I’ll tell you right now; at most electro shows I have been to, it is a dance-vibe and everyone is doing their own thing. At this show, I felt like a punk rock crowd was placed at an electro show. It was pure insanity and I’m pretty sure I loved it. Stage dives, jumping crowd, curtain swinging, champagne-spraying, and banging beats basically sums up the rowdy evening of Steve Aoki.

The set was really solid to my surprise. He dropped a lot of new tracks and even performed one of the new songs he has collaborated on with Bob Rifo of the Bloody Beetroots. The Garf’s audience was extremely lucky to get a taste of this new material live and intimate. I’m usually the last person to call it a night, going to a show and letting loose is what it’s all about.  The world-famous Dj finished his set with the brand new "Warp 1977" and even did an encore of his own re-edit of Bohemien Rhapsody by Queen, which kept the stoke levels up for another few minutes. But by the end of this sweaty, champagne drenched rager, I was ready to hit the hay. Every single person had a rad time, we all left with our ears ringing and the adrenaline still pumping.

I’ll let the photos from this show over-ride my words as they give you a better idea of how great this event really was. I don't understand how this guy can put on such a performance and party every night, must be the craziest job while still producing original tracks. Hats off to Garf’s for hosting the party, Steve Aoki/Dim-Mak Records, Derek Dix (Additional photos), and Jesse Nelson of our very own Family Tree. Even if this scene isn’t your thing, this stuff live and loud is always a lot more convincing than at home. So get out there next time and have a blast.

By the way, Aoki said on his myspace that he spent a few days after in Whis and went heliboarding... claimed it was amazing!

Until next time…

- Cooper Saver