Calvin Harris Live - Electro Heaven on Earth?

September 14, 2009

I don't know if it is because of my Latin-American background but somehow when I listen to good music my body just naturally starts to move to the beat. I enjoy all music genres as I appreciate music's diversity. However, when it comes to my absolute favourite music style I would need to go with electro. For those of you who may not be familiar with this genre of music, I would describe it as a mix of 80's synthesizers with a good selection of drums and dance beats. I find electro to be intense, yet sexy and seductive... and no, I'm not describing a person here :)

My first face-to-face encounter with this type of music was back in 2002 when I went to see GusGus live at Sonar nightclub in Vancouver. I was literally in awe. When I purchased the tickets for their show I was not expecting to listen to electro for the first time, as GusGus' previous material was more dance-like. Needless to say, I fell in love. The crowd was going wild that night as we all rocked our bodies to the Icelandic beats of songs like "David" and "Dance You Down". I had not reacted so strongly to a live performance again until last night when my best friend Karla and I decided to embark on an electro adventure by watching Calvin Harris, My!Gay!Husband!, and Expendable Youth perform live at Venue nightclub. This time around I was prepared for a good time though as I knew the kind of reputation Calvin Harris has in this genre. Nonetheless, I must say my expectations were definitely exceeded.

I had never been to Venue myself as it just opened at the beginning of summer. I really admired the décor, the service, the sound system, and above all the LED light-covered DJ booth and back wall. It was literally like being in a dream where sounds and images merged into one. We listened to three DJ sets last night, and all of them were superb. There are many bands and DJs nowadays but the intensity and seamlessness of last night's mixes was remarkable.

I consider Calvin Harris to be a master of electro and as such both of his CD releases: "I Created Disco" and "Ready For the Weekend" are an absolute must for any electro fan. Songs like "Acceptable In The 80's" "You Used To Hold Me" and "The Girls" have quickly become electro classics and as such they filled the dance floor with hype as they were incorporated into his set last night. It was almost as if Calvin was an orchestra director telling our bodies how to move based on the beats he skillfully produced.

I am extremely thankful for having had this experience in my lifetime and all I can say is that Calvin's love for me for being born in the 80s is definitely more than reciprocated.