Excision Absolutely Packs The Armory And Brings A Wall Of Sound With Him

I keep on going to EDM shows hoping that it will finally make sense. The aversion to clothing, the fashion when there is clothing, the love for drugs- It’s not that I want to do anything of those things, just that I wish I understood it. That was a main reason I found myself completely lost in a sea of ravers at an oversold Armory on Saturday night for Excision. I knew what I was getting my friend and I into but I figured, hey, I have a friend with me, I’m going in this with a couple of drinks in me, it can’t be too bad right?

My friend and I arrived a little bit after doors (which was also the start time) hoping to skip some of the pains of being stuck in a security line but it didn’t help. Thankfully, the staff at Armory is on top of it and powered through the thousands of people that were flooding into The Armory like true professionals. This was probably much appreciate by the people who clearly just forgot to grab their jackets on the way out of the house (this is me being snarky- it was in the single digits last night- WHERE ARE YOUR COATS). 

We walked into the venue and were instantly overwhelmed by the sensory overload that happens when you walk into a show like this. People every where, lights buzzing around the entire hangar like structure and the sound of a bass that instantly makes you feel like you may be having a heart attack (okay, maybe that’s just me and my old age but it’s a lot of freaking bass). After a trip to the bathroom and a stop at the bar, we claimed a spot towards the back to try and avoid some of the bumps and run-ins that inevitably happen at a show like this (our plan did not work. The show was so sold out that there was literally no where to go to have some breathing room).

The first act to really strike me was Sullivan King and Squnto. Let’s be honest, once you’ve heard one EDM act, you’ve kind of heard them all. It’s a constant “wub wub wub wub” with different samples and instrumentation on top of it. Now, don’t mistake that for me saying that there is no talent in this scene because there clearly is. More just trying to establish the fact that I don’t know all of the right verbage here and, well, it all kind of sounds the same. But I digress- Sullivan King and Squnto had this very metal element to their set. Although I was a bit turned off by them asking “where the head bangers at” and realizing the responses were coming from people I had never seen at a metal show before,  I loved this added element and it helped me understand why some of my friends in the metal scene have transferred to this scene or just added it to their life. There was an aggression and intensity that came from Sullivan King & Squnto’s set that felt a lot like a metal show and completely had me sold.

Bro Safari was another act that stood out to me but that was more because I realized from hearing just one beat that I had seen them before. Yes, I know I just got done saying it all mind of sounds the same but I was able to recognize this act as one of the openers that performed the first time I saw Skrillex. That was years and years ago so to see that they are still out there and still killing it is definitely impressive. The crowds actions never really changed throughout the night but they definitely got more intense as the night went on. One of the final acts before the headliner, Bro Safari definitely had the crowd excited and ready for the rest of the night.

Headlining this amazing show was the one and only Excision. I spent my New Year’s celebration with Excision last year and have been waiting for a chance to catch him ever since. Excision, also known as just X, has some of the most solid beats that are coming out of the scene right now and his live show is something you just have to see to believe. With intense visuals behind him on a crystal clear screen that truly making you feel like you’re moving through a jungle or whatever it’s showing, and literally more watts than the human ear can handle (seriously, if you didn’t have earplugs last night I truly hope you left because that would have been beyond painful). It was a full body experience and the audience was just letting it take over them. Sure, I was uber annoyed by the too messed up crowd and I was so freaking sick of getting bumped into but X’s set made the interesting night all worth it.

All of the acts were great last night but with eight acts and me not knowing the right words to use, it would honestly just sound like mindless ramblings. I will say that the line-up was top notch and although it clearly wasn’t my normal scene, I loved the music that was pumping through the speakers the entire night. That being said, the crowd was the worst. People were too messed up on drugs and alcohol for their own good, the bathroom was full of drug use, and I saw one too many people peeing on the patio. I just will never understand why all of that has to be so prevalent at a show like this. Why can’t you just stand there and let the music and lights take over you. Is this me getting too old for this?!

So maybe I’ll never understand this scene and why it is what it is but I do understand the music and that’s all I need.