Steve Aoki and Steve Angello, they have their birthdays in some kind of funky star alignment to draw people together and make it the most dance-crazy night of their lives.
Aoki, electro-house genius and founder of Dim Mak Records, and Angello, 1/3 of the Swedish House Mafia, celebrated their mutual Scorpio selves on Tuesday, November 23 at Cinespace at the “Steves Birthday” event. The bill promised DJs Dan Oh, Them Jeans and Etienne De Crecy, but left a lot of interpretation for “special guests.” Hmm, wonder who they could be? The Steves, oh ok, but Will.I.Am and LMFAO? Yes indeed, it was going to be a loooong awesome night that was not going to let me off without a ruin or two of the eardrums.
Despite all the buzz and distraction of the “special guests,” Frenchman Etienne De Crecy’s set was strong all in itself, completely lose-your-shit kind of danceable. He managed to garner the crowd’s full attention before the big cats came out to take over. His cute, unassuming demeanor was playfully put to the test at one point when the sound just went kaput. A big kaput, just dead. Like someone pulled the plug. He didn’t let that throw him, and picked right back up to kill us some more a minute past midnight.
The sparklers were lit, the confetti cannons were ‘sploding, and the electronic computer dude voice was singing “Happy Birthday.” In that moment, Steve Aoki came out to play with us, giving us, in my opinion the best set of the night. “Yeah Mother Fucker!!!” he shouted at us with a big grin – it’s clear that this long haired guy is doing exactly what he loves best, and the crowd ate it up. Peppering his set with new stuff, he also played some favorites including his remix of Kid Cudi’s “Pursuit of Happiness,” “I’m in the House,” and The Bloody Beetroots collaboration “Warp.” It made me think of a new slogan for a shirt that I want: “Nobody fucks with my eardrums except for Steve Aoki.”
Angello stepped up to the set, and so did the celebrity drop-ins, including Kid Sister and later-to-perform Will.I.Am and LMFAO. Taking a big swig of whiskey (or was that tequila?), he hit us with a favorite from this year’s Electric Daisy Carnival, “Babylon” by Congorock, and also what he’s maybe known best for, his remix of “Sweet Dreams” buy Eurythmics.
Will.I.Am’s set started out with some remixes of Black Eyed Peas, and then went fun with Blur’s “Song 2” thrown in. But sorry Will and LMFAO, this lame reporter has work in the morning and has to cut it off at 2:30 a.m. lest she turn into a zombie the next day.
Say, in theory, you tell your boyfriend, “Love, I’m going to the Steves’ birthday party.” Then you get home at 3 a.m., delirious and spent, covered in sweat, champagne and confetti. Does he have cause to worry? Maybe. But baby, it was worth it. And nobody does it like the Steves.
Words: Sarah Bond
Photos: Matt Fisher
