Before DJ Bl3nd (real name withheld) played at Spring Break on the Beach in Kenting in April, I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical about his set. This is a DJ who always wears a Chucky from Child’s Play mask and never reveals his true identity. Many DJs have done this before, most notably Daft Punk. Also, Bl3nd became famous because he banged his head over and over to hard-style electronic music in YouTube videos, which eventually racked up millions of views. In his live shows, he sprays crowds with champagne, CO2 guns and whipped cream. Hanging out in front of the turntables more than behind the turntables was definitely popularized by Steve Aoki in the past few years.
But when the show started, I immediately understood why he was picked to headline the music festival on opening night. The crowd went silent, and then was instantly whipped into a frenzy by the first big drop. For the next 90 minutes, Bl3nd showboated around the stage like a consummate professional carefully orchestrating the controlled chaos. The music didn’t matter that much because the only thing the crowd cared about was getting turned up. Bl3nd returns to Taiwan tomorrow to play at Muse Kaohsiung.
DJ Apesh!t (real name Alex Smale), a resident DJ at Muse Kaohsiung, will not be playing with Bl3nd tomorrow, but will be his handler instead — this means making sure Bl3nd gets from the airport to the hotel, makes it to the club on time and experiences a little bit of Taiwan’s hospitality.
Photo courtesy of Alex Smale
Raised in Shanghai before moving to Taiwan six years ago, Apesh!t lived the international kid’s dream lifestyle in China — which meant he had no trouble sneaking into bars and clubs before he was legally allowed to enter. This is where he got his first taste of banging beats from DJs like Designer Drugs, Gaslamp Killer and Boys Noize. Eight years ago, Apesh!t caught the DJ bug. He started playing small parties and graduated to being a resident at one of the biggest clubs in Kaohsiung. His nom de guerre is Apesh!t because everyone goes bananas when he plays his signature high energy, bass-heavy music.
Apesh!t was asked by the bosses at Muse Kaohsiung whether he thought Bl3nd or DJ A-Trak, one of the world’s best turntablists and producers, would be a better fit for the crowd.
“I would have loved to have A-Trak come over, but I thought DJ Bl3nd was the better choice because I feel he’s someone who Taiwanese fans would most relate to,” Apesh!t said.
“He’s also been known to project lots of energy on stage, and customers really feed on that energy to have a good time. That, and CO2 guns, champagne and whipped cream.”
■ DJ Bl3nd plays tomorrow from 10pm to 4am at Muse Kaohsiung, 10, Siwei 4th Rd, Kaohsiung City, (高雄市四維四路10號). Admission is NT$600 for ladies and NT$1,200 for men. This includes an open bar all night
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