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The Forums's 20th Anniversary Bash - a critical review
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psylady37
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
14
Posted : Jul 12, 2009 17:49:54
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So, can i determine that the absence of any sort of mention of this party on this forum is because what occurred on Thursday night at Nitzanim Beach is not a)of interest to this forum’s good members b)a trance party c)the sort of rave/EDMC [electronic dance music culture] which we/you/i consider ourselves a part of?
Or, could it be all three reasons tied into one are responsible for this oversight or perhaps none of them at all, but rather it is simply a case in which life is moving by at an all too fast pace in order to deal with, let alone catalogue, all of its nonstop events in a single digital alter-world format?
Nonetheless, and whatever the reason, what occurred in front of 15,000 or so fans (and hundreds of advertising banners) on Thursday night under the title "electro rock night" [http://www.forum20.co.il/] was quite an impressive show of arms.
Though this is not the correct context to discuss the Israeli rock part of the evening, it is exactly the right venue to query what isratrance peeps feel about the current state of psytrance as represented (or not) via Infected Mushroom's breathtaking performance at Nitzanim?
And a performance in all its glory it certainly was, as well as proof that with the right kind of monetary assistance, promotion, attitude and a bit of LA-La land energy, the sky's the limit.
Ok, Infected no longer play (what we once considered) psytrance, a music style that is in fact today an anachronism and relatively non- existent format save in the odd retro set here and there. Yes, IM are commercialized no doubt, but it appears that that no longer matters or perhaps is a term which should be redefined to include a number of previously unconsidered meanings. The party's organizers must have aimed to gain maximum audience numbers for their evenings big act since despite the roster of other stars, the party’s marketing scheme was geared toward promoting Infected Mushroom as the events central performance ('get infected', a logo with someone looking suspiciously like Amit from IM playing a guitar - a nod, no doubt, to the fusioned electro-rock element of the event). But in truth, Infected should have been the last (and not the first) of several trance acts to play since they upstaged all those who (lamely) followed. This list includes the Skazi show, as well as Rami Shapira’s/Chakra's, new group which, like Skazi and IM, included a drummer and a wacked out ego-crazed guitarist playing distorted riffs at way too loud a volume.
And here is where i give it up for Infected since they have come a long way and managed to keep it together [and apparently enjoy a few shwarma's along route [cf. blog #6 in their ‘talk’ section: http://il.infected-mushroom.com/main.php ].
But hands down, their sound was the cleanest, most intelligent one heard from the celebratory stage at Nitzanim where 3 of the 4 big acts (IM, Skazi, Chakra) used drummers and guitarists, while the 4th group [xdream] rehashed already rehashed remixes and sounded staler than last week's toast as they pretended to 'play' their prerecorded set through their nord lead, effects boxes and their apple laptop...
It was interesting to see how far IM have come since I last saw them in a similar big venue format at the first Sonica in Italy in the summer of 2005 (not to mention in Goa circa the winter of 1997/8). Their sense of professionalism (along with a large investment from their record company and their relocation to LA) was evident in their primed up show which hands down had the best visuals, most interesting musical arrangements, chunkiest beats, the greatest amount of enthusiasm and, frankly, was the most exciting performance of the evening.
Taking the sound to a different level; although they are no longer 'underground' [whatever that means], theirs is nonetheless a formidable achievement.
So what's next? Madonna is coming here in September and Paul Oakenfold will be her opening act. And, apparently, Ester’s entire show is now fully based around EDM. If Infected continue along their current path, they too will likely make a similar crossover into the world of straightforward commercial pop (although it could be argued that they already have; an argument which, taken to its logical conclusion, suggests that, at least in Israel, trance is popular music).
And thus, in sum, if nothing else, Infected have managed to keep their game fresh, even if this freshness has a faint odor of cheese. But who really cares??: both here and abroad, the crowds continue to go gaga for Amit’s drumstick conducting (wood not chicken) and, from city to city, seem to be having a kick ass of a good time. &, in the bottom line, isn’t that what it’s all about??!!
The king is dead; long live the king!!!
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Avivz
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
10
Posts :
240
Posted : Jul 14, 2009 23:28
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nice review,
cheers |
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faxinadu
Faxi Nadu / Elmooht
Started Topics :
282
Posts :
3394
Posted : Jul 18, 2009 14:40
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shahar
IsraTrance Team
Started Topics :
155
Posts :
2035
Posted : Sep 26, 2009 20:57
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Very nice review. Enjoyed reading it.
Faxi, stop being an underground paranoid, maybe she just wrote what she thinks and feels. Even if it's positive words about Infected....
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"Be the change you want to see in the world!"
M.K. Gandhi
"There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self."
Aldous Huxley
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