Let's talk about one of the craziest EDM shows I've seen this year. Yes, I'm referring to DJ Snake's 'Pardon My French' Tour, which concluded on April 30 in San Francisco, California at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. The tour, which consisted solely of French DJs (Snake headlined with opening sets from Tchami, Mercer, and Malaa) was one of the most anticipated among EDM fans, with shows selling out instantaneously, months in advance (San Francisco being one of those sold out dates).
DJ Snake didn't take the stage until much later in the evening. The crowd didn't give a shit. The second that he stepped on stage and fired up the tracks on his turntable, pandemonium ensued. From front to back, the entire auditorium was on it's feet (very reminiscent of the Jack U show that occurred in the same venue only a couple weeks prior). Fireworks shot up across the stage and above the DJs head like missiles in perfect synchronization. Pyrotechnics scorched the stage (and heated up the crowd a bit when things got chilly from the wind flowing in from the doors outside).
Not an ounce of energy was lost, at any point during his set, as he mixed tracks that had enough firepower and velocity embedded into them that the party could have kept going for many more hours to come. Snake's style has always been one that has mixed EDM, trap, and hip-hop together, creating a unique brand of show in today's "main stage" EDM landscape. I did get to see him perform once prior to this show on his own at Beyond Wonderland Bay Area in 2015. I have a lot of respect for him in regards to keeping his festival sets as close to his headlining sets as possible, both in the visual and musical aspects. This way, fans both old and new know that they're in for one hell of a ride when they attend a DJ Snake show, no matter where they see him perform.
And my personal favorite moment of the evening? When Snake breaks out 'Get Low', his smash and ridiculously popular track that he created with EDM icon Dillon Francis. "Everybody say, 'Fuck you Dillon!'" The crowd shouts back instantaneously at Snake's command. I laughed. I'm a big fan of Dillon Francis as well, and these guys are well-known for humorously making jabs at each other (Snake posted Francis' phone number to a live worldwide audience when he once played Ultra Music Festival, as payback for a prank.)
Can you believe that 'Get Low' only came out two years ago? it was officially released on February 11, 2014. And yet, here we are, over two years later, with one-half of its creative team playing it to a sold-out SF crowd. They lose their shit to the song's iconic drop in nearly the exact same fashion as they did when it first hit our ears two years ago. And it's glorious.
For more information and music from DJ Snake, please visit www.facebook.com/djsnake.fr
This has been another Shameless Promotion.