Skrillex & Friends Invade War Memorial Tonight & Tomorrow!

I wanna start off by saying that I used to be a Skrillex hater.

I thought I was such a sophisticated electronic music aficionado. I preferred artists to the likes of Matthew Dear, Aphex Twin, SBTRKT, even Bassnectar. All I could think was Dude, calm down. Just less. And when he partnered up with Pretty Lights back in 2012 for With Your Friends at Riverfront, I couldn’t be bothered. I was on my way to Moogfest in Asheville, NC, seeing IDM, not EDM.

I was missing the point—not even trying to get it. But like any one thing or figure that takes precedence in American pop culture, curiosity of this character and his haircut took precedence over me, too. After a few listens, I came around. Maybe I did in fact like this “music?”

Whatever it was, I respected it. I respected the statement Skrillex was making and the magnitude of sound he could produce. And when I saw it from a fucking spaceship at Bonnaroo, that’s when it clicked. This dude was the fucking man. He was just a guy doing his thing, doing it well, and all he wanted to do was share his love for being Skrillex. His second appearance at Bonnaroo 2014, or 3 separate appearances, were testaments to that as well—he played his own set, organized an official Superjam, and threw us a little bone with a surprise Sunday sunrise set at the newly added Kalliope stage. We weren’t ready for bed, and finally someone heard our cries. And who was that somebody? It was Skrillex.

My point is, whether you’re looking to party or you just want to be entertained, witnessing the master Skrilly Skrillman at work behind his lair of spacebass is an experience. He’s never been known to deliver anything “under” the top. Two nights of 5+ hours of straight HYPHE? What more could you ask for? Maybe some molly. Or an Aleve.

Skrillex plays tonight with openers TOKiMONSTA, Tchami and ALESIA, and tomorrow with openers KAYRANADA, Branchez and David Heartbreak.

Skrillex, TOKiMONSTER, Tchami, and ALESIA perform tonight, Sept. 30 and Skrillex will be joined by KAYRANADA, Branchez and David Heartbreak tomorrow, Oct. 1, at War Memorial Auditorium. The show is 18+, begins at 7:30 p.m. (doors at 6:30 p.m.), and tickets are available for $45.