Contact Festival 2017 Sinejan's Top 6
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B.C Place hosted the Two-day Contact Festival this past week and we had the great opportunity to rave with the Vancouver crowd during the holidays! Here are my top performances of the festival:
1. Cash Cash
The most melodic, dance based set of the festival. Cash Cash chatted with the crowd during their whole set, encouraging them to get ready for the drops, get ready to jump and checking in with them to make sure they were enjoying the party.
They played a lot of their originals but also did not disappoint us with the remixes played in between. A great range throughout the set, we did not get the opportunity to tune out. The anticipation of what’s coming up next was really there! The set was pure energy and joy with people head banging and dance walking with hands up all throughout the arena floor. The great use of lyrics up on the screen allowed the Vancouver crowd to have a taste of karaoke breaks amidst the dancing. Cash Cash’s flashing vividly colourful visuals which included their logos and cartoon style drawings of their faces were quite entertaining without taking away from the focus- the music. Cash Cash really shook up the room, jumping around the stage, chanting, waving flags and sharing their energy with us. They got the ladies up on shoulders creating a second group of dancing fans that were literally on another level.
Fantastic energetic set with great music = my favourite of this two-day west coast party!
Songs/remixes the crowd loved:
All my love (feat. Conor Maynard) – Cash Cash
Millionaire (feat. Nelly) – Cash Cash
Take me home (Feat. Bebe Rexha) – Cash Cash
Surrender – Cash Cash
Aftershock (Feat Jacquie) – Cash Cash
2. Armin Van Buuren
Great headliner, spreading the love and positive energy throughout his whole set.
It was hard not to be aware of the reciprocal appreciation between the concert goers and Armin on night two of Contact. The ravers who had been enjoying a second full day of dancing did not slow down, and frankly, Armin would not let them! As soon as he started his set, we were all into the state of trance right away. Throughout his set, he encouraged the crowd to feel the moment and the love-he told us how much he was feeling the love and well, we couldn’t agree more!
Besides the love fest between Vancity fans and Armin, the steady flashing of the light show dazzled, as we felt like we were in a European dance club rather than a big arena. He had great control of the music, especially accentuating with volume to really keep us on our toes. Armin’s fans excitedly reacted to his songs as they lost themselves in the moment. We raised our hands up and waved them around without restraint as the deep bass and flashing lights moved through our bodies and Armin reached out towards the crowd. All aspects of the huge stage were utilized with the use of an echo between the lasers and the main screen video, which fit in quite perfectly with the music. There was a great moment of suspense where he (almost) got us thinking the party may be over when an error message came up on the screen.
Happily the error message was followed by an awesome “test” of the systems on stage along to his track “This is a Test” which felt like a large scale version of the sound system check you would witness at the movies before a 3D movie in the big theatres with the surround sound. The ability to feel so in sync with each other as fans, made this set a great closing statement to the two-day festival. We were all there to have fun after all!
Songs/remixes the crowd loved:
Adelante (Bobina Megadrive Remix) – Sash!
I live for that energy (Asot 800 Anthem) – Armin Van Buuren
You are (Asot 823) Armin Van Buuren and Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano
I need you (club mix) – Armin Van Buuren & Garibay Feat. Olaf Blackwood
Heading up High (First state remix) – Armin Van Buuren feat. Kensington
3. Destructo
The stadium floor was already full and ready to continue the dance fest when Destructo took to the decks. Henry Fong did a great job of holding down the fort and keeping people moving until Destructo arrived. He started off the set with a “we made it!” and began the party. You could really tell that he was in fact very excited to get up there and perform for the crowd, his excitement and energy came through as he looked up, pointed across the crowd at groups of people dancing and jumped up on top of the DJ table several times during his set to jump around and be one with/closer the crowd.
“Let me see that Bass Face BC style!”: The “Bass face”s were in the house as they jumped and nodded along to his popular track. We also thoroughly enjoyed many other Destructro originals through some flawlessly smooth mixing.
His visuals were active and easily distinguishable from any other artist – I mean no one else had the bass melting off their face, only Destructo can do that! It seemed the crowd was in awe because every time he looked up they would react without being asked to! Just and overall great vibe in the room throughout the set. I dare you to try not to move to the beat at a Destructo concert – not possible.
Songs/remixes the crowd loved:
Bass Face – Destructo
Loaded – Yo Gotti
Catching Plays – Wax Motif, Pusha T, Starrah
Party Up – GTA Remix
4. Alan Walker
Great follow up to Ekali, Alan Walker really read the room well as his bright and unique visuals along to the great discography made this a set very enjoyable.
Stunning futuristic (at some points almost looking like a video game and at times almost apocalyptic looking) visuals included sections of music videos, lyric videos, artwork of a glowing globe/earth view from space, industrial scenes, geometric shapes (some exploding like fireworks up on the screen), as well as the AW logo in different colours. Not to mention sweeping lasers that were so well done that they looked like they were dancing along with the crowd rather than just flashing, when seen from the back of the stadium. Although he wears his mask, he did use the stage camera so everyone in the stadium could see his reaction to the music and feel like they are right next to him up in the booth. Large parts of the crowd were full of ravers excitedly dancing around, making way for each other all spread out across the floor. He also played a lot of his originals like many artists at the festival, but also included some popular remixes like (Sia’s move your body) with transitions that kept the crowd moving throughout the set. Great transitions and overall flow from slow to fast tracks throughout the whole set. His songs also allowed the crowd a great opportunity to sing along- we just couldn’t stop ourselves!
Songs/remixes the crowd loved:
Drop the Beat- DJ Kuba & Neitan ft. Nicci
Sing me to sleep- Alan Walker
Sia – Move your body (Alan Walker Remix)
Need you (Brillz&Trav Piper Remix)- Dillon Francis & NGHTMRE
Alone- Alan Walker
All falls down – Alan Walker
Faded- Alan Walker
5. Marshmello
“Everybody know me, Everybody know Marshmello”- Marshmello started off his set full of his originals with his song “Know me”. The day one headliner seemed to be ready to entertain the crowd as he stepped up to the decks. There were tons of Marshmellos in the crowd dressed in the classic Mashmello head and all in white. The Marshmello army clearly appreciated the originals that he played almost fully through (played most of each song). This was the moment they were waiting for all day and they gave it their all. I think that he was one of the artists that really delivered what the crowd was expecting which made him the perfect headliner for day one. His fans were also not disappointed by the visuals. I personally really enjoyed the visuals for “Wolves” and the bubble style lyrics he used for his song “Alone”. I think the familiarity of the songs and the cartoon-like visuals brought out the kid in all of us and it was a great pleasant set to close off day one of the festival.
Songs/remixes the crowd loved:
Know me - Marshmello
Congratulations (Bkaye X Telykast Remix) – Post Malone
Silence – Marshmello
Hello – Adele
Wolves – Marshmello
Alone – Marshmello
6. Tails
Tails’ set contained some well known top 40 tracks and a lot of great throwbacks.
Very cool, colourful visuals that had his logo and also, from time to time, incorporated the use of the stage camera set up on the FVDED stage which was amplified on the screen behind him.
He was very natural with the crowd and had great crowd engagement throughout the set. The crowd seemed to be enjoying starting off day 1 with his throwback remixes as well as Rap/RnB base of songs, Kanye seemed to be one of his go to artists, the crowd really reacted to the can’t tell me nothing remix.
The beautiful “aliens”/“spacewomen” of contact came in near the beginning of the set and excited any who happened to turn around (usually while dancing).
The vibe was chill but there was a lot of movement with the crowd slowly pouring in. It was a great opener to the FVDED stage. The design of the stage allowed the fans to get real close and have a clear view of Tails and engaged with him when he looked up. The lights were few in number but set up very well at the front of the stage and near the middle of the floor. When all were going at the same time, it really felt like you were possibly being abducted (which went along well with the whole theme of the festival).
All of the lights (Nitti Gritti Remix)- San Holo
Wolves- Kanye West
Murda- Snavs
Riot Call (Snuf Remix)- Quix
Honorable Mentions:
Tchami - For letting his music speak and being able to keep the crowd moving without saying a word
Henry Fong - Starting day 2 off with a bang and holding down the fort for Destructo
Say My Name & Parker - For moving with us and engaging with the crowd non-stop
Sinejan is Toronto's correspondent for EDM Canada. You can follow her on twitter: @Sinejantweets.