I Love This City comes to San Diego over Memorial Day weekend
By Adrian Coto
I Love This City Festival
May 27
Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
Usually when I think of electronic dance music events, I think of the Electric Daisy Carnival and HARD events that have passed through Los Angeles with a good deal of frequency. However, in the past year, San Diego has been learning how to love electronic music, too. After going to events like the Identity and Radius Festivals, it warms my heart to see a fresh EDM festival roll through a city that still has much to appreciate. I Love This City offers a diverse lineup of international and local DJs that are sure to keep all the San Diego kids moving. Here’s a good list of acts to look for while you’re dancing about.
Former turntable champion, tour DJ for Kanye West, and currently collaborating with Armand Van Helden in Duck Sauce, A-Trak has been making himself known since he first started producing tracks reminiscent of 80’s electro and 70’s disco. He’ll be sure to play some bangers during his set, as well as some of his own masterfully produced tracks.
I know that Skrillex has become a fairly controversial figure for the dubstep community in recent times. His die-hard fans swear by his dropping of basses while his critics question his ability as a DJ. Whatever camp you fall into, Skrillex will be sure to put himself above the fray with his wobbly, dirty, and aggressive sound. When he takes the stage as the festival’s headliner, he’ll be drawing some serious crowds.
A well-established electro house DJ hailing from New York, AC Slater has been contributing to the hardcore and EDM scenes for years. Though lately his work has moved more towards fidget and less toward house, he still has been able to branch slightly into the dubstep realm with his Jack Beats remixes. He’ll be sure to keep beats bumping and people dancing.
A classic 90’s techno group that rose up with the likes of the Chemical Brothers, Prodigy, and other big beat pioneers; the Crystal Method is definitely worth checking out. They’ve sold out countless shows, played at the Coachella music festival in 2009, and now they’re coming to San Diego to show you where most of your favorite DJs got started.
This LA-based dubstep and drum ‘n bass producer has been named as one of Skrillex’s mentors. He has played at nearly every dance festival in the United States, has toured around Europe from time to time, and still does the club circuit up and down the west coast. If you’re looking for some solid fun dubstep, look no further than 12th Planet
One of the more unexpected acts in the lineup, Korn’s Jonathan Davis is breaking into the electronic music scene with his blend of house, dirty dubstep, and industrial tones. If you like your EDM on the heavier, dirtier, darker side (or if you used to be a Korn fan) check out J Devil. He’ll satisfy any 90’s nostalgia you may have as well as any thirst for new sounds.
Brodinski
The French DJ that just refuses to go stale, Brodinski has been making waves in the United States with his earlier tracks of “Oblivion,” his contributions to the duo, Gucci Vamp; and his latest collaboration with Gesaffelstein. Brodinski has really set himself aside from most DJs in the EDM scene today with his attention fresh, innovative, and always-danceable styles. Make sure to see him, as I can assure you, no one will spin better than Brodinski.
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