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Going a bit crazy with Photoshop and my cat lately. I can't help myself.

Justice / Roseland Theater (Portland, OR) / 4.24.12

Date: May 08, 2012 (Tuesday)

Portland’s Roseland Theater was given the honor of hosting Justice, the highly influential electronic duo hailing straight from Paris, France. With only a select number of live performances in the U.S., Portland was extremely lucky to house these two Frenchmen who have had a remarkable impact on the EDM scene for over a decade.

 The show opened with Breakbot, another French producer and DJ whose star continues to rise. Born Thibaut Berland, this 31-year-old artist has made a name for himself through his array of original content and catchy remixes. Last year, Breakbot oversaw the release of three albums: Let The Children Techno, The Bee Sides, and Fantasy. Each was released under Ed Banger Records, a French electronic label that features prominent names such as Cassius, SebastiAn, and Justice on its roster.

 Breakbot won over the crowd with his funk-filled beats and electro-centered sound. Running a bit ahead of schedule, the opening set ended around 9:30 p.m., leaving audience members hungry for more. Luckily, the recess after Breakbot’s set was relatively short, and soon enough, the Roseland’s lights went dark for the show’s main act.

Justice appeared before the Portland crowd behind their archetypal stage setup, complete with the dominating symbol of a golden cross sitting at center stage. As Justice opened with “Genesis,” the stage slowly expanded into a platform that reached the very edges of the Roseland’s walls. As the duo progressed with their set, the theater’s light show synced perfectly with the music, putting the audience in an increasingly deeper trance. Popular tracks like “Phantom (pts. I and II),” “Civilization,” “We Are Your Friends,” and multiple reworkings of the famed “D.A.N.C.E” dazzled the Portland crowd. With their contagious onstage energy and confident demeanor, Justice managed to keep the two floors of the Roseland Theater shaking with dancing fans until the very end of their set. Concluding their performance, the two men stood on top of the stage’s speakers with fists raised in the air while the audience unceasingly applauded their talent.

Justice is composed of Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay, who first joined together in 2003. The pair came to prominence with their remix of Simian’s “Never Be Alone,” which resulted in their addition to the Ed Banger Records family. Nine years later, Augé and de Rosnay pride themselves on two studio albums, countless remixes, and a slew of awards they have achieved for their distinctive musical style.

Every minute of Justice’s Portland performance was eaten up by the adoring crowd members. After experiencing firsthand the wall-shaking party that rocked the Roseland Theater, it was clear to fans how fortunate they were to have encountered the two masterminds behind the Justice legend.

Like Crazy

Finally got around to watching this. Definitely a tear-jerker, but the ending is so bittersweet that it catches the viewer off guard. After watching, I learned that the movie's script was entirely improvised. It only adds to the passion shown between the two main characters.

Kitty as Muse

Birds of Prey

Lucky 2012 Review + Photo Slideshow / WaMu Theater (Seattle, WA) / 3.16.12

Date: Mar 29, 2012 (Thursday)

Article By: Gracie Roberts ; Photos By: Mason Trinca

This year, St. Patrick’s Day went off with a bang in Seattle, Washington. Lucky 2012, presented by USC Events & Digital Innovators, gave northwest EDM fans a reason to celebrate all the way across the electronic rainbow. This magnificent one-night bash attracted more than 8,000 Kelly green, Irish-for-a-day party monsters to an arena filled with dancing, themed festivities, and even a few leprechauns to boost the Lucky spirit.

Starting early on Friday (technically, the day before, but who cares), the Lucky Arena of the WaMu Theater hosted artists Johnny Monsoon & Allya, Angger Dimas, and Manufactured Superstars. A stone’s throw away lay the alternate stage, cleverly titled the Leprechaun’s Lair. On this platform, Hexidecibel, Just One, Crizzly, Goldie, and Ed Rush & Optical filled the air with the freshest sounds that the electronic dance world has to offer, seamlessly switching sets in order to keep the crowd on the edge of their toes.

10:30 p.m. marked Hardwell’s arrival in the main Lucky Arena. This 23-year-old Dutch producer, born Robbert van de Corput, began his DJ career at the young age of 13. Hardwell was quickly picked up by a Dutch label less than a year after his debut. Now making a name for himself in the U.S., Hardwell has been recognized by the industry as having a new, refreshing take on a continuously evolving music scene. Centering his unique take as a producer on a big house sound, Hardwell has generated a captivating identity for himself. At Lucky, Hardwell charmed the hungry crowd with his melodious vibe, with each track containing a tuneful aspect almost haunting in its nature. With a booming live performance and an energetic disposition to boot, Hardwell served as the ideal segue into latter Lucky’s performances.

Without skipping a beat, Porter Robinson appeared on the Lucky Arena stage to proceed with the musical marathon. This festival is one of many stops on this 19-year-old native of Chapel Hill’s spring tour. Over the past two years, Robinson has seen immense growth in his popularity and musical aptitude. His most recent EP, Spitfire, has gained vast notoriety both with new fans and the artists that have supported Porter from the beginning.

With a peak level of liveliness onstage, Porter Robinson blasted the crowd with an array of musical megahits. In addition to his own prized tracks, such as “Unison” and “Vandalism,” Robinson dropped Duck Sauce’s “Big Bad Wolf,” Daft Punk’s “One More Time,” and his own remix of Avicii’s “Levels.” This diverse collection won over the Lucky crowd, who couldn’t get enough.

The Leprechaun’s Lair was home to Dirtyphonics following Porter’s set. With “Dirty Beyond Good and Evil” as their slogan, it becomes clear what this Parisian foursome holds as important in their melodic sound. With their incredible production level and a unique live PA recognized as one of the most energetic to be seen, Dirtyphonics have been taking crowds by surprise since their 2006 debut. The group is composed of Charly, Thomas, Pho, and Pitchin, who combine their individual talents to come together as an electronic act with four times the power. Their set at Lucky took on a rock & roll aesthetic –one that sounded, at times, even close to heavy metal. Along their rise in popularity, the group has been asked to remix tracks for big names such as Benny Benassi, Skrillex, Nero, and The Bloody Beetroots. With their constant growth as artists, the Seattle crowd was truly lucky to experience what the Dirtyphonics crew had to offer.

Back in the arena, a long-awaited headliner was revealed onstage: ATB. This pioneer of trance music made it a point to visit Seattle during his U.S. tour - a privilege that was clearly appreciated by Lucky’s crowd. Born André Tanneberger, ATB has been influencing the EDM world since the early 1990. His ninth studio album, Distant Earth, was both critically-acclaimed and well-received by his throngs of fans around the world.

ATB fed the crowd with the exact tunes they were craving, including “9 P.M. (Till I Come)” and the esteemed “Ecstasy.” After providing a taste of his personal sound, André astonished the crowd with a full-length presentation of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The incorporation of grunge sound into ATB’s performance was especially appropriate for Seattle’s crowd, who have roots in the emergence of the grunge genre itself.

Two headliners went head-to-head to finish off the prolonged Lucky celebration. In the Lucky Arena, Calvin Harris owned the stage with a spectacular light show and a combination of his greatest hits. Born Adam Richard Wiles in Dumfries, Scotland, Calvin Harris has been blazing a trail since the release of his gold-selling debut album, I Created Disco, in 2007. Harris featured tracks including “Awooga,” “I’m Not Alone,” and “Feel So Close” during his St. Paddy’s Day performance. Near the end of his set, Calvin chose to feature Rihanna’s “We Found Love” as a monumental windup to the party he skillfully created during his performance.

Adventure Club provided another portion of Lucky’s attendants with a wall-shaking, ear-blasting performance that put crowd members in a blissful trance. Adventure Club is a ‘clubstep’ duo hailing from Montreal, Canada. Formed by local musicians Christian Srigley and Leighton James, the Club is a DJ pair that has risen to stardom through the vast distribution of their remixed material. Tracks including Flight Facilities’ “Crave You,” Foxes’ “Youth,” and Lips’ “Everything to Me” have been revamped with dubstep flair by the talented Canadian duo. With a performance lasting until 3:30 a.m., the Lucky crowd was left with the sounds of Adventure Club on repeat in their minds until the wee hours of the morning.

Kyau & Albert: 15 Years Review

Date: Mar 19, 2012 (Monday)

By: Gracie Roberts

On March 30th, German duo Kyau & Albert will take a look back, and take a step forward with 15 Years, a compilation celebrating their fifteen-year anniversary as a flourishing and influential act. The forthcoming album features some of the most recognized and adored tracks from Kyau & Albert, as well several new and unreleased tracks.

Beginning their career during the mid-90s, Ralph Kyau and Steven Albert have reached the European masses and have also managed to strike a chord with North American EDM fans. MTV Europe has described Kyau & Albert as “the biggest DJ band in the world,” and their prestigious background reflects this assertion. When they aren’t performing at prominent festivals like Electric Zoo, Electric Daisy Carnival, and Mysteryland, the two Germans keep busy tending their own label, Euphonic.

With 15 Years, Kyau & Albert provide fans with a sampler of their explosive sound. The musical journey begins with Sun Jellie’s remix of “Falling Anywhere,” a featured unreleased track. A buoyant, synth-heavy track, “Falling Anywhere” serves as an introduction to the energetic sound that Kyau & Albert have to offer.

“On The Way” features the vocals of Albert, as do many of the duo’s tracks. The major key creates an uplifting vibe for listeners, and Albert’s synthesized vocals add to the track’s cheery disposition.

The Tritonal remix of “Once in a Life” showcases the darker aspects of the duo’s sound. Evocative vocals and pounding bass come together for a ground-shaking, ear-blasting product that would win over any dance floor-ready audience.

“This Love,” another new one, evokes a surprisingly subtle sound that incorporates acoustic guitar and synthesized string arrangements. Albert’s wistful vocals wrap around passionate lyrics that don’t come off as cheesy or trite.

Skipping, “Kiksu” and Super8 and Tab’s remix of “Velvet Morning” take 15 Years out with a bang. “Kiksu” keeps the audience on their feet with an unforgettable dance beat, and “Velvet Morning” drops the energy while retaining the intensity.

With a compelling live performance and infectious energy behind the decks, Kyau & Albert have shown audiences across the globe the high level of talent and esteem they have reached in their career. Now, with fifteen successful years underneath their belts, the pair can look forward to what the future holds for them.

Beatport Purchase Link: http://www.beatport.com/release/15-years-the-album/880949

Truth.

Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words.
Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior.
Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits.
Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values.
Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.
-Ghandi

26. This Is It!

As per request in my UO Creative Strat class, here is a link to my UPDATED Cargo Collective site. After many hours of tinkering (and occassional frustration), my site is finally looking ready for the world to see. 

Many thanks to Deb Morrison for introducing me to Cargo - it's a wonderful platform that encourages the user to produce clean, professional content.

Click me to take a peek inside my creative mind.

25. For Soon-To-Be-Adults

Since I'm current on a hipster kick, here's a map for the hipsters out there who are soon to graduate. Not only does this guide give you an assortment of cool cities to live in after school, but it also includes 'tips' that only pertain to the hipster lifestyle. Enjoy!

Image via Buzzfeed