DJ Krush is no stranger to Australia, having been here at least eight times already throughout his illustrious career. He’s been around for a long time, and is known primarily as a down-tempo master turntablist with a passion for collaboration. He is regarded for teaming up with live musicians, and for bringing Japanese hip hop sounds to the world.
The crowd at the Electric Light Hotel were certainly revved up for his showmanship after being entertained by local support DJs ASB, Alienne and Bennie Raw. I heard that Krush had wanted to play for 90 minutes instead of his allocated 60, so the set times were shuffled forward, so unfortunately I miss some of their sets.
A down-tempo flavour was filling the room as I walked into the long skinny Producer’s Bar with its industrial warehouse vibe. An eclectic bunch of loyal fans, both young and old, had ventured out on this mildly chilly weeknight, all in the hope of hearing a smattering of genres, mash-ups and breakbeats. It was to be unpredictable, enjoyable and played to perfection. There was also a large contingent of local Japanese groupies in the house to pay homage too.
The small area in front of the stage filled even before Krush had started, and it continued to heave and bounce throughout his set, at one point almost being mobbed in a frenzy! Soundscapes built up slowly, with the master’s deft touch turning to dark and melodic basslines, crossing over into jazzy rhythms and even a jump into Japanese reggae mid-set, which gave people something to sing along to.
More familiar tracks included a Massive Attack masterpiece and a fresh-sounding version of DJ Shadow’s Organ Donor which really got the crowd pumping. Adelaide is one of those cities where unknown and unfamiliar musical territory takes a while to sink in, so most cheers always come from proven favourites. Don’t get me wrong – although there was a great sense of respect for the man – it was held quietly until towards the end of the night.
All night I could see the joy on punter’s faces, and I even heard a few people exclaim (via my ability to lip-read) how Krush was so “totally Japanese” in the way he performed, perfecting every tweak and planning every move. The crowd were so tightly packed up front it was difficult to see the tricks Krush played out, but I could tell we were hearing a unique style of DJing and felt privileged to have finally seen him live.
