MonsterMassive Electrifies Fans

Halloween parties are nothing new, but the MonsterMassive gathering of DJs at the Los Angeles Sports Arena on Saturday actually lived up to its “massive” title. Fans stood shoulder to shoulder around five stages, inside the arena and out, to hear a dynamic mix of beats and styles from the likes of Armand Van Helden, Carl Cox, LTJ Bukem and Derrick Carter.

One high point was the 3 a.m. set by the DJ and producer Van Helden, who presided over a huge ocean of dancers, turning the old arena into a giant club, with spotlights scanning the audience. He turned a sample of Gary Numan’s ‘80s electronic anthem “Cars” into a relentless, infectious rhythm. And Van Helden was unafraid to abruptly bring things to a halt, only to launch again into some rapidly accelerating beats.

Much of that crowd was in costume, while others were dressed in the usual rave culture attire: all the blue-haired faeries and young, androgynous men in glitter and platform shoes. Outside the arena, booths sold T-shirts, energy drinks and Day-Glo trinkets. And the night’s crowded turnout suggested that electronic dance music continues to have a massive underground audience, if not massive record sales.

One of the show’s tents was reserved for L.A.’s Moonshine Music label and its continuing Moonshine Over America tour. Unlike many other DJs, the label’s Carl Cox was a visual focal point during his set, actually dancing to the rhythms, throwing a hand into the air, cradling his headphones around his neck. He crafted a genuinely exciting mix with dramatic breaks, while occasionally resorting to well-chosen bits of synthetic melody.

Some of the night’s soundtrack too often offered anonymous dance fodder, merely an excuse to keep the beats coming. Somewhere in the middle was L.A. DJ John Kelly, whose energetic set mixed brutal beats and chaotic samples. Near the end of his set, Kelly sent his beats into hyper-drive, building to a frantic hum as the crowd leaped forward and laser beams scattered off the disco ball. It was a climactic moment to a set that could have used more of those highs and lows.