Drum-and-Bass Highlights Nocturnal Wonderland

For the past eight years, Labor Day in Southern California has meant Nocturnal Wonderland to ravers. But with pressure from government on outdoor dance music events and the difficulties conducting last year’s Wonderland at Lake Havasu, the organizers decided to take this year’s festivities indoors and scale back.

Instead of one all-day show, Insomniac took over the new Qtopia club in Hollywood for concerts on Saturday and Sunday nights. The Sunday show, called Bassrush, celebrated the frenetic world of drum-and-bass, a popular genre of electronic music that is known for the dizzying pace of its beats, its use of vocalists or MCs, and the infusion of tribal percussion.

More than a thousand fans packed the three-room club on Sunday for a lineup that included the genre’s biggest star, Roni Size, as well as Adam F, DJ Craze, and Reid Speed. In the venue’s other rooms, Ninja Tunes’ Mixmaster Morris wove old-school ambience and techno from the early ‘90s for four hours, while DJ Trance and Mindbender were among those spinning old-school breakbeats in the third room.

Still, it was the drum-and-bass that was the main attraction. Size, joined by the high-energy MC Tali, showed off his DJ skills in a two-hour set that was noteworthy for its diversity. While Size gave the crowd what it wanted in the form of fast-paced beats, he mixed up the set with some reggae-tinged tunes and a calypso number. In throwing in a few curveballs, the Englishman made his fastball seem that much more impressive.

Though Size was the top draw, everybody on the bill worked hard and conveyed a love for the scene--there was no flying in, picking up a check and dashing out the door. While Craze wrapped up his set, for instance, Size stood behind him on stage pumping up the crowd. A small gesture, but one the fans packed into that main room won’t forget soon.