Chapter 21: 3.2.1. Go!
[Chapter 21: 3.2.1. Go!]
♫Do the D-A-N-C-EOne, two, three, four, fightStick to the B-E-A-TGet ready to igniteYou were such a P.Y.TCatching all the lightsJust easy as A-B-CThat's how you make it right♫
Ryan stood at the back of the stage, hearing the unique voices of children echoing from the hit retro disco track D.A.N.C.E. by the French electronic duo Justice. It had ranked fourth in Rolling Stone's Top 100 Songs of the Year last year, with lyrics that paid homage to many iconic Michael Jackson songs.
Today, at the Ultra Music Festival, Justice had remixed the song. As the second interlude began, the track transformed, filling the air with the rhythmic bass of classic disco.
Ryan made his way to the edge of the stage and looked out at the sea of excited fans gathering in front of him. The overwhelming crowd felt like something out of a Tremor music video. It would have been a lie to say he wasn't nervous.
Not just Ryan; even Deadmau5's expression seemed more serious than usual. Performing after Justice's mega hit brought some pressure, especially since the song had hit number one on the UK Dance Chart and reached tenth place on the Billboard Club Play Chart in the U.S.
While it might seem like tenth place wasn't too bad, Billboard's Club Play rankings reflected the playlists of nightclubs across the country. Currently, Madonna held the record for the most number-one tracks, followed by Janet Jackson, and surprisingly, Mariah Carey ranked third, demonstrating that this wasn't solely an electronic music chart. Therefore, Justice's achievement in landing at tenth was impressive.
...
Ryan returned from the edge of the stage, dressed in a red suit just like Deadmau5, complete with a white shirt, red tie, and red gloves. Deadmau5's headpiece had transformed entirely into a plush toy, merely painted red on the surface to match the previous look.
As Justice wrapped up their performance, Ryan and Deadmau5 were guided onto the stage by the crew. As an outdoor music festival, the organization was not as tight-knit as a live broadcast concert, which meant there were often a few minutes of last-minute preparation during guest changes.
Standing on stage, Ryan noticed a massive crowd beginning to exit. The sun was setting, and the festival-goers who had attended performances all afternoon were hungry, planning to grab a bite to eat and rest before returning to see the main act, Tiesto, later in the evening.
Besides the main stage, there were four other stages featuring performances in different areas. Among them was the legendary British DJ Carl Cox, who had brought his personal stage, "Carl Cox & Friends" to UMF this year, and the American group "Bunnies on the Moon," headlining the Rabbit Hole stage with their experimental psychedelic tunes. Then there was the "Amnesia Ibiza Arena," inviting the team from one of Ibiza's most famous clubs to provide an authentic taste of the island for the audience. The "Techno Stage" highlighted high-energy, rhythm-driven techno music.
Overall, this year's Ultra Music Festival offered attendees a variety of choices.
Even after some people left, a couple of thousand spectators still remained at the main stage. Ryan and Deadmau5 exchanged an "OK" gesture with the staff, and the pre-recorded audio they had prepared began to play. Deadmau5, whose helmet concealed his face, wouldn't hold a microphone to engage with the audience; it would ruin the mysterious vibe his disguise created.
"Hi everyone, I'm Deadmau5! I'm thrilled to be at UMF. As you can see, my look has changed a bit. A few days ago, some dangerous individuals broke into my room, but thanks to Dr. Ray, they were contained before anyone got hurt. Unfortunately, some of my gear got messed up in the scuffle. But hey, it was worth it, right?"
The crowd responded enthusiastically. Being aware of the situation, the audience clearly didn't mind whether Deadmau5 was wearing an elaborate custom prop or a simple plush costume; they looked nearly identical anyway.
As for the opening remarks, they had taken inspiration from Deadmau5's first YouTube video -- essentially a self-introduction.
With cheers from the crowd, Ryan began his live PA performance, tapping out melodies on the sampler's buttons, looking as if he were playing an electronic keyboard.
He repeated the melodies in his mind, having practiced them multiple times the night before. Although he played it proficiently, Ryan could not be called a "composer" now. The original owner could at least write one song, but now Ryan has almost zero originality except for plagiarizing the songs brought by Deja Vu, so that the melody he plays is like a middle school student playing randomly.
The crowd began to boo.
Drenched in sweat, Ryan's anxiety caused him to play faster, leading to a chaotic melody. Just as he felt everything was about to collapse, the sampler suddenly "failed," no longer producing any sound. After a couple of seconds, with Deadmau5 hitting buttons on the mixer beside him, the sounds of a steady beat began playing through the speakers, clearly Deadmau5 had saved the day.
Ryan took a deep breath, relieved that he hadn't completely tanked the show.
...
"Look at him! He's so nervous; I wonder if he wore a diaper before coming on stage," a tall girl with gold curls and sunglasses snickered from the back of the audience.
Beside her, more refined, with copper curls and long hair, Abigail empathized with Ryan's plight. "He's not nearly as experienced as you are," she shot back, acknowledging Ryan's inexperience compared to Taylor, who had been performing since she was in her early teens on major platforms like the U.S. Open and NBA games.
...
Just as more attendees contemplated dinner or another stage's performance, the music abruptly changed. The renowned progressive house track Not Exactly by Deadmau5 seamlessly transitioned into a special melody.
It was a unique sound that no one had ever heard before...
...
Backstage, a sturdy middle-aged man chatted with the festival staff.
"I can feel electronic music rapidly growing here in the U.S. The energy of this crowd is rivaling ADE," he remarked. The man had black hair amassed on his broad shoulders. His deep voice matched the sharp lines of his face.
Standing next to him was another middle-aged man in a black shirt, looking a bit plump. His slicked-back hair revealed a receding hairline, and a thick beard adorned his face. He humbly commented, "This can't compare to ADE. Last year, we received dozens of complaints, and this year will likely be worse. I have to check out ADE one day."
This man was Russell Fabish, one of the Ultra Music Festival founders.
"The downside of outdoor festivals. If you're willing to attend, just contact me anytime," the sturdy man offered with a nod.
Russell Fabish elbow-bumped him, clearly indicating that this strongman was no ordinary DJ guest.
At that moment, the music from the front stage reached their ears.
The strongman's expression froze as he moved closer to the front, eager to hear more clearly.
"Who's performing up there?" he asked, curiously shifting through emotions as he listened to the music that played from the stage.
"Deadmau5 -- a rising star who jumped onto the scene from Canada in the past couple of years," Russell replied, almost forgetting that Deadmau5 had an extra guest with him today.
"This sound is incredible," the strongman praised. "It's a completely new texture."
"He definitely knows how to manipulate those sound effect plugins well," Russell nodded, lost in thought.
"I need to talk to him once he finishes his performance," the strongman mused, feeling increasingly curious about Deadmau5.
...
In the audience area, Taylor and Abigail noticed that surrounding spectators were captivated by the electronic music filling the air.
"This is nothing like what I heard in the studio!" Taylor remarked, realizing that while the melody remained intact, the sound and details were richer than before, transforming the song into something irresistibly catchy.
Could he really do it? A thought crossed Taylor's mind.
...
As the music transitioned into the progressive section, energy began to build with layers of effects.
Three, two, one, go!
The spectators in front of the main stage fell into a euphoric state...
*****
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