For the past ten years, Richie Hawtin and his Plus 8 label mates have been pushing the boundaries of techno to extremes never thought possible.
The intensity of a Richie Hawtin performance is often best experienced in the dark, close atmosphere of some sweaty warehouse, so it's interesting to see how well it translates to the rather cavernous, and not quite packed to capacity, space that is London's Mean Fiddler. Men outnumber women here by about 50 to 1, and the Japanese technophiles are out in force to witness this night of the fast and furious beats.
John Aquaviva has gathered the faithful on the dance floor by the time Speedy J steps up to the stage. He takes a jackhammer approach to a techno assault which comes in ever increasing waves. It's almost military in technique, quite cold and metallic.
He strips each sound down until only a slight echo is left, as if to taunt the crowd to see if they can take it harder. The area at the front of the stage is populated by a gang of lanky lads and one small Japanese girl. They shout and punch the air, and with a barrage of hi-hats and kick drums, Speedy J thunders down the home stretch at a relentless pace. He does not disappoint.
As the familiar figure with shaved head and glasses appears, the packed dance floor erupts. This is definitely something for the mind, and Richie Hawtin's tough brand of techno sounds positively warm and flowing. It's all about getting the balance right, and he does this perfectly as he walks the line between hard and soft, funk and techno.
The beats build and intensify, and Richie's mix is quite nearly seamless as he twists the EQs and works magic with the 909. He takes the art of the DJ to another level, and the crowd love it. A gang of budding DJs look down from the balcony above the stage, watching his every move, as each track morphs inexplicably into something entirely different.
Watch, listen, and be inspired, but most of all dance. A guy takes a moment to write on a notepad "one soul burns brighter than a thousand suns," then passes it to those around him. Looks like the souls here are on fire.
