#putting a massive bounce house in the middle of the stage during this song was the best creative decision ever made

[active-mind-15]

So many things I love about this gifset.

JK so excited to go down the slide with Hobi and Yoongi.

All three of them smiling/laughing on the way down.

Yoongi immediately landing into a perfect squat and continuing to rap without missing a single beat.

Hobi joining him from the side.

JK hyping them both up.

I miss these mfs so bad I need them back fr.

three superheroes, anpanman! for @sopekooks ♡

cr. jung-koook

[evilmuffinlord]

Better Together-Chapter 8- Party Rockers

On to chapter eight, in which a party is attended, friendships are forged, and one kidnapping is foiled.

Thank you to everyone who has been so patient with this fic. I’m sorry it’s taken so long to get this chapter completed. Hopefully the next one won’t be quite as delayed.

Read it on AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19985089/chapters/64346437

Or on FF.Net: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13359634/8/Better-Together

Cover art by: https://mari-lair.tumblr.com/

Teaser below cut

“So, who’s ready to party?” Mina asked the crowd that had assembled in front of the school gate.

To her utter delight, the entire class had gathered there once school had let out. Sure, some looked bored, others hesitant, and Bakugou had needed to be physically dragged there by Midoriya, but they had all come in the end.

She’d honestly been expecting at least a few of them to skip out, given what they’d gone through that day. If she hadn’t been the one who had organized the whole thing, she would have been sorely tempted to. She’d put her all into the battle with Midoriya and Mineta earlier, and there was a very vocal part of her that just wanted to go home, soak her feet, and watch trashy T.V. for the rest of the evening.

But here they all were, ready to come out and have a good time with her. Her heart swelled with gratitude, and she promised herself that she would turn it up to eleven and be the best host of the best party that any of them had ever attended.

“I am!” Kirishima called, slipping into his role as ultimate wingman with ease.

“I must admit, I am rather excited as well,” Yaoyorozu said demurely. “I have never had the opportunity to visit a public karaoke parlor, especially not with friends.”

“Do you have strict parents?” Kaminari asked. “Or are there just no good karaoke places where you live?”

“Oh no, the movie theater we have at the house comes with a karaoke function. But neither of my parents particularly like karaoke, and asking one of the maids to join me felt rather disingenuous, since they would be obliged to participate no matter what their feelings on the subject.”

Mina took a moment to be absolutely blown away by the fact that Yaoyorozu’s family apparently had a private movie theater. It was obvious that the girl was rich, both from the way she acted and from the way she dressed, but that was another level of wealth entirely. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever met someone that well off before.

What she was sure of, however, was that she was definitely going to set up a girls’ night at Yaoyorozu’s place sometime. Now that would truly be an evening to be remembered.

“Well then, we’ll be sure to make your first time extra special,” Mina said, ignoring Mineta’s snort of laughter over the comment.

“My thanks,” Yaoyorozu replied.

“No problem!” Mina said, flashing her a bright smile. Then she clapped her hands together to draw everyone’s attention. “C’mon everyone! Follow me if you wanna have the best time ever!”

---

“You really know how to pick em Raccoon Eyes,” Katsuki said as they arrived at their destination.

Izuku would never say anything, but he had to admit the karaoke spot Ashido had chosen was a little… underwhelming. 

The building was a graffiti-covered concrete square tucked into a back alley, with only a small sign above the door to let them know that they had found “The Karaoke Cave.” The few visible windows were covered with thick paper to prevent any light from leaking in, and the door itself had seen better days.

Izuku was actually rather surprised to see so much graffiti, given the fact that they were still relatively close to UA. Most delinquents wouldn’t be willing to openly act out so close to the campus. He silently hoped that they wouldn’t run into the delinquents responsible. He had no desire to meet people that bold and rebellious.

“How about you try finding a place that will take a party of 20 students on short notice, and that we can still afford?”  Ashido said, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at Katsuki.

He grumbled a little, but didn’t say anything further. Ashido apparently took this as a victory, since she let a grin spread across her face and turned to face the group.

“Look, I know it doesn’t look like much, but that just means we have to make it fun for each other. So put on a smile, and get ready to sing your hearts out, because I’m making sure every one of you gets up on stage at least once!”

Izuku swallowed hard. He had been counting on blending into the background so he wouldn’t have to sing anything. It might still be possible for him to do that, but considering that Ashido was already looking at him and grinning evilly, he highly doubted it.

“You guys better be prepared to be awed!” Kaminari said, adopting a ridiculous pose that involved him crossing his arms in front of himself and extending his fingers into peace signs. “I’m an expert rapper!”

Jirou suddenly broke into a coughing fit that sounded suspiciously like suppressed laughter, leaning on Yaoyorozu for support. The reaction took a lot of the wind out of Kaminari’s sails, but did little to deter Ashido.

“That’s the spirit! C’mon guys!”

She led them into the lobby where a bored woman was in the middle of painting her nails at the front desk. 

“We have a reservation under—” Ashdio said, only to be cut off.

“Through the door over there, the third room on the right. You have it for three hours,” the receptionist said, not looking up from her nails.

Ashido deflated a little at the receptionist’s attitude. “Awww, you’re not even gonna let me say it?”

The receptionist shook her head, and finally turned her gaze towards them. “Nope. We get people putting down joke names every day, and I’m tired of it. If I hear one more person registering as the Donner party, I’m going to scratch their eyes out.” To emphasize her point, she flexed her hand and her meticulously painted nails suddenly lengthened and became razor sharp claws.

“Okaaaay,” Ashido replied, backing away slowly, “we’re just gonna go sing now.”

“Have fun or whatever. Don’t make a mess,” the receptionist replied, returning to her cuticles.

“Did you really put us down as the Donner party?” Uraraka asked, once they were a safe distance away from the terrifying worker.

“Nuh uh,” Ashido said, shaking her head, “I put us down as ‘Mina and the Chipmunks.’ I have no idea why she started talking about reindeer.”

“I believe she was referring to a different Donner,” Yaoyorozu said with a chuckle.

“Well that’s just confusing,” Ashido replied, pouting slightly.

Before their conversation could continue any further, they reached the room that they had rented.

To Izuku’s surprise, it was much more inviting than the exterior of the building would have implied. The room was large enough to house their entire class with only minimal squishing, and plenty of couches and chairs for everyone to have a seat when they weren’t singing. These were arranged around a large table that was covered in various menus and song lists. A pair of tablets were resting on it as well, with charging cords trailing off behind one of the couches and presenting a tripping hazard if they weren’t careful. Finally, a large T.V. took up most of the right wall, displaying the words ‘Karaoke Cave’ bouncing around on the screen while it waited for someone to use it.

“Whoa, this place is way nicer than I thought it would be,” Kirishima said as he stepped into the room.

“Yeah, I was kind of expecting a dump from the outside. Nice pick, Mina!” Hagakure said, dropping onto one of the couches. 

Ashido, for her part, looked relieved that everyone had come around on the venue. A massive grin was plastered across her face, and she was bouncing slightly as she looked around the room.

Izuku was glad to see her so happy. A part of him had been worried that she would take her loss during their mock battle earlier that afternoon hard, and maybe even hold it against him. Instead, she seemed to be just as upbeat as ever. 

“Yo, what’s with this song selection?” Kaminari called, brandishing one of the tablets over his head, “I haven’t heard of any of these.”

Jirou picked up the second tablet, then snorted when she saw what was on it.

“I bet you only listen to the top forty then. This stuff is old school. Like, I think my parents have a few of these on vinyl.”

“Perhaps they only feature songs that are in the public domain?” Yaoyorozu ventured.

“Maybe. Hope you guys like classics,” Jirou replied.

“Eh, I’ll make do. Now, let’s get this party started!” Kaminari said, picking up the tablet once more.

“Hold on a moment!” Iida said, loudly enough to grab everyone’s attention. It took a few moments for everyone to quiet down, which Iida took as a chance to move to the front of the room where they could all see him easily. 

“Given that Ashido was the one who organized this event, I think it is only proper that she is allowed to sing the first song. Assuming she wants to, of course.”

“I agree,” Yaoyorozu said, standing up as well, “If there is anyone who deserves to go first, it is the hostess.”

A chorus of agreement followed the statements, as well as some applause for the one who had brought them all there.

“Awww, thanks guys!” Ashido said, flushing a little bit at the applause. 

“Thank us by singing an awesome song!” Kirishima called.

“Now that I can do!”

Read the rest on AO3 or FF.net! Links available on my tumblr page if they get broken here again.

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #331

my head hurts way too badly to think up some intro lyrics, so just g’night.

Have you ever become good friends with someone you never met in person? Oh yeah, I've had best friends over the Internet. Hell, I'm closer to many online friends than I am most irl ones. They know "the real me" more. What do you consider your default mood to be? Stressed, probably. Discontent. What’s the longest amount of time you’ve ever kept a goldfish alive for? Not long. Proper goldfish husbandry is a very neglected topic, and I sure as hell never knew how to set up its tank adequately. Have you ever been paintballing? No, don't plan to. It looks like it hurts like a bitch. Do you want a large wedding? No. Did you ever collect any sort of cards? I had a very small collection of Pokemon cards. I didn't collect them avidly. What’re the best and worst books you ever had to read for a class? The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton was the best. The worst was some book we had to read in the 6th grade about a kid during some war that moved around a lot... I don't remember the name or who wrote it, but it sucked. What’s the best meal you had at an amusement park, or If you haven’t been to one, how about a good meal at another place like a zoo, aquarium or museum? I don't know. I haven't been to many. Who, whether a person or company, emails you the most? My PHP therapist emails me a check-in sheet and Zoom link every day there's a therapy session. What kind of sound or noise freaks you out the most and why do you think it scares you? Let's seeeee... I don't know if there's a sound that actually freaks me out. There are some I don't like, but none that like, frighten me. At least that I can think of. What’s the strangest art piece you’ve come across? Biiiitch there's a painting in Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs I'm not gonna go into, but shit fuckin wild. What’s the most clever or unique name you’ve come across for a business? I've definitely heard some cool ones, but I don't know about one that really stands out to answer this. If you had to name one of your hypothetical future children after a song, which song would you pick? Maybe like... okay, I'm blanking. Good thing I'm not having kids to name then, right? What’s the last song you heard? "Down in the Park" by Marilyn Manson is on atm. What is your favorite line from a TV show? *shrug* Any current family issues? No. How many hours do you spend online a day? How do you feel about that? I'm doing something on the computer pretty much... always. I hate it, and I hate it a lot. I don't want my life to be tied solely to the digital plane. I want to do more than bounce back and forth from website to website. Do you think that people have the power to make their own lives better? Absolutely, but there are some things they simply cannot change. It's about perspective and how you play the deck you're dealt. What is the biggest problem in your life right now? Right now, the most limiting thing is my physical health, probably. Just walking being torture affects my ability to exercise, and my body is a major reason - if not the biggest, at this current time - for my depression. This also plays a massive role in jobs I can handle. Not to sound like my emo self writing middle school poetry, but my body feels like a prison. Do you feel that you are loved? I know I am by some people, though I have a hard time understanding why a lot. What is the one thing you want most from life? Life satisfaction. Pride in what I've accomplished. A regular state of being content. Birthplace? I'm just gonna say in eastern NC. Do you believe in love at first sight? No, merely infatuation. Love is much too deep for that. Do you think dreams eventually come true? Some can, but usually only if you put effort into making that so. Favorite fictional character? like ummmmmmmm have you heard of this sassy bastard called Darkiplier- Go to the movies or rent? Before Covid, I loved going to the theater. It was something to do, plus a giant screen is nice. McDonalds or Burger King? McD's. I'm not a big BK fan. I only really went there during my vegetarian phase for the veggie burger. Current annoyance? This motherfucking headache. Last thing you ate? I have a meal replacement shake with me right now, if you consider that "eating." I didn't have a proper dinner. The last solid food I had though was some cookies and cream Greek yogurt. Last thing you bought? With my own money, I think I bought Mom and I some cheap McDonald's order semi-recently? Or maybe paying my $100 deposit for my tattoo was most recent, idk. Soonest thing you are looking forward to? For Mom to get her CT scan and find out what's going on in there. What did you do today? It was a pretty average day. I woke up way too early, though. The only thing even semi-unique about today was I played World of Warcraft for a few hours again; I've been quite unattached to it lately, but I went through an episode today of actually having fun playing. Oh, and I've been battling a migraine. It's more of a severe headache now, at least, but it still sucks big time. Do you like to see it snowing outside? Oh yes, absolutely! When you were in high school did you ever have bomb threats? I believe once we did from a very volatile student that honestly caused quite a lot of trouble. He's dead now. Who knows ALL of your secrets? Nobody. Did you have a job before you were in college? No. Have you ever thought about what it would be like to have a baby right now? That's a terrifying thought, no. Are you on birth control? Yeah, but just because it tames my menstrual cramps. Without it, they could be debilitating some days. Who is your last sent text to? My best fren. Have you ever eaten at Chipotle before? Possibly? Idr. Do you swear often? Excessively. I had a dirty mouth prior, but my swearing got really bad when I started staying at Jason's house a lot. He and especially his mother swear like mad. Do you own any shirts with a peace symbol on it? No. Do you have your national flag hanging up anywhere outside your house? Not at this house, no. Would you ever go to Japan? Oh, yes. I would love to. It's... very morbid, but I would really like to walk the (public) paths of Aokigahara Forest, nicknamed "Suicide Forest" for the horrible amount of, well, suicides that happen there via hanging. Like, you might just casually run into a dead body. I want to just... feel it there, walk in silence and empathize with people who didn't know what else to do and hope so deeply that those departed know they were never alone in their pain. I know with absolute certainty I'd probably be teary-eyed the whole time and cry a whoooole lot, but it's just an experience I want to have. What was the last thing you went to Walmart for? Some basic groceries. What should you be doing right now? Sleeping, given this headache... I just don't want to yet. Are you afraid of getting your heart broken? I'm fucking terrified of that ever happening again, far more than words can properly express. Have you ever been in a choir? Yes, actually; when I was a Catholic kid, my sisters and I were in the church choir for a year or so, idr. Do you have a Twitter? Yes, but only to like Mark's tweets, haha. Oh, and very rarely enter giveaways I'm interested in. Describe your retainers to me, if you have them, that is. I have a permanent metal one behind my front row of bottom teeth to keep those straight. My upper teeth had one of those normal retainers you take in and out, but I didn't wear it enough, so now it doesn't even fit. Would you like for someone to call you right now? No. I'm tired, my head hurts, and I'm enjoying the song I'm bingeing. It's so weird, I rarely ever go on music hunting trips (no real reason, I just... don't), but I've found great shit lately. Do you like to brush your teeth? No; it's a chore. I only do it because I don't want my teeth decaying, falling out, or getting too yellow, and the taste in your mouth and gritty texture on your teeth isn't exactly great when you don't brush. Have you ever had a surgery? Two. Give out your phone number over the internet? I have over private messages. Do you look older or younger than you actually are? Given my wardrobe (like graphic tees and band shirts), I probably look younger in the eyes of especially older people. I personally say I look my age, though. When is the next time you’ll be up on stage? I never plan to be again. What is the last show that you watched a full episode of? Some cooking show with Mom. Nailed It!, I think? Do you know anyone who lives in Utah? No. I love Utah, though; it's actually a place I'd be willing to live in with just how pretty it is and not super populated. Do you get your feelings hurt easily? VERY. I'm probably one of the most sensitive people you can meet. Do you still talk to the person you last made out with? Yeah. Have you ever seen your best friend cry? Ugh, yes. What kind of vitamins did you take as a kid? First we took those nasty, chalky Flintstones kinds, but as time passed, Mom moved onto giving us gummy bear vitamins that were perfectly fine. Did you get any compliments today? No. Are you friends with your neighbors? Not "friends," no. What towns have you lived in? Three different ones. That's all you're getting. Have you ever thrown up from drinking? No. Done any illegal drugs? No. I mean I've had some alcohol underage, but I've never done anything remotely hardcore. What’s the longest amount of time you’ve been on an airplane without changing flights? Idk. Who have you texted today? My mom and best friend. What time did you wake up this morning? Ugh, like five in the fucking morning. I couldn't go back to sleep. What is your favorite condiment to go with french fries? Ketchup. What do you have a habit of doing when engaging in a conversation with someone? Making shitty eye contact, and I'm one of those people who "talks with [their] hands." I also lose my train of thought a whoooole lot. Have you ever layed in a hammock? Yeah; we had one growing up. Have you ever lost a pet in a tragic way? How did you cope? Well yeah, I've had lots of pets, so thus lost some in particularly painful ways. The most scarring loss of a pet though is as follows: Teddy, my dog, picked up one of our cat's very young, wandering kittens in his jaws in a manner that looked as if he was trying to carry it like Aphrodite (the mother cat) does when she would bring them back behind the couch, where she gave birth/had her little "nest." I absolutely freaked and had to pry the kitten from his mouth, and it slowly died in my hands. I think Teddy accidentally crushed its ribs. I. Was. A. Mess. Then, there was Aphrodite herself. I've told the story before of our former neighbors calling animal control because our cats would wander through their yard, and all of our cats were taken away while I was unaware at school. Came home, and they were all gone. Aphrodite was my baby, so I was devastated. Screaming, sobbing, cursing on the porch for like 20 minutes... It was awful. What type of curtains do you like? I don't... know? I don't know the actual names of any types... What type of quality is a must-have in a friend? I absolutely cannot be friends with someone who thinks they're above everyone else. Are you any good at reading someone's body language? I think I am. What goes good with a nice cold glass of milk? Cookies! Especially Oreos. Dip it in there for around five seconds, and it's perfection. What fruit is too sweet to you? Grapefruit came to mind first. How did you feel after your first kiss? I had butterflies galore and was so giddy and smiley. After the first, I just wanted to kiss him a billion more times. What’s your favorite constellation and why? I don't have one. Shower curtain or door? Curtain. The glass doors are too revealing. Have you ever thought to yourself that you’re the luckiest person in the world? Most deeeeefinitely not. What time of day do you most enjoy looking at the sky? Sunset if there are clouds present, but sunrise if the sky is pretty clear.

[ravetaper]

Svdden Death Live Set - February 2020 at the Hollywood Palladium (Full Set)

Svdden Death live set recorded February 14, 2020, at the Hollywood Palladium. 90-minute audio recording. The set began at 12:30 am the following morning (Feb. 15).

Every year, someone puts together a spreadsheet of all the artists performing at EDC, with links to various live sets. In the weeks leading up to the event, I do my due diligence and try to preview as many of those live sets as possible, to discover new artists and decide which sets I want to hit. Svdden Death was on last year's list (EDC Las Vegas 2019). I scanned his live recordings and thought they sounded good – I would try to make his set. And since he would be playing the Basspod stage immediately before Snails – who I wasn't going to miss – the plan made perfect sense.

The only question was if I could get to the Basspod on time. I had only 15 minutes to get there after Chris Lake's set ended at Cosmic Meadow. I would have to circumnavigate thousands of bodies and literally jog across the Speedway to catch the beginning of Svdden Death's set.

Unfortunately, I encountered a problem. I thought I dropped the battery cover for one of my cameras, and I felt compelled to retrace my steps and search the ground for it. Of course I didn't find it. I forgot I had slipped it into a small pocket in my backpack – which I only discovered once I was back home. That delay would cause me to miss the beginning of Svdden Death.

When I finally reached Basspod and moved into position, I realize how bad I screwed up. Svdden Death was playing some really heavy tracks, and I instantly regretted I wasn't recording. But I wasn't only moved by the music. I was struck by the unusual visuals displayed on the huge LED panels.

The imagery included computer generated skulls, skeletons, demonic-looking warriors, pagan symbols, horned figures. Quite frankly, a lot of the imagery looked satanic in nature! I was intrigued. Not because I'm attracted to Satanism – I'm definitely not – but because the whole production was a novel approach I hadn't seen before, at least not in any genres of dance music. Such imagery had been used by several hard rock and heavy metal bands – Ozzy Osborn and Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Metallica, to name a few, and helped create many memorable – and financially successful – brands. Furthermore, this was the imagery of Dungeons & Dragons – one of my childhood passions! To be sure, videos of demons and devils and skulls contradicted the PLUR vibe that characterizes EDC, but that was one of the reasons I found it so endearing. It was so different, and so unusual in that context.

Of course, video alone doesn't make a great set. But Svdden Death was dropping tunes that were extraordinary, hard riddim and dubstep that perfectly complimented the eerie visuals. The whole experience really left a positive impression on me. To me, it was the most unique set of the weekend.

Indeed, not recording Svdden Death's set was my biggest regret from EDC 2019. I vowed to catch him again, as soon as possible.

So I was elated when I saw that Bassrush would bring him to the Palladium in Hollywood. Tickets were a bargain - $40 for GA if I recall correctly. This was a no-brainer. I secured my ticket and waited for the days to pass.

Originally, I hadn't planned on recording. I figured trying to sneak in some kind of gear would be a hassle and cause unnecessary stress. I thought I would just go to the show and enjoy the music.

But my compulsion to record got the best of me!

I can't stand the idea of missing an opportunity to record really good music! Going to a show and enjoying the moment, living in the present, sounds reasonable – I get it. But there is something in my DNA that makes me want to document things. I just love capturing the good moments of my life and having the freedom to enjoy them again and again.

So with only a few hours before show time, I decided I would go for it. But I wasn't sure what gear I would use. I could try to bring in one of my Zoom cameras. At the security checkpoint I would have to put it in the tray along with my cell phone, wallet, and keys, and hope the security guard didn't think it was a "professional" recorder, which is prohibited by the house rules. In reality, the Zoom cameras do not qualify as pro gear – they are designed for armature use. But, I didn't want to risk getting denied and having to do the walk of shame back to my car.

I had another option. I had an old Tascam mic that attaches to older iPhones. I would have to use an awkward Lightening adapter and find an app that worked with the mic – the original Tascam app was no longer supported. After searching Google, I found an app that supposedly was compatible with the mic. I downloaded, tested it...and it worked! I quickly freed a few gigs of memory on my phone and headed out the door.

I arrived at the Hollywood Palladium not long after the doors opened. Suffice to say, I got the mic through security – I was in the clear!

There were several opening acts: AHZ, Neonix, Aweminus, Phiso, and Marauda. AHZ was cool live band that played dubstep. Neonix and Phiso were good. I decided I would get into position and do a test run of the app by recording Marauda's set. The app seemed to work, no crashes or any other issues. Marauda's set was pretty good, too.

Finally, it was time for Svdden Death!

The set started strong, the music was like what I heard at EDC – deep, dark, and powerful. Sure enough, the massive screens showed images of red and white skulls, barbed wire, and ominous figures. YES!

Let me take a moment to describe how I capture the audio in situations like this. Selfie sticks are not allowed, so I have to literally hold up my arm high enough above the crowd to get a clear line of sight between the mic and the speakers. Every few minutes, as one arm gets tired, I have to switch hands. Now, if I was doing this at a nice classical music concert, that would be easy. But this is the opposite that! I am positioned in a sea of tightly-packed bodies dancing and jumping to the music. And of course, there's another interesting phenomenon seen at many dubstep shows: the mosh pit.

Every few songs, a pit opens up and the sweaty bros (and a few brave gals) do their thing – pushing, flailing, and bouncing off each other as if they were human pinballs. I myself am not into mosh pits, but I can tolerate them. If others enjoy moshing, good for them – have at it! The problem for me is that I'm standing in the middle of the floor, with my arm up in the air, trying to make a recording. More than a few times there were two pits happening, one in front of me and one in back. I'm a pretty sturdy guy, so I can usually keep my balance and stay stable. But a few times a mass of bodies slam into my area causing me to stumble. You'll be able to hear it a couple times on the recording. Luckily, I didn't get hurt, and the recording never stopped. And a few times a few observant fellows noticed what I was trying to do, leaned in and told me they "had my back", and made sure no one came crashing into me.

By the end of the night, I was covered in sweat...other people's sweat! LOL.

I guess I just want my followers to know what I have to go through to get some of these recordings – it can get pretty extreme at times. But I wouldn't have it any other way. Despite the fact that I'm twice the age of most of the audience, I love getting down there into the mass of bodies and fully experiencing the energy of the event. At least once in a while. ;)

About 45 minutes into Svdden Death's 90-minute set, there was a noticeable change. Whereas the first half incorporated some uplifting tunes by Marshmellow and other "poppy" artists, the second half had a darker and more underground sound.

And then, it happened...

For a moment, Svdden Death disappeared behind the table. Then, he reappeared...wearing a sinister-looking mask! I guess it's an elk's skull complete with horns! Seriously, it looked like something out of a Netflix horror series. It was freaky, but somehow completely appropriate. Think about all the artists that use some kind of headgear – Deadmau5, Marshmellow, and of course the dance music robots, Daft Punk. So for Svdden Death, a satanic-looking animal skull worked perfectly.

A few minutes later, I was in the throes of a particularly intense mosh pit. I had to fully concentrate just to stay upright while keeping the phone in the air. Then, I looked up and had to do a double-take.

There he was, with the animal head mask on, floating 20 feet above the DJ table, looking like the incarnation of some kind of pagan deity. He had hooked into a high wire rig and was hoisted into the air. With the lights and lasers running full blast, the sight was surreal and amazing! This was a fantastic show!

Again, I take such imagery with a grain of salt. Is Svdden Death really caught up in the world of Satanism or pagan rituals? I have no clue and I really don't care. And I doubt he is. I think it's just brilliant marketing, and it makes for a very entertaining experience.

During this second half of the show, another logo was broadcast on the screens that I didn't recognize. The text wasn't easily legible – the font looked like a mess of tangled tree roots. It wasn't until I got home that I learned about Voyd, Svdden Death's alter ego who wears the mask and plays darker variations of riddim and dubstep. So this show featured both sides of Svdden Death, and it was a perfect mix.

I consider myself very lucky. I was there that night in Hollywood, when Svdden Death sold out the Palladium. I got to see a "regular" set and a Voyd set. And I predict that Svdden Death's career is just beginning. Wait and see how he gets better timeslots at EDC and other festivals. But I was there is the early days, when he was still young up-and-coming. I was lucky.

Fortunately, the recording came out pretty good. The raw file sounded rather flat, but with a bit of tweaking and massaging, the final product sounds decent. In fact it sounds really solid. I'm listening back to it right on now on headphones, and it brings me right back to that special night. My obsession for recording live events has paid off big this time. I hope you enjoy this one as much as I do.

Listen to Svdden Death on Spotify!

Follow Svdden Death on Twitter!

Buy Svdden Death music on Apple Music!