PHILADELPHIA - I was counting down the minutes on the clock on Friday night until I could leave work, but the hands never seemed to move. After what seemed like an eternity, it was time to clock out and head to my favorite venue in Philadelphia, SoundGarden Hall, where Actual Records’ Twurkaholics Crew and Atlanta’s own Heroes and Villains were set to destroy the stage. And that they did! After grabbing my pass and signing in, I walked in to flashing lights and lasers, gloves and ravers. Bandanas were everywhere. Rave kandi by the thousands. Even though it was early, the crowd was having a great time. When I arrived, Twurkaholics member Ethan DuBB was on stage and absolutely killing it! E. Dubb kept the crowd moving. Seamlessly transitioning from track to track, adding splashes of moombah and dirty beats to his mainly Trap set.

As I danced my way throughout SoundGarden Hall, I was surrounded by the wonderful uniqueness and individuality that generally defines EDM fans. Girls with light up hoola hoops rotated their hips with the big beats, accidentally tantalizing all who watched. Attendees with light gloves lined the walls, providing mesmerizing light shows to all who wandered by. Many ravers on the dancefloor concealed their mundane, everyday personas in order to feel free and un-judged, to give into the music, and to become one with their inner selves.

SoundGarden Hall continued to vibrate with low frequencies as Philadelphia’s own, Love City DJs took the stage. While the incredible light system continued to set the ambiance, Love City continued to fill the room with flowing energies. But the best is yet to come.

Oddzilla, a duo made up of DJ G-Buck and Architekt, performed next.  Standing on stage, I could feel the ground vibrating beneath my feet- igniting the force of Bass Music within me. Oddzilla’s set was a hodgepodge of original tracks, grimy glitchy beats, dirty vocal samples, and old favorites. They ended their set with a new original track called ‘Click Clack’ that features a swung beat drop with classic hip hop sounds. When that drop hit the floor, so did every dancer in the venue.

As fans held their hands high in anticipation, Heroes x Villains was ready to throw down. Dan Disaster immediately took to the table, twisting some dirty beats that had everyone twerking. Known as the invisible hand that initiated the Swag Hip-Hop movement’s matriculation to commercial music, HXV has worked with artists like Lil’ Wayne, T.I., and Justin Timberlake aiding the development of their diverse sounds. From trap, to hard electro, to rap and hip-hop favorites, Heroes x Villains dropped every danceable sound, destroying the party in the best possible way. Among my favorites from the night were Steve Aoki, Chris Lake and Tujamo’s Boneless, RL Grime’s Sosa, HXV’s remix of Major Lazer’s Jah No Partial, and of course, RL Grime and Salva’s remix of Mercy. If you’ve never seen Heroes x Villains, I’d highly recommend you do so. Their raw talent, diverse sounds, and understanding of the crowd makes for an absolutely incredible show. After a night like this, I can’t help but love Philadelphia, Soundgarden Hall, Heroes and Villains, and EDM lovers even more. Turn up.

Soundtrack To My Night