Smile Politely

Taste Maker: locally grown beats

An interesting collection of local electronic music producers will showcase their original work Saturday night at Cowboy Monkey. Four of the six acts are performing live PAs (or live personal appearance), which means, for the uninitiated, no requests. These sets will be original and created live right in front of the audience, so this show should have a little bit of something for everyone. If you find one style just isn’t for you, no worries, just wait 40 minutes because every artist will be completely different.

Cid Ikarus is set to deliver a live PA of juke-style house and bass music. I know the least about this artist, but his Soundcloud page gives me confidence that he will have a great set. Expect fast tempo juke with energetic bass behind quick-moving beats.

Terse aka Möbius — one of the original members of the Dubstep Massacre collective — and his unbilled partner, Aislin’s Dad, have been working for a couple weeks on a techno live PA with two brand-spanking-new MASCHINES. Tip: If you are into gear porn, these are the guys to hit up at the show. Booked as AD+F, these two recently did a live PA on WEFT’s First Person Plural. Expect some straight-up banging techno with a big room bassy feel.


Photo Credit: Miles Holt

Miles “Mauser” Holt, who has produced house and techno in the past, will do a live hip-hop PA. His background in multiple genres — one of my favorites of his mixes up hip-hop with drum and bass — should make for an interesting mix from a man who knows his way around electronic music. Expect a hip-hop set that blends elements from multiple styles together seamlessly.

Shannon Swords is no stranger to the CU music scene and recently performed at a Summer Mix-Up at the High Dive — as well as a birthday bash at The Velvet Elvis. Backed by beats spun by DJ Belly, Swords should dominate the stage with his lyrical style. Expect tight rhymes over hip hop beats from a veteran who can freestyle as well as write quality lyrics.


Photo Credit: Victor Duarte

Kirkwood West regularly produces and plays slow motion deep beats that hover around 100bpm with a very 80s vibe. He has produced tracks with numerous folks in town and has played at Luna, Boltini, and High Dive, as well as shows in Iowa and California. His live PA will incorporate his numerous released tracks along with hidden gems. Expect slo-mo deep house grooves with a strong 80s influence. Oh, and squirrels.


Photo Credit: Spomer Photography

Last but not least is DJ Belly, a prolific producer and DJ with back-to-back Thursday/Friday night Radio Maria residencies. Most recently, he opened for Big Freedia’s Pygmalion show, but he’s played all over the midwest. Even though he may play an original or two during his regular sets, this show should be nothing but DJ Belly bangers that pack the dance floor. Expect dubstep, trap, and maybe some of his older hip hop and downtempo tracks.

 

Taste Maker is Saturday, October 13 from 9:00 p.m. to close at Cowboy Monkey. Must be 19 to enter and 21+ to drink. Cover is $3. Check the facebook page for line up details.

More Articles