Just Another Day at the Electric Zoo

Monday, September 03, 2012

In case you were wondering, Electric Zoo is still hella fun.

I spent another day at the Zoo this year, and it was every bit as awesome as the last. I find Electric Zoo endlessly entertaining: equal parts ragefest and anthropology exercise. While I personally can't summon up the chutzpah to party all day in a neon tutu, furry boots and wig, I do appreciate the unfailing devotion these party animals have to their day-glo looks. It wouldn't be a Zoo without these crazy kids.

I came to the Zoo with a merry menagerie this year so I didn't worry too much about the lineup and just went with the flow. We caught some pretty good music even without stressing over running from one tent to another. We danced our little hearts out to Nervo then enjoyed Bingo Players with food, beer and sunshine on the lawn. Somehow, Bingo Players hadn't been on my radar before but I'm definitely adding them to my music stalk list. Yesterday's mash-up of Ni**as in Paris and Walking on a Dream was just too sweet, and the ever-infectious Cry (Just a Little) never gets old (I am a child of the 80s, after all).

The only DJ I was dead set on seeing was Rusko so we braved the steaming hot Hilltop Arena tent for his set. I know dubstep isn't for everyone and lately there's practically a backlash on it but I can't help it —I just love raging to those dirty beats! When I think about shimmying to David Guetta in glamazon heels versus getting sweaty as b*lls while rocking out to Rusko, I just get so much more satisfaction out of doing the latter. I suspect I'm just a mosh pit-loving teenage boy at heart.

As much as I would've loved to see Steve Aioki's set, the Riverside Dim Mak tent was packed to bursting. We had to content ourselves with listening to his tunes and watching him jump like a maniac onstage from our spot on the lawn—though I couldn't help but rush the tent when he started up his mix of The Bloody Beetroots' Warp. I am inexplicably addicted to this song.

My favorite set of the day ended up being Axwell's. His mix of Coldplay's Every Teardrop is a Waterfall and Resurrection was both spine-tingling and mind-blowing, and that mash-up of Sweet Disposition and Beating of my Heart had us jumping like mad. Also heaps of fun: we had some extremely tall and beefy boys in our crew who thought nothing of putting me on their shoulders for extended periods of time. As much as I generally like being my compact little self, I have to say I did enjoy the view of that sea of party animals from high up above.

And so the sun sets on another epic Electric Zoo weekend—and also on this crazy, fun summer. I'm not worried; New York never runs out of surprises, no matter what season it may be.