Borgore @ The Electric Factory

WRITTEN BY: NICHOLAS ROMANO

If you consider yourself a basshead and missed last Saturday’s show at the Electric Factory, you might experience symptoms of FOMO. Tour headliner, Borgore, along with 12th Planet, Prince Fox, and Warden made the final stop of the Savage Tour in Philadelphia and shook the walls of the cornerstone venue.

Before getting inside, I remember walking next to the building and hearing the walls and warehouse glass shaking from the heavy bass of Evan Riley’s opening performance. I remember getting that thrilling feeling of excitement when you know you are in for a performance you’ll talk about for a long time.

I have never seen Borgore in the past but I could see why the “gorestep” pioneer continues to sell out shows around the globe. Borgore began producing dubstep music in 2007 and has since made his lasting mark in the bass community.

Last Saturday, he brought an in-your-face style of dance music that not many other DJs and producers can mirror. He has this ability to bend music to create sounds for a performance was like nothing I’ve seen before. The transitions were smooth and unpredictable. One of Borgore’s most notable qualities was taking the crowd on an audio rollercoaster. He would bring the atmosphere down one minute and then raise it back up the next. His sound control was like mind control.

He closed out the show in an unfamiliar fashion by bringing a crowd of over a 100 people on stage to dance. Borgore would receive a standing ovation if the Electric Factory wasn’t already standing room only.

Prior to Borgore’s performance, 12th Planet controlled the room. I have been a riddim dubstep fan for some time now but never experienced it live like I did with 12th Planet. His off-step beats and fader chopping sounds didn’t stop for a second.

12th Planet’s style, last Saturday, is too difficult to describe. The low frequencies shake your ears and orbit the room while the slow tempo allows you to just vibe out. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to break my neck dancing or lean up against a wall and just watch others break their necks.

Naturally I go with the latter, so I did just that. I managed to make my way to the balcony above the stage to watch 12TH Planet perform. His slick movement on stage made performing his complex sound look easy. His set was the shortest performance among the four but in my opinion, it was the best performance.

Aside from the ferocious subsonic music, the crowd action just adds to the memorable experience. Outfits ranged from colorful t-shirts and LED gloves, to outfits not exactly appropriate for 30-degree weather (if you catch my drift). But nonetheless, the community seemed to be at home. It’s not everyday you can dress however you want and dance like a malfunctioning cyborg to forget your civilized self.

I remember the moment 12TH Planet made his first drop, about 15 or more heads violently rocked back and forth to the earthquake within the Electric Factory. I believe one gentleman, wearing a “vomitstep” shirt, hit his forehead on the railing that serves as a barrier between the crowd and the stage. However, to this young fella, the railing provided a means generate force for the most gnarly head banging in the building. The crazy thing is that it wasn’t the fact he hit his head on a steel bar that struck me, but the fact that it didn’t even seem phase him in the slightest regard (he was fine in the end, I saw him walk out on both feet). It’s times like these that make a show memorable and last Saturday was filled with them.

Philadelphia was the final stop for the Savage Tour. If you’re a fellow fan of EDM and heavy bass music, the featured artists provided a fix for bassheads in the area. Be sure to keep a sharp eye out for these guys to return to the area.

Be sure to check in with WHIP Radio later this week for coverage on Senses Fail, Counterparts, and more performing this Wednesday.