Back To The Future – Sydney 2014

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Back To The Future – Sydney 2014

Let’s be honest, Future Music Festival has become a musical institution. Despite the lingering scent of fake tan, double-dropping individuals and shirtless Zyzz impersonators, the iconic annual dance event cannot be outdone. From the onset, excitement levels were peaking. It was the second coming of house legend Deadmau5, Gesafeelstein’s live debut and of course the long-overdue arrival of the man himself, Eric Prydz – Randwick Racecourse was set for an absolute abomination of ear drums and dancing feet alike.

Punters rolled in to the likes of Beni playing early slots at the Jack Daniels stage, a welcomed breath of fresh air after the painfully generic set from Stafford Brothers and Timmy Trumpet on the main stage. As the clock neared three, it was time for some afternoon bass, and there was no better place for that than Adventure Club’s blistering set. There is no other way of saying it, Knife Party’s Haunted House Arena was an absolute shit-storm. An organised clusterfuck drove the crowd into a pure frenzy; with circle pits emerging that rivalled a Soundwave crowd, and armed with a lineup including Netsky, Sub Focus, Chase & Status and of course Knife Party, it was no real surprise.

The newly-renovated Future Sound System stage become a second home for some ravers and the back-to-back performances of Dyro, Arty and Chuckie gave them no reason to leave. Yet as the trance stage blew minds, it was the smaller DJs who were truly on form. Between Oh Boy, LDRU & YHATZEL the local talent which this country possess was truly showcased.

Yet as the day progressed, the age-old problem of an Electronic festival arose: repetition. Despite the abundance of live acts, the DJs still prevailed and through this rose striking similarities between sets. The likes of ‘Animals’ and multiple others were bashed out of speakers from Foam-a-rama to the Safari stage.

As the sun set it was time for the man himself, Eric Prdyz, to step up to the stage and prove to the crowds what the fuss was all about, and within just a few minutes there was a clear divide between true Prydz fans and those waiting out for ‘Call On Me’. As the demographic quickly changed, the performance became more and more impressive as his think and intense layers of sound took the crowd to a new level of euphoria. With a setlist consisting of your standard Pryda tunes, as well as a well excited remix of Depeche Mode’s ‘Personal Jesus’ – it was clear that Prydz was worth the wait.

With the darkness emerging it was time for The Likes of You stage to come into its own. Easily the most underrated aspect of the festival the consecutive run of Brodinski, Paul Kalkbrenner and Gesafeelstein drew the crowds, climaxing in the always-epic ‘Hellafornia’.

Having recently been named the number one DJ in the world, Hardwell stepped onto the stage and does what he does best: impress. Despite the electronically-geared festival, it was clear that the electronic kingpin was not being exclusive with his set, rather playing for everyone. From his latest single ‘Dare You’ to Passenger’s ‘Let It Go’ and of course the crowd favourite and festival themed ‘Jungle’. His unmatchable technical ability, combined with flames, sparks and enough CO2 to launch a spaceship, was one spectacle we hope to see again soon.

The long-awaited arrival of the Deadmau5 himself could not have come at a better time. A completely clear night was the perfect setting for his mind-altering graphics and synth lines. The electronic symphony felt like one gigantic build up, all-leading to one large climax, eventuating in ‘The Veldt’. The orchestral piece saw the crowds reach unknown levels of euphoria, erupting in the famous pounding bassline that we all know Deadmau5 for.

And with that, the 2014 installation of Future drew to a close – fuck knows how they are going to top it next year, but God are we excited to see how they do it. Rave on Future, we’ll catch you next year.

Check out photos from the day here.

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