In the works for no less than 6 months in which the legendary Darude was going to be gracing us with dazzling display of what 22 years of being a DJ means

Editorial Note: I am National Entity‘s production manager   

Waking up me from a deep sleep at 8:30am on the day of, I shut off the reminder telling me that today is the day.  Arriving at the venue 7-hour prior, our goal was to build a stage as unique as the talent performing on it that night. So much goes into the design and execution, balancing technical skill with the countdown of the clock.  With doors opening shortly, we finished the last of the lights and started to program as the opening DJ took stage.

The night opened with some of Sacramento local favorite and as Dr. Pockets dropped his first track, the huge sound system roared into life. Playing a variety of tracks from different genres, the crowd started flooding in and making their way to the rails.  Up next was the beautiful Czechmate with that Melbourne bounce that got the dance floor pumping. Her stage presence was setting fire and getting the room ready for an ‘out-of-this-world’ performance from my favorite alien, Ananaki. Giving us a small piece of his soul and trip to his home planet, Ananaki brought the extraterrestrial filth this crowd was looking for.

The pace was set as the first of the headliners – Hydraulix – took stage showing us how they get down in Australia.  His track selections shook up the room as the crowd inhaled his fire and unleash their furies on the metal crowd barricades.  As the shadow loomed on the LED walls, the dynamic duo of Riggi & Piros prepared themselves behind the decks as the room came alive once the rest of the lights were brought into play. The sound of some heavy electro emitting from the speakers put a smile to my face.  All that bass mixed with the lovable funky beats of house music is exactly what I needed to make me stand up and really dug in to find my groove behind the lighting console.

The crowd was a mix of people like I have never seen. Though many familiar faces were smiling back at me, there was a refreshing dash of party goers who have come out to see the man himself – Darude. With 22 years in the music industry along numerous awards, Darude is no newcomer to making the crowd move. The beautiful progressive and uplifting trance, fused with elements of tech, breaks and house, Darude’s music delivered a dynamic energy that tells a story you will not soon forget.

Speaking with Oski backstage, I already knew who was going to be my favorite set of the night.  A style like the world has never seen with track selections taking me back to some of the fondest moments in life.  Mixing mainstream classic alternative rock and metal tracks to some of the fiercest trap and dubstep of today, Oski’s set was the equivalent of being in a time machine lost in the fabric of time with no destination in sight making it a one of a kind experience.

As the night was coming to end, the lights flashed away, the music faded, the smell of fog juice and sweet success was in the air. It was another amazing show for a job well done from the crew at National Entity.

With the sun peeking over the horizon and feeling of accomplishment swelling in my heart, I said my goodbyes and sent my crew on their ways.

-Chris Ruckus