HARD NYC Recap

<p> <a href="features/hard_nyc_recap/" target="_self"><img src="http://www.qromag.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/hardnyc.jpg" alt="HARD NYC Recap" /></a> </p> <p> Thousands came out to Governors Island (<a href="reviews/venue_reviews/governors_island/" target="_blank"><b>QRO venue review</b></a>) for HARD NYC, an eight-hour festival showcasing...
HARD NYC Recap

HARD NYC Recap

Thousands came out to Governors Island (QRO venue review) for HARD NYC, an eight-hour festival showcasing some of the most talked about up and comers and biggest names in dance.  With several events and festivals under their belt on the west coast, HARD NYC is one of the first major forays in bringing dance and techno to the east coast by organizers HARD.

 

Ninjasonik
Ninjasonik

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At some point everyone in NY (or Brooklyn anyway) declared side stage openers Ninjasonik New York’s official hip-hop/party group.  Perhaps it’s the blend of old school hip-hop and electronic beats.  Or the songs about tight pants and sex.  Rapper Telli leapt into the crowd, passing the mic around, dancing with girls, and leading the crowd in a chant of “Somebody’s gonna get pregnant!”
somebody's gonna get pregnant!

 

Rye Rye
Rye Rye

HARD MVPClick image for full gallery

Rye Rye hit the main stage, decked out in lime green spandex and acid yellow cutoff.  M.I.A.’s protégé and the self-proclaimed ‘Princess of Pop’, Rye Rye excels at bringing what is sorely lacking in most performers: fun.  Rye Rye’s set was filled favorites like “Bang”, “Shake It To The Ground”, a “Party In The USA” remix and shout-outs to art school girls.  Ninjasonik even joined her for a song.  With her machine gun delivery and slick dance moves, she was clearly one of the festival’s MVPs.
Rye Rye

 

Skream + Benga
Skream + Benga

BengaSkreamClick image for full gallery

Dubsteppers Skream followed up, performing with Benga, who mainly served as a hype man.  We were bewildered as the crowd went totally ape-shit.  They garnered a huge reaction from the crowd, quite surprising for an act best known for a remix.  Skream brought a harder, darker, louder sound to the main stage that set the tone for the acts to come.  Benga did an awesome job of letting us know A) They were Skream. B) And Benga. C) From England.  Oh and that we were monkeys.  All of which was fairly entertaining.  For the first half an hour, anyway.  Things quickly got repetitive the longer into their set, which seemed to last an eternity.  They ran about half an hour into the time Sleigh Bells were meant to go on…
Skream + Benga + crowd

 

Sleigh Bells
Sleigh Bells

Alexis KraussClick image for full gallery

…Probably because Sleigh Bells only have half an hour of material to perform.  Another act signed to M.I.A.’s NEEET Recordings, Sleigh Bells launched into their set, all Derek E. Millermetal guitars over distorted beats and singer Alexis Krauss stomping around the stage.  Your correspondents’ opinions diverged wildly: one was into them and thought they brought a distinct sound; the other thought they were, frankly, boring.  Krauss’ vocals were hardly audible unless she was screaming into the mic, and their sound isn’t anything loads of Digital Hardcore bands hadn’t already done 20 years ago.
Sleigh Bells

 

Die Antwoord
Die Antwoord

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Yo-Landi Vi$$erDie Antwoord.  They look like rejects from Gummo, and have one song that sounds like that song from Mortal Kombat.  Comments heard after their set: “That was disgusting.”  “What the hell was that?”  Yo-Landi Vi$$er and Ninja opened with single “Enter the Ninja”, replete with choreography.  NinjaThe tracksuits came off, and Miss Vi$$er treated all to a costume change during “Rich Bitch”, parading around in a fur-lined coat and her trademark gold spandex pants.  There were even lessons in South African slang, with the duo instructing on how to say “Your mom’s pussy.”  Silly smirks and hip-hop stances let us know that they were ‘hardcore’.

Are they a joke?  Probably.  But it’s one that they’re in on.  They were ridiculous, terrifying, and the HARDest thing about the entire festival.  Highlight of their set?  When Vi$$er took a massive swig of water, and shot it in a perfect arc directly into your photographers lens.  So punk.  We were ready to write them off from the start, but might be converts.  God help us.
Die Antwoord

 

M.I.A.
M.I.A.

it's hard being M.I.A.Click image for full gallery

It must be hard being M.I.A. right now.  Your new album suffering from middling reviews, your politics being called into question, ex-boyfriends who can’t get over you talkin’ shit all over Twitter.  And now an audience of thousands waiting for you to come out and kill it, and lay all the haters to waste.

Which would have been glorious, if it had had happened.  What did happen was M.I.A. came onstage, flanked by women in neon-trimmed burqas, and choked.  Hardcore.  There were mic issues; there were sound issues.  neon burqaThere were weird mixes and snippets of songs as opposed to actual songs.  There was spitting on a photographer.  There was being upstaged by South Africans with mullets.  Her hype girl had far more energy and presence.  At one point it turned into ‘M.I.A. and friends dance party’, where everyone but Maya was on stage.  Her set was apparently cut short by lightning, but we (and thousands of other people) wouldn’t know, as we made a mass exodus a few songs in.  As we made our way out of the park we would occasionally turn around, hoping it would get better.  It didn’t.
M.I.A. dance party

 

HARD NYC

All in all, HARD was a mixed bag.  A few stellar performances from Rye Rye and Die Antwoord mixed with average performances from the rest.  And much disappointment from headliner M.I.A.

 

-words: Natalia Blas & Evy Gonzalez
-photos: Natalia Blas

HARD NYC

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