How to survive Skrillex on Halloween

Despite all the criticism, this has certainly been a big year for Skrillex, a.k.a. Sonny Moore. On top of his triple-Grammy win in February, the Dubstep prodigy was slated earlier this year to provide a track and a cameo for the Disney movie “Wreck-It Ralph,” debuting this Friday. His fellow performers, Knife Party, had a track featured this year in an August episode of smash-hit show, “Breaking Bad.”

The two acts’ shared the stage at the 1st Bank Center on Wednesday night and both proved that EDM is not a genre to be ignored.

The point of an electronic show is to have a whole experience rather than just listen to music you’re a fan of. Skrillex is known especially for a live show that can become a total assault of your senses. In their show on Halloween night, he and his cohorts did not disappoint. In the midst of all the lasers and smoke, here’s how to survive a Skrillex Halloween show.

Zac Lang, center, waits for Kill the Noise to open Wednesday. (Tyler Gallardo/CU Independent)

Get your costume on—but be (somewhat) practical
First, you need a sick costume that will get you noticed. Girls, don’t worry how “slutty” you look, because there will ALWAYS be someone wearing less than you. Just lay off the heels. With four openers and a special two-hour headliner battle, your feet won’t feel good, and your shoes won’t stay under the chair where you left them.

Guys, this is one of the few times you can go all out, too. The costumes this year ranged from a dude in a bikini to at least five unisex Waldos from “Where’s Waldo?” fame, and even Big Bird made an appearance.

Those who weren’t wearing costumes or showed up simply as ravers looked out of place. You’re seeing two of the greatest living EDM acts live—it’s time to get weird.

Skrillex and Knife Party perform together on the second balcony of the Haunted House themed set. Switching between the two artists, the crowd was entertained through a variety of different styles of songs and a fantastic visual display. (Tyler Gallardo/CU Independent)

Just let it happen
You’re finally at the show and you have four opening acts to sit through, which means four hours before the main event. Even if they’re fantastic DJs, those four hours are going to suck. After paying all this money to see Skrillex and Knife Party throw down, you’ll be severely disappointed by the overeager opening acts.

Zane Lowe, the very first act of the night, was trying too hard and made everyone feel uncomfortable. Yelling Jay-Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” lyrics over his own beats, he rocked the mic too hard instead of allowing his samples to really shine through.

Whatever “crazy” stuff happened up to this point, forget it. It pales in comparison to when Skrillex and Knife Party finally appear on the balcony of a Haunted House façade on stage, the windows backlit and grave stones flashing in strobe lights. The projection screens lit up across the stage, showing everything from the “Thriller” dance to vomiting skeleton graphics.

After a half hour of getting comfortable sharing the stage, the two acts played all their best songs: “Destroy Them With Lasers,” “Fire Hive” and “Internet Friends” from Knife Party and “Sexy Lady,” “Reptile” and “Bangarang” from Skrillex.

The crowd dances at the Skrillex and Knife Party set Wednesday. (Tyler Gallardo/CU Independent)

The very best part of your night comes at the half-way mark of the set, when the gyrating bodies of 5,000 people start to slow down. That’s when Skrillex took the tables after Knife Party’s “Tourniquet.” Blending in the first strains of the epic guitar riff that begins “Devil’s Den,” the lasers turned red, fire and smoke shot up from the stage as pentagrams flashed across the screens in a not-so-subtle attempt at subliminal messaging. That’s the moment that you’ll shake your head and laugh as you think of trying to explain all of this to your parents on the phone tomorrow or your kids ten years from now.

Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Sarah Elsea at Sarah.elsea@colorado.edu.