In the heart of the immersive Meow Wolf Denver, where art and creativity run rampant, three masked men performed the arts using the medium of dubstep. Hostage Situation, a rapidly up-and-coming DJ trio, donned their signature white masks and suits and carried out a sold-out headlining show to one of the most energetic crowds I’ve had the pleasure of standing in.
The venue was an exceedingly lively space of visuals. Each wall contained full-length visual projections over top of the forest-painted backgrounds. They were paired with a fragmented, cathedral-like stage where each artist took their turn leading their melodic sermons. The ever-changing colors around the entire venue kept the atmosphere fresh from the event’s start to end.
The crowd arrived early and brought energy to the dance floor as locals Wagna and Twopercent came to the stage. The night’s recurring theme of DJ groups led to interesting sets by unfamiliar back-to-backs. There can sometimes be an awkward stage when playing alongside someone new for the first time. Not this time. Every pairing came to the stage with stoic chemistry from the start of every set.
Yoto, a local riddim duo, and Pusher combined to send the eccentric crowd into a frenzy with chops of high-energy riddim tracks. Aggression was the choice of the night for openers as no one held back in their song selections. The stage was set for the final opening duo. Rising star Sythyst has been making a huge name for herself across the country, recently announcing direct support roles for Versa, Decadon, and Infekt. She graced the stage with Arizona-based producer Aggro. These two played a crazy aggressive set of ear-crunching dubstep and riddim tracks. They clearly had a crazy amount of fun. Almost every drop was a call and response between them and the crowd as they chanted the wubs back throughout the venue.
Anticipation could be felt throughout the crowd as the house lights faded out in preparation for the culmination of the evening. Masks were appearing throughout the crowd in support of what will no doubt be one of the biggest acts to rise from the Denver music scene. The masked trio known as Hostage Situation came to the stage with a visceral assault of dubstep. The full production show came to life as the lasers were let loose above the crowd, releasing an unhinged uproar from the dancing menaces making it up. The night was a celebration for the trio, for themselves, and for the friends they enjoy making music with along their journey. It was full of guest appearances from Gorilla T, Mport, and Brondo. The latter came out to unveil a new collaboration.
The trio’s recent rise should not be taken lightly. Making appearances at Global Dance Festival, The Church Nightclub, and now their own Meow Wolf headlining show all while only starting this project around 2 years ago, the trajectory highlights their extreme talent.
I asked many in the crowd what drew them to this show and this trio. “This is the most excited I’ve been about a local since Brondo” one said. One person was up front in saying they “wanted to get in early” on the shows while they were small. Everyone had the same idea. These guys are going to be big soon, and we all wanted to be here to watch it happen.
The Denver dubstep scene is one saturated with many many artists, and to rise to the top takes work and the ability to stand out. Hostage Situation’s unique energy on stage, blend of melodic tones and aggressive bass tracks, and engaging live aspects will continue to push them forward both locally and nationally. I, for one, cannot wait to see the future these guys carve out.
