Potions and Player Dave Team Up to Create Magic at The Mishawaka

Mother Nature showed up in a major way to The Mishawaka for Potions and Player Dave‘s co-headlining show on May 27th. Dramatic lightning strikes opened the evening alongside a diverse lineup of DJs.

Despite the moody skies over Poudre Canyon, fans packed the venue early. The sold-out show went on with very little rain, which allowed for a magical night of music. The co-headliners took the crowd on two distinct journeys: a genre-spanning odyssey from Player Dave and a bass-heavy closing set from Potions.

A packed crowd in the daylight at The Mishawak — A full house at The Mishawaka

Special Guests at The Mishawaka

First up, Vxltures debuted a new project under the name Lilah. A highlight from this set was the closing song: an edit of John Summit and Hayla’s “Where You Are” against the backdrop of a beautiful pink and orange sunset.

Next, Cloud-d played an all-original set. The energy of his hip-hop-inspired beats matched the intensity of the brewing thunderstorm. Lightning turned the sky white just as Cloud-d’s tracks dropped, garnering a loud crowd reaction. Then, as a shift in energy, Denver-based producer Dillard brought out a more chilled sound.

To round out the support, Saka and FLY’s B2B performance unleashed a new feeling at The Mishawaka. The DJs’ contagious smiles and connection with the audience made the venue jump in unison to dubstep bangers. Saka and FLY’s musical chemistry allowed them to seamlessly mix their originals with fan favorites like Skrillex’s “Tears,” unreleased Distinct Motive, and a handful of tracks from LYNY.

This lineup, made of friends and collaborators of both Potions and Player Dave, set the stage for the final two performances of the night.

DJs Saka and FLY stand side-by-side with their hands up at the DJ booth — Saka and FLY go B2B

Player Dave “Embodies Innovation”

Player Dave, otherwise known as Charlie Sahm, is more than just a DJ and producer. He’s also the mastermind behind the San Diego-based production company and event series Daisy Chain. His Mishawaka set served as a clear representation of his project’s motto: “Embody innovation.”

From the jump, Player Dave’s selections proved he would be crafting a dynamic set, traversing many tempos and genres. He opened with breakbeat, garage and deconstructed club — a much different aesthetic from his recorded music. This unexpected approach took us on a journey from filthy U.K. dubstep and grime to an emotion-inducing moment with Overmono’s “Walk Thru Water.”

While Player Dave showed his intimate knowledge of many genres as an event curator, he also highlighted his own productions within the diverse musical context. He offered a crowd-pleasing drop with his remix of Mr. Bill’s “Pleasure Seeker.” Finally, opener FLY came out during “Boundless Perception,” their collaborative track from Player Dave’s 2021 album, Where the Wind Blew Me.

Player Dave performs in a black and white photo — Player Dave at The Mishawaka

Potions Flaunts His Mastery of Bass

In contrast to Player Dave’s multi-genre approach, Potions’ set was an ode to the power of well-constructed, deep bass music. Potions is the alias of Hunter Braymer from Santa Cruz, California. While Braymer is a celebrated producer in his own right, he is also well known as a founding member of the bass music supergroup Lab Group alongside Supertask and the late Charlesthefirst.

The Lab Group project has since expanded to include contributions from artists like Tsuruda, tiedye ky, and Player Dave too. Potions showed off his collaborative spirit at The Mishawaka by playing many songs from Lab Group members as well as his own solo productions.

Much to the delight of Lab Group fans, Potions played out hits like “Old Ways” and “Banshee.” With “Old Ways,” Potions cut the audio for the crowd to enthusiastically scream the track’s iconic line: “Lab Group ‘til I die, come to class with me.” Even more, Potions showed off a brand-new Lab Group song — much to the excitement of listeners who have been waiting since 2021 for new music.

A close-up of DJ, Player Dave — Co-headliner, Player Dave

A close up of Potions, who looks deep in thought — Co-headliner, Player Dave

Following the performance, Player Dave took to his Instagram story to say it was a “very humbling experience…getting to headline this with my best friend.” This sort of friendship speaks to the two DJs’ abilities to craft a cohesive artistic vision.

Thanks to a little mercy from Mother Nature during the storm, Potions and Player Dave delivered a masterful combined vision at The Mishawaka.