DJ Yoda might be a master of the turntables and one of the best mixers in his trade, but even he cannot compete with a Hurricane in mid-December. So it is that the original free show put on by Gio-Goi at the Sub Club took place on February 16th; a Thursday night, but one that saw the Subby packed with many fans of his innovative style.
The support act is Boom Monk Ben, who gets the crowd dancing early on before Yoda arrives, with a set that mashes up electro, house, hip hop and pop. This sets the night up perfectly for Yoda, and by the time he arrives, everyone is already in the mood.
The low ceiling drips with sweat and there is barely enough room for anyone to have their arms anywhere else but above their head, smacking it. The atmosphere is healthy, and is never in any danger if becoming too intense like the Sub Club can sometimes be with other DJs.
From ‘60s rhythm and blues to classic ‘80s and ‘90s hip hop, Yoda moves from genre to genre and decade to decade with an unpredictable genius, the whole time making it seem like perfect sense. Who else would mix Adele with Jamaican Dancehall and make it sound so natural?
Instead of taking the easy way out like so many DJs today do live, and hiding behind expensive software packages, Yoda channels the art of the DJ in its most primal form; his supreme scratching is prominent throughout without detracting from the tunes he plays.
Never one to take himself too seriously or allow the crowd to do the same, he drops in ‘Donald Where’s Yer Troosers’ at one point as well as his trademark samples of theme tunes and pop culture references. An extended mix of the Super Mario theme tune in particular gets a great reception.
Time seems to stand still while Yoda plays, and it’s hard to tell how long he has been on for. The crowd are lost trying to keep up with the genre changes and song switches and trying to second guess what Yoda will play next. By the end of the night DJ Yoda has left the clientele drenched in sweat in a confused mess, still trying to fathom how he ever thought to mix that tune with that one.
After two hours of standing in the furnace that is the Sub Club, on a floor that vibrates with his heavy bass and backbeat, Yoda can leave the Sub Club and Glasgow confident that everyone there will tell anyone that wasn’t, they should have been.
Words by Stephen Walsh
For more information on future Gio-Goi events, visit www.gio-goi.com.
View an accompanying photo gallery from the Gio-Goi Presents DJ Yoda gig at Sub Club, Glasgow.
