Department of Dance writers Nadine and Sam attended Excision’s Paradox Tour this past weekend (February 5th and 6th) in Houston and Dallas and offered their unique perspectives on what went down:
Nadine; Houston
On Friday February 5th, I had the pleasure of attending Excision’s Paradox tour with special guests Figure and Bear Grillz in Houston, Texas at Stereo Live. I had seen Excision twice before during his memorable Executioner tour; thus, I had really high expectations going into the night. Figure did not disappoint with his signature drumstep and drum and bass drops coupled with filthy wobble drops. Everyone in the crowd, myself included, was raging super hard while we looked each other and smiled at what was going on around us. The atmosphere was incredible as fans from all walks of life came together for their pure enjoyment of this iconic bass culture. After Figure, there was a brash waiting period for the Paradox stage to finish set up. The suspense was definitely building for start of Excision’s set. Excision’s actual set was amazing; he included old tracks such as “Swagga,” “Emotional,” and “Triple X Rated,” as well as “Codename X” from his new album. A sea of people raised up an “X” with their hands in support for their favorite artist. The audience was captivated by “Rexcision,” a T-Rex that seemingly magically appeared on stage. It was easily the highlight of the performance, and I was able to take a quick snap with it on the patio while leaving the venue. Excision’s tours are never something you should miss out on, but the visuals, stage set up, and project mapping of the Executioner tour were paramount compared to the Paradox tour.
DoD members Nadina, Lisa, and Emmanuel with “Rexcision”
Sam; Dallas
As one of the biggest Excision fans in existence, when he released all of the news hyping up the Paradox stage in all its glory, I immediately purchased tickets. I was further motivated by his announcement that he would be supported by Figure and Bear Grillz, whom are bass music heavyweights in their own right. After months of preparation and waiting, Saturday, February 6th, at South Side Ballroom in Dallas, the day finally came where my face would never be the same after the melting of it that took place. The venue was massive, the vibes were perfect, and the music was bass heavy and very easy to headbang and lose yourself to- which I did often. The security was friendly and very helpful, even providing water for cheaper than the bar. Bear Grillz got the evening started with his signature high octane dubstep and set the stage for Figure to drop his terrorvision drumstep that shook the dance floor. After Figure left the stage, there was about a 20 minute intermission as the Paradox stage was being set up, so I decided to go outside to smoke a cigarette and visit with friends. As I was walking out the door, someone grabbed me and proceeded to say “Suh dude,” and who do I see but Figure chilling with Bear Grillz on the patio smoking and drinking. I’ve met Figure about 4 times, but this was my first time actually having a conversation with him. He made an impression as one of the most humble DJs I’ve had the pleasure of encountering, and he made a lifelong fan of me. As I made my way into the main room, I was greeted by the most mind-blowing visuals I’ve ever encountered. Excision’s production had gotten even more intense and I didn’t think that, after witnessing the Executioner tour, I would be able to say that. The awe-inspiring bass and the intricate, trippy visuals (complete with robotic T-Rex battle on stage) melted my face and the crowd was so into that it seemed to be a sea of bass heads raising their “X”s up with their hands and headbanging in one massive wave of XXX-rated fans going completely nuts. While the show ended at 1:30 rather than 2:00, which was disappointing, everything about my experience just proves yet again why Excision is my favorite producer/DJ to see live.
DoD member Sam with Figure
We hope you liked our two different perspectives on the Paradox tour in two different cities. Let us know your thoughts in the comments! If you saw it in a different city than us, was it any different?
