Anyone within a mile of Live Wire could hear the distinctive sub-bass speakers.
From 9pm, the Nightshade Family DJs took over the outdoor DJ booth at Live Wire. Jakob Namon, known by their stage name “ONIT”, was first up. ONIT’s set created a welcoming atmosphere for the first visitors to Live Wire.
According to their website, The Nightshade Family is a record label as well as a DJ and producer collective of various genres.
Inside, DJ Chiefrocka welcomed the arriving crowd with atmospheric remixes of classic hip-hop songs.
PO the Priceless1 took the stage at 9:40pm along with DJ Chiefrocka. PO the Priceless1 took a minute to congratulate himself on his recent accolades at the 10th Annual Athens Hip Hop Awards earlier this month, winning the Mover & Shaker of the Year award as well as the Music Producer of the Year award. The crowd congratulated with loud cheers and PO the Priceless1 began his set.
“Let’s have some fucking fun,” PO the Priceless1 said to the audience.
At the outdoor DJ booth, Delaney Erwin, known by her stage name “KN0W,” began her performance. Some electronic musicians do their sets freestyle, but KN0W said she prefers to do everything in advance.
“I usually try to get most of my set down, just because I’m a virgin,” KN0W said. “I like to go into things prepared.”
Loyalty is Timeless took the indoor stage at 10 p.m. Reginald and Darius Dowdell are a brother duo from Birmingham, Alabama, and the pair’s music revolved around overcoming adversity. Slugga2X took the stage next at 10:20 p.m. Both artists captivated the audience with energetic and dynamic performances.
At 10:40pm, Chiki Flow & Domino began their fast-paced reggaetón performance. The duo danced throughout the performance and leaned over the edge of the stage to engage the audience.
SHo started off with an energetic performance at 11pm. His music was a mix of hip hop and rap, which was greeted with cheers by the audience. SHo’s stage presence was full of confidence and ease as he performed his own songs.
Out on the electronic music stage, Karezza, also known as Scottie Stephens, began his set at 11pm. Karezza’s energy never waned as he belted out quirky music.
This was the time when the crowd outside was at its largest. The gravel and the flickering strobe lights created the perfect backdrop for visitors to enjoy the electronic music.
Christina and Dado Cruz, co-founders of the Nightshade Family, said one reason for the low popularity of electronic music in Athens is the complicated speaker systems it requires.
“The reason (electronic music) is not commercial and marketable is because of this,” Christina Cruz said. “That’s just a small part of why it’s important for us to show people that it’s a different experience.”
The Nightshade Family also works to provide an entry point into the industry and a community for electronic musicians. Dado Cruz said he is a DJ himself, but he runs the Nightshade Family to do “something bigger than himself,” he said. Dado and Christina Cruz want their resident DJs to have the opportunity to perform in their place.
“(Our resident DJs) are people we prioritize … just to support them because … there was really no one doing shows like that,” Christina Cruz said. “So people, if they were a DJ or a producer and they wanted to get booked, they had to go to Atlanta. There wasn’t really an opportunity to get on stage here (in Athens).”
Tyl3r Davis took the stage at 11:20 p.m. During his performance, the lights were almost completely turned off and Davis left the stage to perform in the middle of the crowd. He gathered the audience in a circle around him to perform one of his own songs. The performance was entertaining and exciting for the audience, who filmed him with their phones and cheered.
On the open-air stage, the crowd dwindled, but not the energy. At midnight, the silent disco started and some people danced to the electronic music coming from their headphones. The relaxed atmosphere contrasted with the energetic performances inside.
Lil Darius’ performance was scheduled for midnight, and as the time approached, speculation began that he might not show up after all. The crowd slowly dispersed from the stage, and those who remained wandered around while they waited. DJ Chiefrocka entertained the remaining members with an impromptu set.
At 12:15 am, Lil Darius made an explosive entrance on stage with one of his songs. When the audience realized who was on stage, the cheers got louder and the crowd grew. Lil Darius did a great job of captivating and engaging the audience throughout his performance. The audience stood on the stage and jumped while singing along to the lyrics to Lil Darius’ music.
After his first track, the crowd doubled in size. Lil Darius grabbed the audience’s phones to take selfies and videos of the lively scene.
Izzy Morrow, a local promoter for Afterglo Athens and DJ, said she found her place in the world of music in Athens, especially electronic music.
“It’s a colorful and tolerant place,” Morrow said.
