The Deep House Floor At Grietfest Changed My Life

Review || Grietfest 2014

Now, from someone who has weekly life changing moments from something as simple as film credits using a font I like, I have to state that this time it’s real. Really. What I experienced on that dance floor could’ve very well been my Moses-meets-burning-bush moment, but first, let me start at the beginning.

For the uninitiated, Grietfest is that annual alternative electronic music festival that is quite literally a rave in an alley underneath the M1 highway in Johannesburg. Think graffiti, industrial buildings, a Pacman scene recreated in light bulbs hanging overhead and a massive main stage decked out in LED walls so large you’d mistake it for a mainstream EDM festival named after an over-excited adjective. It’s a visually stimulating and aesthetically striking festival a block away from mosques, museums, construction sites and grungy train stations in the visual style of Neill Blomkamp. Four stages ranging from the adrenaline-fuelled drum ‘n bass of the Science Frikshun stage with its impressive 3D mapped visuals, the spaced out techno of the Red Bull Live stage to the cosy, indie feel of the Untamed Youth stage tucked away beyond the reach of your less adventurous attendee. If you don’t know about Grietfest, then it’s probably not for you. Each year it manages to attract crowds in excess of 3000 without any major advertising whatsoever, relying solely on a loyal underground following and word of mouth, resulting in probably one of the most open minded crowds I’ve been amongst. How many festivals in South Africa can say they have a funk/glitch hop duo and a heavy drum ‘n bass artist in primetime slots and have crowds responding as if it were Jesus himself behind the decks?

I arrived fairly early, just in time to catch newcomer, Muzi dropping a 4pm set of some twerk-ready trap and moombahton under a cloudless sky at the Olmeca main stage.

I had a pre-planned set guide, so when I stumbled upon the Red Bull Live stage on route to the bathroom; all my plans were somewhat derailed. Jazzuelle was laying down some smooth deep house to an intimate crowd, and slipping into the warm groove felt easier than breathing. At some point during the set two girls who had been enjoying themselves further off on the floor came up to me enquiring about what genre this was, and looking back, that moment sums up the outcome this type of festival seeks to create, where fans of heavier bass-influenced genres can stumble upon slower, more soulful genres and have all pretension and barriers to entry removed and vice versa. The set times were constructed in such a way that encouraged a kind of genre cross-pollination where one set ended and allowed you to immediately fit into another halfway through at another stage. The entire programme flowed well and by the end of the night I had racked up a total of 12 sets spanning the entire electronic spectrum.

Etnik, clad in a navy suit and stockbroker suave much like Gesafflestein, dropping some of the most oppressive, industrial-tinged, dark techno around was satisfying in a way akin to being repeatedly being punched in the throat. On the main stage’s massive sound system every kick drum felt potentially fatal, massive and utterly terrifying.

Over at the Science Frikshun stage, it was business as usual for Johannesburg’s loyal drum ‘n bass following. Many familiar faces I’ve come to know from the monthly Frikshun events and the weekly Addictshun spin off were all present, raging along to back-to-back sets from Benson, Mr Mon, Reepa and Adamski and the budding popularity of Ella G, after which I headed over to catch Trancemicsoul at the Red Bull stage. This was a deviation from my schedule, but having heard he had one of the best sets at Sonar in Barcelona this year piqued my curiosity. Two minutes into it and I instinctively knew this was probably going to be the best set of the night and possibly my life. This kind of spacey, dubby techno and deep house was by no means new to me, especially having come of age in a model c school heavily influenced by Johannesburg's township culture, but in contrast to heavier, more hardcore stages just next door new colours and subtle nuances were revealed to me in a way that white stands out more on black. The entire atmosphere was otherworldly, hypnotic as if in a tribal ritual dance. These drums felt warmer and more organic, with songs stretching out over 8 to 11 minutes without any determinable direction. To be on that stage felt like an act of rebellion, to be in on a secret the world wasn’t made privy to. It felt spiritual as I broke into moves and rhythms as if it was coded into my DNA before the universe was created. Where people were talking to each other at other stages, here everyone seemed utterly transfixed and deep in thought, tripping out to meditative visuals of Hindu deities, microscope footage of molecules, protest signage, typography and vector animations. Not one for sentimentalism, I found myself already dreading how I was going to write this piece with the tone of stoner-esque pseudo-enlightenment.

Later on at the main stage (after an intermission break where Jon Hopkins' Open Eye Signal was played to my delight) headliners Koan Sound pumped out their distinct brand of funk-infused glitch hop to much fanfare, with their set branching out into to drum ‘n bass and hip hop towards its closing minutes. Local hero Niskerone then continued on that train of thought with an hour of energetic drum ‘n bass, pushing the sound system to its near breaking point. A guy in the crowd recognised me from the deep house stage in the kind of shared intimacy of someone you’ve seen naked and we spoke about trying out the various stages. By then the crowd were primed to be blown away by Black Sun Empire, albeit by only one member of the trio. It was a set of clinical, cerebral drum ‘n bass and neurofunk, dropping some noted fan favourites from his catalogue. At this point even my drum ‘n bass affinity was tested and in much need of a palette cleanser I took refuge at the Red Bull stage yet again, recovering well to The Warm Up mastermind Phat Jack’s set of bubbly deep house. When I wasn’t too engrossed in the moment I managed to recognise some Duke Dumont and Detroit Swindle reverberating through the room. 

The night ended with the masked wonder, Grimehouse playing some nostalgic 2011-era dubstep, electro and trap over at the Go! Go! stage where Liver and Das Kapital, clad in a sun dress only his Twitter followers would understand, played before him. A surprise back-to-back set from Das Kapital, Niskerone and Grimehouse played to an ecstatic crowd was the crowning moment of the night, perhaps the best representation of just how loved these local acts are even when on a line up with international heavy weights such as Koan Sound and Black Sun Empire.

Grietfest is a yearly explosion of culture, with attendees in Supreme 5 panel hats all jumping at the opportunity to Instagram selfies at the many Graffiti murals and art installations around the venue. It’s not hard to feel somewhat plain when amongst people rocking dreads like crowns, Thai Buddha neck tattoos and Aztec print snapbacks and knitwear. All of these visual and cultural elements underpinned by music as diverse as the crowds themselves. It’s an electronic event without flower headbands, heart hand signs and #PLUR dogma, instead opting for a grungy aesthetic quality and a crowd with the palette to appreciate it. If I can walk away from a music festival having been equally inspired by techno, graphic design and fashion I’d say that’s a festival worth going to. 

Check out the official aftermovie here