From the underground boiler rooms of the U.K. to a headlining tour across the U.S., Hamdi is taking over the music scene. We got the first look into his madness, and the only way to properly welcome Hamdi is with a sold-out show.
DC welcomed Hamdi with a traditionally cool and rainy spring evening.
On April 6th, fans lined up outside of Flash in Washington D.C. to witness the first show on Hamdi’s stateside tour. We shuffled past the first-floor bar to the backroom coat check and ticketing station to grab our tickets. Meanwhile, massive and all-consuming bass seeped through the ceilings. The energy hinted that we were only at the start of what was sure to be a wild night.
RETCHS and TOGEKI were up first on the main room decks. Spinning everything from breakbeat and drum and bass to experimental bass, these openers knew exactly how to draw in a crowd. After spending some time in the main room, we navigated toward the rooftop before Hamdi took the stage. And boy, are we glad we did. Being led into the 140 abyss by a Hypho and WRAZ back to back, we were greeted by all of our favorites. A sea of Deep Dark and Dangerous merch washed over the crowd.
Sketchy Pete‘s set kicked off so swiftly and with such command. We were instantly drawn to his energy and stage presence. They treated the crowd to everything from Ice Spice acapellas to world bass and old-school dubstep anthems. By the time Jon Casey took the stage, all eyes and ears eagerly awaited more. Jon Casey took this in stride and fed us tech house, disco house, and his famous “Yum” edit.
Diving into the madness
Around 1 am, Hamdi humbly took the stage. Many of the opening DJs of the night found their home base on stage left of the crowd. The intimate venue provided a brief moment to give appreciation for all of their hard work. And after a quick pause, breathy and dark vocals subdued the room.
The lights dimmed, and the moment we heard Hamdi’s signature scratchy bass line — the crowd erupted into chaos. Fans of Hamdi could easily pick out key songs in the transitions. Then, catching awestruck glimpses across the room, we were elated to hear our favorite tunes like “Never Let You Go Edit” and “Havana,“ an unreleased Zeds Dead collaboration. And, of course (at 2:30 am as a little treat for staying up late on a work night), we were finally blessed with “Skanka.“
A thank you to the organizers!
Para Presents, Closed Sessions, and The Gradient Perspective have a knack for organizing the most enticing lineups — and this night was no exception. Equipped with complimentary water, snacks, and kind faces to find support and care, it was an honor to be in a room with such explosive energy for Hamdi‘s U.S. debut.
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