As the wind wisped through the skyscrapers and the sharp waves of Lake Michigan crashed upon the shore, there was a steady onslaught of heavy bass raining down inside Chicago's Navy Pier. On Saturday, October 21st, dubstep frontrunners, Zed's Dead brought their high-intensity Deadbeats tour to the Midwest in support of the duo’s rising record label.
Thousands of bass fanatics crowded the huge hanger for what was a night of aggressive EDM on a massive sound system. Bristol’s freshest bass duo, Diskord started the night off with a unique blend of choppy, high energy melodies. After getting the initial crowd warmed up, long-time weird bass pioneer EPROM hit the stage. Though it was a shorter set than advertised, EPROM made sure to make it count as he pushed out a collection of glitch-infused subwoofer rolls that got the crowd grooving early.
Mysterious fresh-faced producer K?D was next and lived up to the question mark he uses in his name. Mixing together a collection of future bass, house and grime certainly made for an interesting and ear-pleasing set. Due to the magnitude of the venue, the sound seemed to echo off of the tall ceilings and large empty walls. Unfortunately, it became obvious during Ghostface Killah’s intermission set. The crowd started to wander as the almost inaudible rhymes rang out.
For those who wandered found themselves zoning in on the merchandise table or getting immersed in the half dozen classic arcade games setup along the side of the dance floor. After a few rounds of Pac-Man and some new swag, many returned their attention back to the stage. Armed with a hypnotizing, swirling mix of pizza and skull visuals, Ghastly shook the venue with a hefty supply of West Coast Bass-House. As thousands started to file in, Ghastly left the crowding audience in a fever and ready for the headlining duo.
The lights went low again as Zed’s Dead appeared to a roaring crowd. From start to finish Zed’s Dead turned Navy Pier into an electronic spacecraft that soared through the wobbly realm of outer space. Relying on their expertise of heavy dubstep and catchy melodies, the tracks hit hard and loud. Accompanied by a laser beam assault and a magnificent visual and lighting display, this show made for an out of this world experience. After throwing down memorable original tracks like Rude Boy, Collapse as well as an unexpected Eleanor Rigby remix, the show ended and the crowd left sweaty and smiling.
Just a few short months ago Zed’s Dead graced Chicago with an unbelievable headlining set at Lollapalooza, the duo returned and absolutely blanketed the city. Before the Deadbeats show, the duo hosted a packed merch pop-up shop and then became the first act to sell out Concord Music Hall five times after they announced the afterparty. Zed’s Dead left a huge mark on the Midwest and made it clear how much they appreciate this Midwestern staple. Lookout for new music featuring and produced by the duo on their Deadbeats label.