Inspired by the return of German techno boss Chris Liebing  to Toronto at Footwork this past Sunday, last week’s show was built to bang.

My review of the event follows the tracklist…

gl.tch – Live on In My Room – Aug. 29, 2012

Sounds like: Acid, Robo-Vox, Dark, Pumpin’, Schranz, Percussive, Techno 

Tracklist

Ricardo Villalobos – Easy Lee
Nautiluss – Sabbath
Mike Mind – Resonate (Kebacid Remix)
Clouds – Articles (Ado Remix)
H-Man – Manga (Oxia Remix)
Tomie Nevada – B
Alex Blake – Derniere Larme
Anton X – The Outsider
Marco Bailey – Heat (Zzino & Sinesweeper RMX)
Chris Liebing – American Madness (Alex Bau mix)
738 Vs Marco Nastic Sound Improvement
Pedro Delgardo – Kontakt
Mr. Sliff – Rippin’ & Dippin’ Pt.2
Mustafa Avdic, Matt Rissi – Oktave Jumper (Woody McBride Remix)
Eric Sneo, Felix Krocher – Distorted Disco
Chris Liebing, Ben Sims – Sambal Olek
David Carretta – Machine Invasion
Frank Biazzi – Turbulence
Chris Liebing & Speedy J – Tunox
Lenny Dee, Julian Liberator – Juggernaut
738 Vs Marco Nastic – Funky Hustle
Groove Korp – A-System
DJ Rush – Get On Up (Chris Liebing Rmx)
Good Groove w.Soul – Funkin’ You (Luke Slater RMX)
Eric Sneo, Felix Krocher – Hustle & Bustle

–BEGIN MEMORY DUMP–

The people on the crowded dance floor shuffle and move against each other to the sound of throbbing, dark, twisted and industrial techno.  Under the control of the techno master, we are flogged by crunchy filter sweeps and oppressive reverberations. Syncopated and delayed bass lines meld with pumping kick drums and hefty layers of drone accented by tweaks and whirls of machinery.  A brutalizing beat down pulverizes me until I am the consistency of a fine powder before being gradually reconstituted by the incessant dripping of sweat and condensation from the ceiling; returning as a facsimile of a human. Mesmerized and overcome by crushing waves of sound I am nothing but a soaked body seeking the thrust of a ceiling fan. Looking around, I am not alone in this state.

I emerge drained and my mind blank.

At home, the hum of the A/C in my room adopts a commanding tone. The rhythmic pulses whisper to me in a rapid and insistent voice: “right now, right now, right now…” The ringing in my ears grows louder and I become drone 338126.