Live Review: Loco Dice, Joris Voorn, Nic Fanciulli, and Taimur+Fahad at Dekalb Market
Posted by Tarin Fasano 
Loco Dice at Dekalb Market, photograph by Ryan Wijayaratne
The cluster of salvaged shipping containers that is Dekalb Market reverberated for seven hours on Friday (and it wasn’t enough. People wanted more bass, badly. So badly, in fact, that they were willing to trek from downtown Brooklyn to midtown Manhattan for Pacha NYC’s after party). A little humdrum at first, the main event grew progressively better with each DJ. Loco Dice‘s set was, characteristically, intelligent minimalist house with echoes of Ricardo Villalobos.
Audience at Dekalb Market, photograph by Ryan Wijayaratne
The crowd had an interesting mix of people. There was way more hair gel and fist-pumping than one usually encounters in Brooklyn, a number of sassy t-shirts, and neons ala American Apparel circa 2009. Sunglasses didn’t come off when it started drizzling. There were some elaborate bohemian costumes, a dash of sea punk, a middle-aged faction, and then a lot of very happy people. Dekalb Market is an outdoor marketplace that doubles as a venue. Venders vend pickles, mini-doughnuts, and a variety of design-y nicknacks from inside shipping containers. It’s definitely a cool space (but the bathroom situation is miserable).
Dancing only / no sitting, photograph by Ryan Wijayaratne
Daylight sets by the local Taimur+Fahad and UK producer Nic Fanciulli were a bit too back-and-forth to get invested in. Both had heavy driving bass but very little variation and not enough tension. The build-ups for the drops were all predictable, and after all that formulaic hype the drops themselves were anti-climactic. Neither set was bad. They were perfectly unoffensive and club-ready, generic banging backbeats.
The show stealing emcee, photograph by Ryan Wijayaratne
Joris Voorn at Dekalb Market, photograph by Ryan Wijayaratne
Dutch DJ Joris Voorn‘s set was significantly better. It was mostly reminiscent of Detroit house and demanded movement. He introduced an element of tension and sparse vocals. Unlike the earlier sets, there was something to miss if you weren’t listening. At this point, the emcee came out in drag. and almost stole the show.
Loco Dice at Dekalb Market, photograph by Ryan Wijayaratne
Finally Loco Dice stepped up and incited all sorts of deep reverberations. Tech house and hip hop influences, grime and trance – all shaped into something thumping and surreal . The set was visceral and the crowd was ecstatic. Overall the seven hours were well spent. It’s June – no better time for outdoor shows on balmy nights, serious bass and dayglo lighting.
