Live Mash-Up Mayhem: Bootie LA and Beyond
Mash-ups continue to be an often misunderstood, even maligned music form by some, and admittedly the genre can be frustrating sometimes. The currently-hot Robyn meets AC/DC mix, which DJ Paul V spun Sat. at Bootie LA at the Echoplex is a good example: "You Shook Me All Night Long, " always gets this rock chick on the floor and "Dancing On My Own" is a strong track, but we lose our groove when the two tunes switch back & forth on the mashed version. Others think it's the best of both worlds.
Mashups and the producers who craft them have proven to be more than novelty regardless, and Bootie's success (the club, which started in SF, has offshoots all around the world) has clearly solidified its staying power, especially when it comes to finding common ground between disparate styles like pop and punk, hip-hop and classic rock, for example.
More and more, live bands are trying their hand at live mash-thrashing as well, but none do it as glitzed out as Tranz, which showcases some of our favorite LA queens and trans terrors --Momma, Kelly Mantle, Rhea Litre, Detox, and Willam (loved her as "Cherry Peck" on FX's Nip/Tuck)-- on stage, melding everyone from Metallica and Lady Gaga to the Sex Pistols and Madonna, as seen above.
Below, enjoy clips from two more mash-up groups, Smash Up Derby (the house band at Bootie SF credited with being the first to do it live) and LA's The Cool Table, who'll be playing Bootie on Oct. 16.
Do these live blends show inventive production and inspired re-interpretation? Are you digging the sonic splice and dice? Or are you a purist who thinks songs should shine all on their own? We're guessing the answer will vary depending on age and whether or not you grew up with modern DJ culture. Sound off in the comments.
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