Mixes of EDM, metal and punk, were all present in their setlist from Chief Keef’s “Don’t Like” to System of Down’s “Chop Suey”.Īfter Death Trap’s warmup set, the stage visuals changed and the lights went out. An appropriate motto for a DJ duo attempting to break the modern stigma of what a rave will consist of. What was surprising to me was the addition of Rage against the Machine’s “Killing In The Name Of” in their set highlighting the lyrics 'F**k you I won't do what you tell me'. Openers Death Trap, a young DJ duo, warmed up the crowd with some house and trap mixes. Like a mob of ravers broke into the establishment under the cover of night and invited the most foreign music group they could think of to headline. When you put all these elements together, it was almost like we weren't supposed to be there. A similar situation during the night involved an Ali G cosplayer greeting me as I was walking into the lobby. I then immediately noticed she was wearing whited out eye contacts along with the rest of her rave ensemble. As I was waiting for the openers to take the stage, a young woman stepped on my foot and immediately apologized. Die Antwoord also seems to bring out the performative side of the fans. While the golden trim arc above the stage relates to Ninja’s grill, the Victorian opera house-esque setting is the complete antithesis of the Die Antwoord ZEF lifestyle. It's interesting and oddly appropriate to see an act like this in a theater like The Cap. Their 2016 tour is in promotion of their fourth studio album, Mount Ninji and da Nice Time Kid. Die Antwoord embraced this derogatory term and completely built their sound, visuals, and personas around the ZEF lifestyle. The word ZEF is an Afrikaans slang term that means uncool, disgusting, gross and/or trashy. Experiencing the South African ZEF live immediately becomes a highlight of their year if not a lifetime.ĭie Antwoord, the South African rap-rave group broke into the music scene in 2008 and quickly began to gain an international following for their unique style, known as ZEF.

Die Antwoord is that special to their fan base. He said to his friends “This is a show I’m going to remember for the rest of my life”. While waiting in line under The Cap’s marquee Friday night, another fan in front of me was shaking with excitement not only to see Die Antwoord live for the first time, but to enjoy his first ever legal drink.

Oct 24 / Monday Words by Patrick Gibbons Photos by Scott Harris

Die antwoord tour 2016 usa