Got a Guru Exclusive for you! Superstar electronic dance music DJ Steve Aoki is coming back to Central New York as a stop on Winter White Tour 2013. The tour’s hitting Turning Stone’s Events Center on Thursday, January 31st for a wild night of flashing lights, big bass, and other EDM-related fun. You may know Aoki for his shenanigans (been waiting to uses that word) at shows–cake throwing for one–or maybe from his founding the incredibly influential Dim Mak Records. Either way it’s going to be an awesome show that all EDM fans should make the trip for!

Steve Aoki is a 35-year-old Miami-born, Cali-raised electro house DJ who made a name for himself far before we had the fancy term “EDM” to describe electronica. He was in the game before the new wave of pop electro/hip-hop hybrids flooded the airwaves. You could say that he is one of the founding fathers of the heavier side of the EDM genre known as hardcore electro. With Dim Mak Records, the label Aoki had built by his early 20s, he became the taste-maker of electro house. Releasing the early works of Canadian hard electro duo MSTRKRFT, masked Italian DJ duo The Bloody Beetroots, Scanners, and glitch wizard Felix Cartal. All of these artists were never before heard and far out on the American public’s radar. If you don’t recognize any of those names, don’t be intimidated.

Since the early days breaking new talent and making a few hits of his own Aoki has successfully crossed into the mainstream with a huge list of mega-hits, remixes, and club bangers. From Duran Duran to Drake, Gaga to Kid Cudi–Aoki has a remix. Much of his catalog is comprised of hits co-produced with various artists. Travis Barker’s “Misfits”, LMFAO’s “Livin’ My Love”, and others featured Aoki. One particularly catchy song and video “Ladi Dadi” off his 2012 album Wonderland is a prime example of Aoki’s ability to go pop but stick to his hardcore electro roots. You hear a mix of both on that track, which really highlights his talents as a producer and not just a DJ. Despite only having one studio album and one mix album, Aoki has been involved on hundreds of songs.

I saw Steve Aoki last year and I can tell you it was out of control. He played all the big club and radio hits he’s been credited with but dipped into his huge collection of obscure tracks as well. The raw, gritty, feedback heavy, and distorted sound of MSTRKRFT remixes ripped through the speakers, among others. It was nice to hear the balance, not to mention the excellent trance side of his work, which helped to link the two worlds. As far as spectacle, Aoki is second to none. Inflated pool chairs (with riders attached) acted as a “safe” version of body surfing, many many bottles of champagne were popped and sprayed over the crowd, and don’t get me started on the orange juice. And let us not forget the cake throwing, in which audience members requested to be blasted by Aoki himself at point blank range with various birthday cakes. This may sound insane but an Aoki show is an exercise in controlled chaos that never goes too far. All in all, the show I saw had people amazed.

Just think what Steve Aoki and the to-be-announced guests will do with a big venue like the Turning Stone Events Center. If you love EDM, this is the concert to see!

Make sure to check out Steve Aoki’s new EP It’s the End of the World As We Know It. It’s an awesome piece of work that goes dramatically against the grain of mainstream EDM.

Steve Aoki at The Turning Stone Events Center
Thursday, January 31 – 8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. – Go to Lava afterwards!
Turning Stone Resort Casino
5218 Patrick Road, Verona (Directions)

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Steve Aoki interviewed by… Steve Aoki:

Singularity from It’s the End of the World As We Know It:

Ladi Dadi from Wonderland:

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