- Perhaps best known by some for the world-wide success of his Elvis Presley remix “A Little Less Conversation,” Junkie XL is far from being just another chart-topping remixer; he is, in fact, a character all of his own. Dressed in a white suit, brown button down shirt with a tie, and a slick, matching hat, Junkie XL took the stage at Club Avalon in New York City at 1 a.m., setting things off with, of course, “A Little Less Conversation.” As you might have guessed, the crowd ate it right up, and got full into the swing of things when JXL followed it up with his single “Catch Up to My Step.” Although as we speak many producers around the world are probably trying to do just that, as I stood on the balcony looking down at the stage where Junkie had his setup, it appeared that the man was ready and able to take on the competition any time, any place.
A quick glance at Junkie’s live rig evidenced precisely what he has come to be known for among those in the know about music production, a guy who loves to combine analog technology with top notch, state of the art hardware. On this particular evening, JXL came equipped with his vintage Korg keys, a sweet, sweet looking digital board, an Mbox interface, and of course, a Macintosh Power Book. Like a master conductor, Junkie extended his arms from unit to unit, tweaking frenetic noises that electrified the crowd more and more as the evening continued. Apparently feeling the vibe just as much as the crowd he was having a blast energizing, Junkie took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and relentlessly unleashed one slamming progressive tune after the other.
To the delight of those there to dance, Junkie seamlessly weaved in many of his hits into the mix, including his collaboration with Sasha, “Breezer” (to which he actually played air guitar to!), the dark and haunting “Beauty Never Fades,” and what has become one of Junkie’s trademark live tracks, the “Take the Blue Pill, Take the Red Pill” song sampling the Matrix movies. As Junkie let the vocals unfold, he eerily lip synced to the dialog word by work, putting one hand out to the left and one to the right, as if taunting the crowd to choose one or the other. Following his lead, the guy in charge of operating the lights switched the ambiance lighting from red to blue, perfectly in time with the words. When the build up finally climaxed, the beat dropped and all of us on the main floor danced like at no other point during the evening. Whether you chose the red or blue pill, it did not matter, the intensity was inescapable, and everyone there felt it. However, it would only get better, because, apparently well tuned in to the vibe, Junkie soon followed it up with his remix of BT’s “Simply Being Loved,” and just when you thought the evening had peaked, the energy levels continued to rise.
After nearly two hours of rocking the crowd and working up quite a sweat, Junkie closed the evening with style when, to the crowd’s delight, he dropped the Beastie Boys’ “You Gotta Fight For Your Right to Party.” The last time I recall seeing so many fists in the air might have been at a rock concert some years ago, but it might as well have happened on this night, because if anyone can seamlessly blend the lines between musical genres, it appears that amongst those ready and willing to do so, Junkie XL stands at the forefront of the pack.