LastNight: Justice Served At Mezzanine in San Francisco

Photos and Words by David Downs

Justice
Mezzanine
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Better than: The Rapture
Download: Video of Justice crowd taking down Mezzanine's barricades

French production duo Justice made about 1,000 people go apeshit at the Mezzanine tonight during one most anticipated dance parties of the season. Five out of five bananas.

Huge raver bass chewed up by a wood chipper comprised the sonic aesthetic, and if it seemed too loud, you were too old. It's fair to say we're dealing with the most brutal dance band in the world right now-- a band that likes their house beats serated by an overheating Atari, and a funky one at that.

The two sauntered up to their custom decks just after midnight, said nothing, and started into some hooks from their new album "Cross". The crowd immediately folded the barricade separating the sweaty mass from the stage. Security pulled back, only bothering with the divers and people passing out. Drinks and drugs flew through the air. It quickly became that kind of party.

Outside, the interior heat blew hot and wet onto the street like a busy gym's exhaust. I saw a girl try to fight a security guard. Another girl pass out. Then a chick with a nose cast elbowing ...

her way back into the pit. With a nose cast!

The two Frenchies didn't say shit. They just smoked and bobbed their heads and looked like they were having a ball of a time. They cut up most of "Cross" with other samples, never going to hard into the record's traditional arrangement, but never straying too far from what people came here to do. Get fucked up and D.A.N.C.E.

There's a lot of people attempting what they do. A legion of Daft Punk clones, even. But none of them can match Justice's ability to splice pure dissonance with pop music's DNA. Which makes them pretty much unstoppable for the time being. I'm honestly surprised people like it so dirtty. Next thing you know, the retired ravers'll be listening to Deerhoof.