If you’re an EDM fan and didn’t make it out to see Skrillex and his merry men and women of the Full Flex Express, you missed one heck of a party. Tens of thousands of sweaty fans came out to see what this electrified tribute to the Festival Express tour in the 70s had to offer.

As the crowd began to fill in, TOKiMONSTA took to the stage. It was a little slow at this point, but the crowd made sure to cheer her on as soon as the music died down. Next came KOAN Sound, the British-duo that threw sound hard tracks for the hot crowd. They played songs from their last to EPs, and a ridiculous amount of remixes, from Feed Me’s One Click Headshot to a small but incredibly fantastic remix of My Name Is Skrillex.

Diplo knew how to work the crowd, and the Mad Decent owner definitely had the crowd going. Forget the fact that he dropped amazing tracks, from his remix of Nero’s Crush On You to Baauer’s popular Harlem Shake, but to top it off, there were Waldo and Diplo signs floating around the crowd, and Diplo decided to get into his ’hamster ball,’ a clear plastic human-sized ball where he ran out onto the crowd. For a group of people that were incredibly hot from the heat and tired from standing all day, he pumped them up and made the one-hour break in between his performance and Pretty Lights worth it.

The entire stage was changed around for Colorado’s Pretty Lights, and I was quite sure what to expect. But as the sun went down and the flashing lights got really be appreciated, he killed it with I Know The Truth and slew of great remixes. Somehow, he managed to find a happy median between his more bass-y music and his softer electric jams and riled the group who knew Skrillex was just minutes away.

As if the wait wasn’t bad enough, there was a five-minute countdown put up on the screen, and this is when the crowd started going absolutely nuts. His name was chanted, people braced themselves on the front gate and those in full body suits got ready to crowd surf. Skrillex climbed into his space ship and the timer ran out, the show of lights and fireworks show that rang out perfectly to Right In was one of the most amazing spectacles I’ve ever seen.

Watching him play his hits from Bangarang live was incredible, and the crowd all jumped as one to some of the hardest drops dubstep has to offer. Playing all the classics we have grown to love and his new set of remixes, Skrillex and his space ship rose up with fireworks and stunned everyone at Bluesfest, from fans to people who don’t even like electronic music.

Now I’m sad to admit I left early, but it was only to catch the after-party that took place at Ritual Nightclub. For those of you who didn’t make it for that, let me tell you, I sweat more in that building that I did all day at Bluesfest. Hundreds of dedicated fans rushed over to the club just to get in, others paying the $20 to see him just one more time.

KOAN Sound came along for the journey and opened for Skrillex while the crowd relaxed, got some more alcohol and held their place at the front of the gate once again. By the time Skrillex waltzed into Ritual, full of energy and saying hello to his posse back stage, he hit the crowd with his favourites once again, including Knife Party’s Internet Friends, always a crowd pleaser. Fans couldn’t get enough, and it was the hottest I’ve ever experienced Ritual, but it was so worth it. Skrillex twice in one day? Absolutely.

At the end of the night, Skrillex tweeted that Ottawa would go down as one of his top five crowds, and I couldn’t agree more. The energy was insane, his songs were fantastic and every want him to stay just a little bit longer. It was a successful trip for everyone on the Full Flex Express and Ottawa will await his next return.

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Written By… Rebecca Potter

Captured By… Antony Doniewski