Review: Paul Oakenfold @ Sutra 01/20/10

What's there not to say about Paul Oakenfold. He has been a true pioneer and revolutionist of Electronic Dance Music over the years. This past Thursday, Sutra in Costa Mesa, Ca had the pleasure of hosting this veteran spin artist, and residents of Orange County welcomed him with open arms as he threw down a flawless set full of bangers. Sutra has been setting up quite the stacked lineup lately, with a roster consisting of artists such as AC Slater in the recent past and Steve Aoki and Dada Life in the near future.

The venue seemed to suck the Wizard in as the opening DJ, Bryan Sage, dropped Wolfgang Gartner's hit "Flashback" and warmed up the crowd with some funky electro house. The pit filled up quick with fans who seemed to all have a big smile on their face and a groovy bump to their step. A highlight from this opening DJ's set had to have been his transition into "I Said," the Chris Lake and Deadmau5 collaboration track, a true classic that got the floor poppin' early on. Both Tracks available below:


Wolfgang Gartner - Flashback(Original Mix)

Deadmau5 & Chris Lake - I Said(Michael Woods Remix)

After making our rounds and rapping with some of the OC's finest EDM fanatics, the crowd seemed to generally have a high sense of anxiety and suspense as they prepared for the arrival from Oakenfold, who showed up fashionably late around midnight. He quickly grabbed ahold of the entire club however, and bumped some of the greatest music that took us all to another level.

When you see go go dancers in Pink tu-tus, an oversized disco ball, flying confetti, and a Coyote-Ugly style roster of cocktail waitress waving giant Grey Goose bottles filled with colored flares on a Thursday night, you can't help to think for a second that you're in someplace like Vegas, and Sutra truly succeeds in giving that amazing vibe.

Oakenfold, despite being in the works of a new album, didn't hesitate on playing the hits. Early in the night he dropped Benny Benassi's "My Otherside," a classic remix of a legendary Red Hot Chili Peppers track, and one that got the crowd screaming beyond the top of their lungs. Another one of the countless highlights of Paul O's set came with a unforgettable timed drop of visuals, lighting, confetti and a remix from another one of Benassi's hits, "Spaceship." Keeping in going into the AM, Oakenfold hit it hard with more classic club remixes such as those of Empire of the Sun's "Walking on a Dream" and The Killers' "Mr. Brightside." The night couldn't have ended any better, while Oakenfold played out a club mix of U2's "With or Without You" while the lights  slowly brightened within the club, letting last call be known.

Some classic club remix's as well as some of the Wizard's favorites:

Red Hot Chili Peppers - My Otherside (Benny Benassi Remix)

Benny Benassi - Spaceship (feat. Kelis Apl De Ap & Jean - Baptiste) 

Benny Benassi - Spaceship (EDX Remix)

Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream (Kaskade Club Remix)

Empire of the Sun - Walking on a Dream (Treasure Fingers Remix)  

The Killers - Mr. Brightside (Jacques Lu Cont Thin White Duke Remix)

U2 - With or Without You (Sebastien Bennet Remix) 

Overall, in my handful of visits to Sutra for artists, I have yet to be disappointed. Paul Oakenfold absolutely killed it this Thursday, and showed Orange County how a veteran throws down a set. Good vibes, beautiful people, great music and a perfect venue tied everything together for an unforgettable night. I definitely lost my voice from the barrage of classic remixes that Paul O threw down, and I know theres at least a couple hundred others with a similar situation. From the looks of it, especially with a stocked up-and-coming lineup and dates, Sutra will be my new hotspot, a definite must try for any fan of EDM in So-Cal, especially those trying to avoid the massives with more of a personal experience.