Last month, I found myself at 2720 Cherokee for some heavy ass bass. The PK subs had arrived earlier that day, and with them a beautiful caravan of souls including KJ Sawka and Liquid Stranger. A one-time lineup of producers, this was one for the books and it began with Connector’s Part Human dropping some heavy dub knowledge – and a new EP.

We were then treated to the enthusiastic stage presence and mind shattering percussion skills of visceral drummer KJ Sawka (aka Kevin Sawka). A member of Pendulum and Destroid, Kevin also KJmoonlights as a solo producer. He is a king among men and getting to watch this dude throw the f*ck down on drum pad, as well as an arsenal of other devices, was a treat. Since the show,  Destroid released an 11 track remix album to last year’s “The Invasion.” Featuring artists like Antiserum, Crizzly, Datsik, ill.Gates, and more, this release goes hard. Put your big boy pants on before listening to this one.

Next up, it was strange, liquid bass from a hooded bandit. Liquid Stranger (aka Martin Stääf) is an industry heavyweight, having founded several record labels and collectives, all while busting out a total of eight albums over the course of his career.

For Stääf, 2014 is a runaway year of release after release. First it was Renegade Crusade in April. In May, his track “Dive” came out and jumped towards the top of Beatport’s charts. He is now in the midst of releasing a series of EPs, the first of which is titled “Anomaly,” which came out May 12th, and the second installment, “Anomaly Two,” just came out June 2nd. Music has been in this Swedish producer’s blood from a young age, and it’s been impressive to see how his style has metamorphosized over the years.

The guy is one of a kind, and he showed 2720 no mercy whatsoever with an explosive, heavy bass that was the right amount of, as he calls it, “dubstep sorcery and Rastafarian dance grooves.” I recall a rambunctious mix of songs from his new album and EPs, in addition to some tracks I had never heard before, and an absolutely bonkers rendition of “Ganga Warrior” by Mountain King.

The evening ended with the two producers Stääf and Sawka – who had not met until this evening = getting along swimmingly; discussing collaborating on a track, and exchanging jujitsu moves in front of the sprawling yoda mural covering the wall in the backyard of the venue.

And that’s really all live music is about. When you cut away all the bullshit – the hustlers, the haters, the jaded spooks just after their next buzz – you’re left with what it’s about all about; connecting with others. Through art, through amazing music, through the audience, through a collective desire to transcend your current individual circumstances into a moment of pure nirvana. The beat caresses your ears just right, the vibes of those around you carry you as the clouds part and you beam from ear to ear. That moment, is why we do what we do.  Cheers to many more moments like that, and cheers to all that made this evening one for the books. Here is an interview I snagged with KJ Sawka.

Ellie Salrin: Your drumming is mindblowing. How did you find yourself involved in percussion and how did you develop your talent?

KJ Sawka: I started playing drums at age 12. My uncle had kit in his closet collecting dust so I bought it with my hard earned paper route money. It took a whole summer just to play one simple beat. But after that I developed rather quickly through constant practice and teaching my fellow classmates. I played 8 hours a day for about 6 years or so developing a solid sense of time. At 18 I heard electronic music and the rest is history!

ES: You’re also in two incredible groups – Pendulum and Destroid. Tell me a little bit about your musical chemistry with the two acts.

KJS: Destroid is a power trio. We work well together and all do different things for the end goal of total world domination. Pendulum has a similar vision but its mostly Rob leading the group in every aspect.

ES: What were some of your favorite moments from your world tour with Pendulum?

KJS: Selling out our first arena show ‘Wembley Arena’ was incredible and it catapulted us to full arena tours. Waking up on the tour bus with a call saying we just hit number 1 in the UK. Entire crowd circle mosh pits in Finland and crowd bomb fires inside the Russian arenas. The shows were insane and the touring was very fun and filled with spa hotels which I love. I collected about 30 pairs of hotel slippers and brought them home.

ES: What’s it like to wear those robot suits for Destroid?

KJS: We get right into characters when the suit goes on. We are one with the bass cannons. It’s hot as hell and very restricting. We can talk to each other and the crew which is fun and crazy.

ES: I love that you did the Ableton live session to share your techniques with others. Do you have any other advice to share with aspiring musicians?

KJS: Put in the time and make your music great. Study your markets. Release tunes and share them with everyone that wants to hear. Figure out what ur gonna do live. Practice to make it perfect. Constantly improve and push the boundaries. Never give up. Repeat.

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Photos by: Zak Littrell.