Downlink Rocks Totem Night at Vancouver's Red Room

Finally catching Downlink at The Red Room was a personal bass music dream come true!

I saw Downlink several times this festival season, most unexpectedly during his impromptu set at Shambhala, which he took on last minute after the nearby forest fires resulted in the absence of several artists on the original lineup.

Then, he threw down at the first-ever Lost Lands, both as himself and with legendary trifecta Destroid. That event shook me to my core in the best way, and Downlink’s presence was an integral part of that experience.

The Lost Lands vibes were very much alive at this show.

Though Red Room is an indoor venue, many donned their Lost Lands gear and memorabilia, bringing vibes from that colossal event flooding back into my memory. In addition, this particular night was Red Room’s first-ever “totem night”, where guests were allowed to bring totems of a certain size into the venue. Watching peoples’ clever totems bouncing above the crowd added that ethereal outdoor festival feel to an already awesome venue space.

The most notable totem to me was a tall staff topped with a glowing green orb mounted to a gothic, wooden base overgrown with vines. It was very well-crafted and clearly resembled the motif of The Village stage at Shambhala. Another that stood out was a photo of a child with an actual kazoo taped to the edge of his mouth, the owner of which was handing out real kazoos to appreciative beholders. The totems added another layer of intrigue and energy to the night, and I do hope this happens again in the future.

The opening DJs absolutely nailed it in setting the heavy vibe for the night.

Numatic eased us in with his dark, creeping sound. Sub Antix picked up from there bringing the heavy hitters, lubricating the crowd for the oncoming brutality. Once Downlink took to the stage, I did some last minute stretches in preparation. The crowd was ripe and ready to get down.

Downlink called out asking where his “heavy music lovers” were at. Once he dropped his signature hit “Mosh Pit”, a friendly mosh pit instantly ignited. It was one that remained active to some degree nearly the entirety of the night, with security keeping an eye out on the periphery.

Downlink, reveling in the energy of the crowd, came onto the mic again soon after shouting, “Hey, it’s nice to see you guys get rowdy. Make sure you don’t hurt each other; look out for each other.” I’ve heard him express similar sentiments at other events, and it fills my heart each time to hear it.

This crowd had those vibes: people who know how to get down and heavy, but who still care. I infinitely respect this kind of rhetoric coming straight from a DJ, and the crowd for taking it to heart.

The set was a flailing good time, and the crowd was feeling it.

Lasers were bouncing off every corner and the dancefloor was completely bathed in brilliant multicolored luminescence. Toward the end, Downlink asked if he could drop some “trippy shit,” then proceeded to drop some deep, weird Truth, G Jones-type noises.

This particular crowd, of any I can imagine, is perfect for such stylings, which Downlink noticed and openly expressed thanks for. “Some of you guys fkn get it,” he remarked. The West Coast BC bass scene, in general, definitely gets it.

Just before he dropped a final encore track, Downlink expressed his love for Vancouver, then announced his imminent plans to move there, resulting in an even more ecstatic finish than we could have expected.

The Red Room has vibes like no other venue I’ve experienced.

It really is like condensing Shambhala to a smaller space and bringing it inside. Their all-PK sound system is unparalleled at any indoor venue I’ve attended, save for tour stops that bring their own sound equipment.

Their production is top level. LED panels line almost every inch of the peripheral enclosures, and lights and lasers are active and enlivening. I’m either reuniting with homies from other BC events or making new awesome ones. There’s a reason The Red Room is my favorite venue. I always feel like I’m right at home.