Brownies & Lemonade’s DNBNL at Dave & Buster’s Hollywood was a unique experience filled with plenty of surprises from the Deadbeats crew.
Whoever mistakenly attended a drum and bass show instead of Dave & Buster’s, assumingly because of a simple typo, should be handed an award for inspiring the folks at Brownies & Lemonade. However, it’s not out of character for one of Los Angeles’ elusive yet sought-after event organizers who have famously hosted events with beloved DJs at secret spots such as zoos, beaches, and under freeway overpasses. That was the mindset going into the first-ever DNBNL at Dave & Buster’s in Hollywood last year, and now that has blossomed into even more.
While DNBNL chugged along last year, in 2024, the concept is reaching even more drum and bass lovers. This month saw the first-ever Deadbeats & Brownies compilation surface to marry the minds between Brownies & Lemonade and Zeds Dead’s beloved label, Deadbeats, and there was no better way to celebrate that release than by running the show back for another round.
Despite the secret lineup, the second edition of the DNBNL takeover at Dave & Buster’s Hollywood drew in another sold-out crowd.
Compared to last year, the space was widely improved, rearranging it for a larger dancefloor. Last year, I found myself concerned about the group of people jumping on top of the Hungry Hungry Hippo game due to the packed crowd – so an upgrade was noticeable. That said, despite the too-good-to-be-true location and lineup, the logistics were a bit of a problem throughout the evening.
Tech issues cut off the sound twice, which included shutting down the bar and games. What was assumed to be a generative issue with the decks caused a bit of frustration in the beginning but, fortunately, didn’t last throughout the rest of the night. We were also met with a slight earthquake that graced Los Angeles, though unsurprisingly, left most unphased due to the already occurring ground-shaking dance party.
Speaking of the attendees, what I appreciate so much about Brownies & Lemonade events is that most everyone has an easygoing attitude at the shows. There’s no vibe of feeling left out of a crowd or needing to impress anyone – the sole mission of having fun and discovering new tunes.
As for the music at DNBNL, each set was fantastic in its own way.
Starting the night off with a high-energy set was LA’s very own Ghost In Real Life, who kicked everything off on the right foot, power outage and all. This was followed by Kumarion, who was constantly keeping us on our toes with frequent switches and impressive doubles. I won’t lie, I shamelessly Shazam’d a few tracks because I was so impressed with the selection. Blanke‘s alter ego AEON:MODE impressed me from the start, with effortless transitions and a constant flow of exchange of energy between artist and crowd reaction.
As predicted by those who follow Brownies & Lemonade, the rumored headliner, Zeds Dead, took the stage to close out the show. The set included many recent bangers and unreleased remixes, such as Simula’s “Bonesaw,” which drove the crowd into a frenzy. The dancefloor was pretty packed at this point, with most abandoning their games to witness the once-in-a-lifetime performance that was capped off with a special b2b that brought AEON:MODE back to the stage.
Brownies & Lemonade’s DNBNL at Dave & Buster’s Hollywood was another dream, and I hope this tongue-twister of an event returns in the future.
You just have to trust and believe that each event hosted by Brownies & Lemonade will be a memorable experience. Unique shows like this are usually ones that are not worth missing. After all, where else can you catch your favorite DJ playing an exclusive drum and bass mix between Luigi’s Haunted Mansion and Dance Dance Revolution?
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