Parable Presents: an exhilarating night full of euphoric highs and climactic drops.
It’s a Friday in early April, and we are headed to Steel Yard in East London to catch the Austrian duo Klangkarussell’s final headlining UK tour date of the year. Steel Yard has always been a fun venue for live events. It’s a cool, warehouse-styled room with railway arches and tunnels inside, and its ominous and spacious shape makes it the perfect venue for raves.
The six-hour event, presented by leading music promoter Parable, featured a mammoth lineup alongside Klangkarussell, including Marksman, Jesabel, Joachim Pastor, and Klangkarussell. Together, they delivered a night of back-to-back deep house cuts, futuristic synths, and lo-fi techno breaks.
While the first hours of the show set the bar high, it was the last 30 minutes of Jesabel’s set that truly set the tone for the rest of the night. The multi-faceted artist took the audience on a euphoric journey through trance-driven electronica and heavy basslines. Each song transition was seamless, weaving progressive house sounds with techno cuts.
Taking over after Jesabel, DJ and producer Joachim Pastor made his way onto the stage, building a slow and steady climax with his blend of ambient techno and tropical house vibes. Throughout his set, the DJ emphasized to his fans that his live shows are all about having immersive experiences. Although his set began as a slow burner, it progressed steadily, gaining momentum with bassy sound waves and experimental electronics. Joachim’s live performance tells a unique story, captivating the audience with each beat.
Each song and transition was intricately placed to heighten the audience’s sensations, creating a vibrant yet relaxed atmosphere. In some parts of the room, the crowd swayed hypnotically, while others leapt from the ground, swinging their hands and drinks in the air. Mouthing the words “It feels like I’m alive,” Joachim transitioned to a remix of Kasablanca’s EDM hit single ‘Alive,’ and later faded into Armin van Buuren’s 2012 release, “This Is What It Feels Like.”
As the room lights faded to dark blue, Joachim tilted his head back and waved his hands in the air, taking a moment to tease the suspension of soft, progressive synths before unloading a large drop. He then took it up a notch, ramping up the bass levels while the word “error” glitched on a screen behind him.
The crowd waved their hands in the air, their eyes closed, and heads held high to the sky. Meanwhile, Joachim casually danced behind the decks, vibing as much as everyone else in the room. One thing was certain: everyone was having the time of their life. At this point, Joachim was joined on stage by a party of fellow DJs, photographers, videographers, and music industry executives as they danced behind him for his last few cuts.
Arriving on stage, amidst a distorted voiceover, the electronic duo Klangkarussell made their highly-anticipated entrance, which was met with an enormous roar from the crowd. By now, the Steel Yard had turned into a sweatbox and was packed from wall to wall. The duo wasted no time, diving straight into their set, delivering distorted glitches, heavy dubs, and subtle afro beats. The room turned pitch black, and purple and green strobe lights flashed through the crowd while the DJs spun their hypnotic single “We Want Your Soul.”
In the audience, a charismatic fan covered in black feather bows from head to toe and rainbow-coloured glitter bounced around the crowd. Prancing around the dance floor, the free-spirited fan commanded attention, elegantly moving through the crowd and showering fans with positive vibes.
The lights dimmed once more as Klangkarussell progressed to a massive drop with adrenaline-driven synths. The audience balanced on their toes, eagerly anticipating the next moment and watching over Klangkarussell’s technicolor work. Taking a step back momentarily, Klangkarussell’s Tobias Rieser waved his hands in the air, and the crowd mirrored his movements like a game of Simon Says, while Adrian Held worked his magic on the decks. Phones with flashlights beamed toward the stage as the crowd desperately tried to capture the moment. Klangkarussell then turned Steel Yard upside down with the 90s rave classic, “Insomnia,” by Faithless, igniting boisterous cheers from the crowd.
From there on, it was nothing but classics as the duo dropped a very unexpected remix of Toto’s “Africa” and shortly after whipped out a remix of Robin S. and Sandeville’s “Show Me Love.” The latter was mixed with subtle undertones of Radiohead’s “Everything in Its Right Place.”
Four hours later, at 3 a.m., the crowd was still raving and creating dance circles. For the last hour of their set, Klangkarussell pulled out all the stops, playing a remix of Whitney Houston’s “It’s Not Right, But It’s Okay,” which they sang word-for-word. As their set came to a close, the duo wrapped up with their critically acclaimed hit “Sonnentanz” featuring Will Heard before transitioning to a remix of Peggy Gou’s “It Goes Like (Nanana).” Fading the music out for the last few minutes, they then raised the volume to the limit for the final drop of the night – “Marea (We’ve Lost Dancing)” by Fred Again.. & The Blessed. The crowd formed heart shapes with their hands as the DJs bid farewell for the night.
And just like that, Parable Presents: Klangkarussell delivered an incredible night filled with euphoric highs and climactic drops, proving why Klangkarussell and their accompanying lineup of respected DJs are the G.O.A.Ts of the EDM scene. It was an exhilarating and memorable night, to say the least.
Words by Laviea Thomas