After an eager wait to see the announcement for the Buygore University Tour that Borgore and his management team have been planning for the past several months, I was beyond excited to hear an international DJ of his caliber would be making a stop in Columbia. Accompanied by members of the Buygore label, Borgore promised a show that would go down in the books for the newly rebranded venue, The Senate (previously The Music Farm.) Looking back on my time in his greenroom at Shaky Beats Festival, I remember one of his manager’s telling me Buygore artists would be making a stop in Columbia once the current semester started. Little did I know it would be the person sitting on the couch just a few feet away, Borgore himself.
Benda kicked off the night with a riddim-heavy set that caught everyone’s attention from the start. The moment the metal guitar riff that starts off “1 On 1” by Space Laces and Excision began to fade in, I knew exactly what I was getting into for the rest of the night.
I haven’t been to any heavy-hitting shows in Columbia before tonight, and to see the crowd so wild during an opener is going to be a huge deal for future shows. Benda showed his technical skill on the decks with multiple sets of double drops that kept the rail shaking throughout his hour-long time frame.
Taking the stage next was Australia-native DJ GG Magree. Her set was one that surpassed any expectations for the night. Her energy behind the table, her goofy personality and her ability to captivate the audience through communication helped her stand out above most of the artists I have seen perform in the past. One highlight I thought brought the most attention was her transition into what some might call 'Space Bass.' With a section including tracks by Rezz, she took Columbia into another dimension with her selection of down-tempo bass music. The similarities between Rezz and GG Magree were evident in their similar dancing and motions during sets. Off stage, she is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. I can attest, I met her during Borgore’s set backstage.
To end the night, the dubstep veteran himself Borgore took the stage to his signature intro from 2014's “New Gore Order.” From then on, it was madness in the crowd. Track after track, the intensity of the set simply started to pile up. Songs like “Mo Bamba,” “Every Time We Touch” and his own track with G Eazy, “Forbes,” kept the crowd partying and singing along throughout the entirety of the set. To give an example of the crowd’s reaction, their voices could be heard over the on-stage monitor, especially during USC’s signature fight song “Sandstorm.” Borgore’s set brought the hardest tracks in riddim and dubdstep from artists like Svdden Death, BadKlaat, Space Laces, Excision, Gammer, Ray Volpe and more. I can certainly say Borgore packed in as many new songs and some of the best tracks in the genre to bring his best on his BGU Tour. In my opinion, his set with the intimate Columbia crowd may have topped his set at Shaky Beats.
To keep up with the label and the tour on Instagram, be sure to follow the Buygore label under @Buygore, Borgore under @Borgore, GG Magree under @GGMagree and Benda under @BendaMusic.
