Live Review: DJ EZ, Tank (04/06/16)

4 June saw Sheffield’s biggest Saturday night out in some time as underground house nightclub Tank welcomed DJ EZ for a sold out set. EZ’s current fame and critical popularity set expectations high, but the night showed that the hype should be fully believed.

As hundreds descended on the venue, main support came from local bassline legend Jamie Duggan. Cuts since as ‘Rinse and Repeat’ and ‘Wile Out’ were reworked to great effect, raising the tempo and showing off Duggan’s ability to select and edit tracks in order to suit his own style whilst getting crowds going. Tank’s unique aesthetic, high quality sound system and impressive lighting setup only added to what was already an electric atmosphere. Despite a great set from Duggan, however, EZ was the night’s star attraction and, as his set time of 1:30am approached, the club was both packed and vibrant.

Opening with his now iconic “DJ EZ” dubplates, he wasted absolutely no time in delivering the goods – the first ten minutes alone saw Redlight’s ‘Basscone’ and Wookie’s ‘Little Man’ blend seamlessly with iconic garage instrumentals, and it was clear EZ truly is a master of his craft in how quickly he can switch up tracks and delight crowds with the unexpected. Whether he was mashing up Jumpman with JME or initiating a chant of ‘Will Grigg’s On Fire’, the spontaneity of his selections, matched with faultless attention to detail, puts him a cut above the vast majority of other DJs.

‘You’ve Got The Love’, ‘Hypest Hype’ and of course ‘Rhythm and Gash’ drew some of the biggest responses from the constantly lively clubbers. The set was versatile from beginning to end; for a few of those present there wasn’t enough garage, as bassline and particularly grime featured heavily in line with current trends. Far from being a betrayal of EZ’s roots, the variety of material was welcome and worked perfectly in sustaining the attention and enthusiasm of his audience. There was not an obvious moment of weakness across an hour that flew by and well and truly made an impression.

As some headed for the exit straight after he finished, while others stayed to enjoy the Tank DJs that followed, the hour that had just passed felt truly special. To paraphrase another garage legend, Mike Skinner, EZ excels in content and deliverance – and there are very few DJs who show such control, precision or diversity in their choices while behind the decks.

9/10