Prototype 040: Droid Prime – Kobosil & Etapp Kyle: Review

Upon walking into Lot 613 on Saturday, I quickly recognized that the party would be vastly different from previous ones that I’ve attended at that location. The room filling visuals by Oktaform that overtook the space during last month’s DVS1’s appearance were gone, replaced only with a sparse smattering of white lights flashing intermittently over the otherwise anonymous dancers. Instead of putting the DJs on a stage to look down on the crowd, the speakers and table were placed on the floor, humanizing them in a strange way that I can’t recall having experienced at a techno show in recent memory. 
Despite these changes, the crowd at the fortieth edition of Prototype was one of the most enthusiastic I’ve seen in Los Angeles. Partygoers clamored to stand close to the booth to get a clear view of both headlining artists. While Etapp Kyle remained reserved, only looking up into the crowd a couple of times throughout the duration of his set, the crowd of over five hundred cheered for almost every track he played. His minimalistic selections showcased his precise mixing abilities, hypnotizing the Lot for the entirety of his two-hour set. 
Etapp Kyle’s set proved to be the calm before the storm. As Kobosil began, a new darker energy filled the room adapting to the mood of his track selections. Kobosil was looser than his predecessor, looking out into the crowd for affirmation and smiling at their reactions to his set. The defining moment of his two hours came when he abandoned techno altogether to mix in The Prodigy’s Breathe. The atmosphere in the room was electric, as all the partygoers, including Kobosil, sang along to the almost twenty-year-old track. I personally couldn’t stop smiling; it was exhilarating to see a packed house of Angelinos as compelled by the music as I was. Every time I go to a Droid/Prototype party I become more convinced that the demand for underground dance music warrants the establishment of a permanent club space in downtown LA. In the meantime however, the two promoters have done an excellent job bringing international acts to the city. 

Be sure to check out these two upcoming Prototype events: 
041: Fine Time with Tuff City Kids, DJ Qu, Tahl K - https://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?875507
042: Andrew Weatherall (4 Hour Set), Lovefingers & Heidi Lawden - https://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?876361

Also check out Nuit Blanche for a night featuring some of the best of LA techno:
https://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?874128 

KINSEY THOMPSON, HEAD OF SALES