When it comes to crafting sonic atmospheres through skilled electronic production, Hippie Sabotage is a duo that immediately comes to mind. Masters of both the EDM and hip hop scenes, Sacramento based brothers Jeff and Kevin Saurer have embarked on their Enter The Unknown tour. Tonight, in their highly anticipated stop in Los Angeles, the duo ignited the stage of The Novo, their sophisticated electronic rhythms proof of their ability to manufacture physically immersive sonic experiences.
“LA, what’s happening!” shouted Kembe X, moments before 808s pounded the walls of the Novo, signaling the intro to his 2023 release, “Rolling Stoned.” Flexing his unique fusion of experimental hip hop, soul, and rap sounds, Kembe’s melodic flow captivated the crowd. Kembe finished his set with “Kill Everything in the Way,” a dreamy track off of Sleep Paralysis, which was released in collaboration with Hippie Sabotage earlier this year. With a playful air guitar solo and quick wave to the crowd, Kembe X exited the stage, leaving the audience in anticipation for the next performances.
The crowd’s hunger for excitement was satiated with Daisy Guttridge’s high energy set, which featured polished melodies accompanied by electronic beats and powerful drums. Her smooth, reverb heavy vocals shone on tracks such as “Cashmere” and “Designer Tears,” in which she simultaneously danced across the stage while commanding the audience.
Following Daisy’s set, the dark, foggy venue was interrupted by a single flickering glow courtesy of Kevin Saurer’s lighter. “I’m gonna smoke this blunt, if you got a blunt, light it up and smoke!” prompting the crowd to join him. Silence eventually gave way to strobe lights and psychedelic visuals projected on theatrical screens across the venue, with a daunting choral chant repeating “Enter the unknown.” Leaping across the stage, Kevin urged the crowd to “get lit” as the hypnotic chant escalated into dark synths.
Jeff and Kevin alternated between the decks and the front of the stage, taking turns commanding the crowd. Jeff’s smooth electric guitar riffs blended perfectly with the bass heavy beats while Kevin engaged the audience by jumping in and out of the pit with no hesitation.
Their set was a mix of melodic guitar driven tracks interspersed with upbeat trance-like electronic rhythms. Hippie Sabotage’s talent was also showcased through their remixes, in which they highlighted their unique trap beats and heavy bass. The duo performed “High Enough,” a flip of Halsey’s “Gasoline” which had the crowd bouncing. Their remix of 2014 chart topping track “Habits (Stay High)” by Tove Lo was a phenomenal live performance, featuring Lo’s haunting vocals echoed by swirling synths.
“Devil Eyes” 2016’s Providence was a fan favorite, with the audience joining Jeff to sing the lines “Let’s just go and see the world and just show them / What it really means to live life golden.” The crowd was clearly not ready for the track to end, and as such the duo played it a second time, their vibrant guitar licks and trap drums filling the confines of The Novo.
Another highlight of the night was their live rendition of “White Tiger,” in which they substituted Izzy Bizu’s vocals with Jeff’s shimmering guitar licks.
Despite their more soulful sound, Hippie Sabotage is no stranger to the blazing energy often seen at EDM shows. Morphing visuals enhanced with flashing strobe lights kept the crowd entranced, while the brothers encouraged members of the pit to crowd surf. One by one, the duo effortlessly tossed an entire case of water bottles into the crowd, which was immediately followed by fans flicking off the lids and spraying each other.
Following a quick interlude, Hippie Sabotage returned to the stage for an encore which featured an impressive guitar solo courtesy of Jeff, culminating in ringing melodies and fluid visual scenery. Hippie Sabotage’s exhilarating set was perfectly complemented by a stunning visual atmosphere, transporting the audience to another realm. Not only was their performance a captivating sensory experience, but also an act that demanded undivided attention.
