Massachusetts Daily Collegian

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A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

A free and responsible press serving the UMass community since 1890

Massachusetts Daily Collegian

Rusko to make highly anticipated return to the Mullins Center

Jeff Bernstein/Collegian File Photo

Dubstep artist Rusko is returning to the University of Massachusetts’ Mullins Center for a highly anticipated show on Saturday.

Project Drop – an electronic dance music event company – is hosting the sold-out event.

Rusko returns to UMass after performing alongside Savory last February. This year’s special guest performers are Conspirator, Alvin Risk and Araabmuzik.

Christopher Mercer, known by his stage name Rusko, was born in Leeds, England, on Jan. 26, 1985. His mother was in a band while he was growing up, so he was born into a musically-inclined environment. He spent 10 years collaborating on dubstep music with Iration Steppas, also from Leeds, and has been creating electronic music ever since he graduated from Leeds College of Music with a degree in musical production.

Rusko got his big break with the release of the track “SNES Dub” on the Dub Police label in 2006. In 2007, he released the album “Babylon Volume 1” on the label Sub Soldiers. His “Cockney Thug” EP in 2009 has achieved considerable success, and on April 23, 2011, his song “Everyday” made it to No. 2 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Single Sales chart.

His most recent albums have been “Fabriclive.37” and “O.M.G.!” in 2007 and 2010, respectively, followed by “Songs” in 2012, all of which were released on Philadelphia-based record label Mad Decent. Rusko has collaborated with many artists over the last few years, including disc jockey and producer Caspa. Together, Caspa and Rusko performed at the 2008 Glastonbury Festival, a big highlight in Rusko’s music career. Rusko has also collaborated with Diplo, Gucci Mane, MIA, Cypress Hill and Justice, among others.

The founder of several record labels including Dub Police, Storming Productions and Sub Soldiers, Rusko’s career as a DJ and record producer has been larger than life.

With over 190,000 followers on Twitter and over one million “likes” on his Facebook page, Rusko is making a big name for himself in the electronic music scene.

Rusko’s Mullins Center show will feature a guest appearance from Conspirator, another electronic music group formed in 2004 by Aron Magner, Marc Brownstein and DJ Omen. KJ Sawka and Chris Michetti also joined the group in 2012. They have performed at notable events such as Ultra Music Festival, Nocturnal Festival, Electric Forest Festival, Starscape Festival, Gathering of the Vibes and CounterPoint Music Festival. In April 2012, the group released its album “Unlocked – Live from the Georgia Theatre” and this past January it released a new album called “Unleashed.”

The Massachusetts Electronic Dance Music Company (MASS EDMC) describes Conspirator’s music as “… jaw dropping, dance-floor shaking dubstep rhythms (that) create an effortless fusion of all things deep. This high-impact collision creates an all encompassing, energetic spectacle which will no doubt be used to shock their devoted crowds from coast to coast.”

Doors open at 6 p.m. Saturday with the show set to begin at 7 p.m. The concert is floor-only and sold out.

Kayla Marchetti can be reached at [email protected].

 

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    NoelleMay 12, 2013 at 8:23 pm

    Rusko KILLED IT at Umass!!! All we could talk about the week prior to his coming was Rusko, I mean he is one of our idols, our favorite dj’s. Truthfully, I never really talked about my liking for edm music as much as I did before Rusko came and tore down the walls at the mullins center. Was such an amazing night.

    So many good memories.

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