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The Daily Cardinal Est. 1892
Friday, March 29, 2024
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Brothers Kevin and Jeff Saurer compose the EDM duo Hippie Sabotage, originating from Sacramento, Calif.

Aglow and alive, Hippie Sabotage electrifies Madison

Hippie Sabotage, the EDM duo consisting of brothers Kevin and Jeff Saurer, infected the Sylvee last Wednesday with one killer jam sesh. 

As someone who doesn’t frequently indulge in EDM and rave culture, this concert was a really interesting step into that world. 

The opener, SEBASTIAN PAUL, was, as I hate to say it, ironically croaky and distastefully repetitive. While he had a few enjoyable, yet somewhat original songs, it seemed like his shockingly jerky stage presence and burning desire to be respected in the EDM community distracted from his actual producing ability. Ultimately, it will be fascinating to see where SEBASTIAN PAUL goes in the next few years.

"The brothers nonchalantly strolled onto stage, got set up, lit a cigarette, and dove right in..."

Needless to say, I was extremely relieved when the Hippies came on. The brothers nonchalantly strolled onto stage, got set up, lit a cigarette, and dove right in, complete with the sporadic shriek of, “I DON’T GIVE A F*CK BOY!” 

They bopped on for a few minutes before playing the crowd-favorite “Devil Eyes”. I was pleasantly surprised at how sultry and deep this song was performed live, as I expected it to be adapted for an upbeat crowd. 

The Hippies then transitioned into a vibrant and twangy set, with lights to match thematically. The unity between the light set and the music inserted the audience directly into the scene, almost making one feel like they got to tag along to a remote, tripped-out jam session in their basement.

"The lighting nearly resembled a Brite Lite, which fit the overstimulating and techno-esque beats."

The transitions between each collection were misty, and comforting almost, which served them well as each set had an entirely different tone and theme that needed to be adjusted to. 

The next was pixelated, futuristic and vibrated the entire venue. The lighting nearly resembled a Brite Lite, which fit the overstimulating and techno-esque beats. 

The fifth “set”, or ten to fifteen minute-ish thematic compilations, was by far my favorite. Based around tones of aggressive destruction and intense rebirth, this segment was overpowering and almost possessive, fitting perfectly into the escapist goals of EDM. 

The Hippies then played a couple of their more recognizable pieces, such as the grounding “Your Soul”, a remix of Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode” that somehow didn’t make me want to vacate the premises, and an expectedly disappointing appearance of Sheck Wes. Yeah, they played “Mo Bamba”.

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"Once the stage was cleared and returned to a performance rather than a zoo, order was restored and the set was back to being badass." 

The most nauseating part of the set however, was their performance of their notorious “Habits (Stay High)” remix. Unarguably a BOP, this song, which, if you had been able to decipher between the Hippies and the mass of audience members rushing onto the stage, complete with screeches and totally not listening to music whatsoever, was great. Unfortunately, this song made a clear distinction between those that were interested in being present for the concert, and those that just wanted an excuse to trip on hallucinogens and put on their jewels on a weeknight. 

Once the stage was cleared and returned to a performance rather than a zoo, order was restored and the set was back to being badass. 

Naturally, they gave the audience impassioned, stimulating and overall f*ckin awesome performances of “Options” and “Different,” even playing their brand new song “My Ride in Hell”. 

Overall, the concert was unobstructedly rad, shamelessly beautiful and didn’t feel forced other than the opener and the appearance of a few disappointing remixes.


Sam Jones is an almanac editor for the Daily Cardinal. To read more of her work, click here. 

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