Australian DJ and producer Tommy Trash has been around for a while – his 2009 track ‘Need Me to Stay’ gained traction on Ministry of Sound Records, giving him some recognition in Australia and Europe. It has only been over the past few months, however, that Tommy has been making an impact in America, with his first headline tour and a stop at the main stage of last month’s Ultra Music Festival. That week in Miami, he was paraded around by some of the biggest names in music – a set at Laidback Luke’s pool party, an appearance at Steve Aoki’s record showcase, a gig with Dirty South and Thomas Gold, among others. He has recently released tracks on Tiesto’s Musical Freedom label and his remix of ‘Antidote’ by Swedish House Mafia has earned approval by the trio themselves. As such, it’s been a pretty eventful 2012 for the long haired producer, who looks like he’d be more comfortable with a guitar than a turntable.It can only be speculated that his year will get busier, as Tommy Trash is on fire. With no previously announced support, the city was buzzing with anticipation solely for the headliner. Hits like ‘Cascade’ and ‘The End” as well as huge remixes of songs like Zedd’s ‘Shave It’ and Steve Aoki’s ‘La Di Da Di’ have made Tommy a common name on many a playlist, including those by some major DJs. It seems like he is at the absolute peak of the hype machine, ready to explode to the next level. For those who were seeing Tommy for the first time, he definitely did not disappoint.Upon taking the stage, Tommy started to drop his mostly only his own original tracks and it played to perfection. There was rarely a dull moment, weaving together patient build ups with absolutely earth shattering electro drops that have become Tommy’s signature sound. Webster Hall was pretty full for a Friday night show with stiff competition, and everyone was bouncing up and down the entire time. It’s really hard to stay still with the consistent, pulsating beats, with layers of extremely catchy synths layered on top. Tommy’s drops resemble a cross between Dirty South and Zedd, mixing that hard hitting pulsating bass with melodic synths that all fit within a general pattern.
Tommy Trash’s rise from regional Australian DJ to international phenomenon in just a few short months is exceptional, but it is clearly the years of honing his sound that has allowed for such a well developed sound to take the world by storm. This is definitely an artist to keep an eye on, he has a unique sound and a stage presence that incites a real party atmosphere. Overall, an excellent night of music at Webster Hall.
-Justin Charles