Crookers Ruled the Roost at Webster Hall

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Another weekend kick-off jump-started at Webster Hall Friday night with spinning courtesy of Milan-based DJ duo Crookers. These foreign music men, comprised of DJ Dot and DJ Phra, headlined the weekly Girls & Boys party. It was your typical dance-centric event characterized by long lines, sweet beats, flashing lights, smoke machines, eccentric clothing and drunken/drugged party-goers bumping uglies well into the wee hours.

That said, different from the mayhem that ensued surrounding MSTRKRFT’s set the previous week, Crookers drew a more manageable crowd. Maybe because it was Easter weekend, but, regardless, the queue was far from intimidating (at least by 1 a.m., when I arrived) and the floor was significantly easier to move through. Making my way on stage was a bit tricky (those pesky security guards certainly take their jobs seriously), but, thanks to GBH’s Alex English, my friends and I bypassed the velvet rope and copped some sweet close-up shots of the Italian talents doing their thang.

Crookers ruled the roost from approximately 1:30 to 3 a.m., turning out dance track after dance track for a sea of adoring fans. They played an ample amount of dubstep, which was a welcome relief from more intense techno and heavy house. Notable ass-shaking numbers of the night included their sick mix of Kid Cudi’s “Day ‘N’ Nite” as well as a Crookers’ version take on both AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” and Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage.” The former had the twosome hardcore head-banging and the entire room followed suit. The latter got ’em hoppin‘, jumping up and down skater punk kid style. Definitely fun to observe, not to mention groove alongside to. They even had a hype man, Michael Cohn (aka Shark) of Cut NYC, who truly amped up the energy. He’d pace back and forth behind Phra and Dot, emceeing when necessary but mostly just thrusting his mic in the air, jutting his tattooed arm out and nodding his Mohawked head to the tracks. The room swayed and waved at his whim.

Aside from general calorie-crunching, highlights of the evening included: talking to New York’s Armand Van Helden; watching UK-based DJ Annie Mac extinguish a joint and dive into the ocean of fans for a quick crowd surf; celebrating somebody’s birthday (cake with candles delivered by bright red lipstick-sporting woman); and when Crookers made everyone’s (at the very least, my) night by paying homage to fellow Italy-based DJs, the Bloody Beetroots. They played “Cornelius” and their addictive remix of The All-American Rejects’ “Gives You Hell.” A throwback to last week’s show, this track wins in all respects and was met with cheers all around. As said, Crookers departed the stage around 3 a.m. and, from here, DJ Congorock (also straight out of Italy) greeted dawn with his set. The crowd thinned but avid devotees could still be found getting down. Paid a visit to DJ Jess who was hosting Trash at the lower level and exited sometime before 5. All in all a successful and seamless introduction to the weekend.