Review: Chibuku presents Rusko @ The Masque, Liverpool

Reviewed by: Paddy Sheridan-Ruddy

For first time visitors to The Masque, the venue is instantly impressive. The main room is set out like an amphitheatre; this great layout creating an incredible atmosphere that lends itself perfectly to club nights. The sound at the venue is of a very high standard, and the staff are all friendly - surely there's no better sight than watching the bar staff dancing away with their customers! 

The first of the four main acts to take to the stage was Perdro Winters aka Busy P. We were disappointed to find that despite being billed as a live set, the French DJ and producer actually just played a DJ set. This disappointment didn't last long however, as we witnessed an extremely intelligent DJ sets from the Ed Banger record label head honcho. Building up from a more techie sound, through French House and up to electro, Busy P proved it is no fluke he is held in such high regard. The highlight for the crowd was undoubtedly the moment he dropped Duck Sauce's current hit 'Barbara Streisand'. 

Next up were electro banger kings Jack Beats, featuring both Plus One and Benni G. With all the energy you'd expect after hearing their own productions, the duo had the crowd jumping from the very first track and kept them lively with a high powered set that included crowd favourites 'Drop The Pressure' and their remix of the Fake Blood classic 'Mars'.

The third act on stage was undoubtedly who the majority of the audience were there to see - Beastie Boys scratch legend Mixmaster Mike. Showcasing his incredible scratch and beat juggling skills, Mixmaster Mike knew no boundries when it came to musical selection; everything from Dubstep to Hip Hop, Drum and Bass to Heavy Metal got thrown into the mix, along with many of the Beastie Boys classics we all know and love. A real highlight of the set was watching a club full of ravers go mental to 'Pantera's Walk'. 

Taking to the microphone at the end of the night, Rusko summed up Mixmaster Mike's set perfectly by saying that he has never had such a difficult set to follow. This was unsurprising given the treatment Mixmaster Mike had earlier given to what is possibly Rusko's biggest hit; 'Cokney Thug'.

Rusko then took to the decks himself and treated the crowd to a set full of energy and some of the filthiest beats known to man. Rusko himself is a joy to watch; you can see the enjoyment he gets from playing records, and the crowd feed off his energy. Undoubtedly the biggest cheer of the night came when he played the Giant remix of Dire Straits hit 'Money For Nothing'.

All in all this was a great night. The staff are friendly, and the crowd are great. People are there to have a good night, and with lineups like this being commonplace for Chibuku, this is exactly what the promoters give them. 

Tickets are no longer available for this event