HARD Summer 2012: See Who Jokers of the Scene, Lunice and Oliver Are Excited to Perform Alongside

Posted on Aug 3rd 2012 5:15PM by Theo Bark
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Although the S. S. Coachella may have pirated some of HARD's steam, HARD Summer 2012 launches today, boasting a wide selection of dance and hip-hop acts.

We spoke with several of today's performers as they prepare hit the stage, and asked them about their approach to their sets, how they adapt to their position in the lineup, and which of their fellow artists they're looking forward to checking out.

"Every set we do is different," HARD vet U-Tern of Oliver explains. "Coming from a DJ background, I really don't like to plan out sets too much, it's kind of boring. Being able to try things on the fly and the possibility of messing up is way more interesting to me. We're also going to be incorporating live elements into our set this time."

"To me, it's all about stage presence and how much you respond and interact which each and every person in that crowd," Montreal producer Lunice says, of his opening slot. "Making sure to make use of the stage space is important to me too."

Watch HARD Summer Music Festival's Official Trailer

Canadian techno duo Jokers of the Scene are returning to HARD with an opening slot, but express excitement about kicking things off.

"Our HARDer stage suits us perfectly, as we look forward to starting things off on a bit of a deeper tip as the night builds towards the techno climax of Joey Beltram," they tell us.

Due to the lineup's diversity, the artists we interviewed expressed genuine excitement about performing alongside a variety of acts.

"I've always heard about this festival being nuts, but never thought I'd play it one day," Lunice says. "I'm for sure looking forward to check out Mr. Muthafuckin' EXquire."

Meanwhile, U-Tern's tastes run across the map. "So many, Breakbot, Gesaffelstein, Light Year, Alex Metric, James Murphy, Zombie Disco Squad, basically everybody on the bill to be honest, although dubstep isn't really my thing," he says.

HARD Summer takes place Aug. 3-4 at the Los Angeles State Historic Park in downtown L.A., starting at 5PM PT. For tickets, lineup or more info, click here.

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