The mask, the visuals, the persona and the stage presence all make Danger – a.k.a Franck Rivoire an interesting fellow indeed.
But the question we’d like to ask is what goes into and behind constructing an alias similar to DANGER’s? It is evidently not just about the music, or the visuals, or the venues picked to host his gigs. It’s a culmination of it all – and THAT is what makes him interesting.
Like most creative geniuses, Franck’s introduction to music started as early as six years old. Trained as a Jazz musician since his wee days, he was the part of both Jazz and punk bands in his teenage years. This just administers the versatility in his taste and general knowledge in music. The interest in electronic music came later, especially when he began making chiptunes.
All this while, Danger considered and still considers himself an absolute geek.
“Strongly influenced by video games as a teenager, he creates a full-fledged universe in which dynamism, surprising structures and sought textures interact and complement each other between his artwork and his music. DANGER is more than music, he is spokesman of a passionate geek culture, he has what makes an artist. His attire serves as his Alias, where in which his true identity remains a mystery only but revealing a set of glowing eyes that pierces the audience and captures your imagination.”
His education prepared him to be a graphic designer and worked as one too. The rest of his time went into practicing digital music production. That is what gave birth to his track ‘11h30’ which includes an interesting mix of his vocals WITHOUT lyrics.
Talking about his tracks, they’re all electro-influenced (a mix of electronic house, chiptunes) and are named after the time of the day when they’re completed – like 11h30, 09:19 etc.
Three original releases later and DANGER became an important figure in the contemporary electro scene of Europe – his frenzy of supporters being drawn in by an odd yet intriguing combination of his music and visual effects.
The Experience
“After 1:00 AM the lights were off. Only red lights lit a Baldwin grand piano amidst the thick wall of smoke. Suddenly, you could see those distinctive white eyes walk up the stage. Jungle sounds, mysterious visuals, and red and white lights created an atmosphere that transported the crowd to Danger’s world.
Once Danger’s set began, he slowly built up the energy to the point it would get you so revved up you couldn’t wait for him to let it go. You could see his silhouette dancing against the lights and smoke, which inevitably made everyone do the same. By the time it was over, no one could believe what they had seen and we could only hope we’d get some more.”
And now to his appearance – like his fellow French musicians Daft Punk, Danger wears a black mask to “differentiate between his shy geek self and the persona he takes on while performing.”
In an interview with Street Tease (an online french magazine,) he explains, “Danger is the anti-definition of myself, I’m not at all dangerous, on the contrary everything freaks me out. And it’s something I noticed, we see the word Danger everywhere, on TV, in the street, on the road, in stations. They freak us out with every suspicious package, I see bombs everywhere, danger, danger, danger!
But in reality everything’s cool, there’s nothing wrong! In reaction, I made a kind of character that reflects my paranoia. You see, the Danger universe is something massive, monolithic, the jungle, the pyramids, something that dominates you, in the end, a little in the same manner that my fears and the outside world dominate me. I don’t embody my universe, I am its victim.”
Talk about intense.
This Saturday, Lucid along with Ace Accentuating are bringing him down to Pune to give us all a taste of the DANGER in the dark experience.
“In The Dark’ is a concept that enthralls exactly what the words pertain to, an experience entirely in the dark, featuring only custom made visuals and small periods of white light seamlessly synced to the mood of the music that will encompass YOU throughout the night. It is a concept where in which the experience lies purely between The artist, the Music and YOU; who can face your fears and freely express yourselves as the darkness takes over and blinds you from your surroundings.”
Have we piqued your curiosity? Are you willing to give up whatever plans you have this weekend to go see him perform in a parking lot in Pune?
We sure hope so, because The Sherp isn’t missing it for the world.
To know more about the gig this weekend, click here.