Berzerker Studios (located at 3033 Locust, a short walk northeast of campus) maintains a long-standing tradition of musical heritage. What is now a regular hang out for the St. Louis Industrial, Goth and Metal Scene, Berzerker previously housed recording sessions for legends Miles Davis and Ike Turner.

Leading down a glum hall filled with dated music memorabilia is an open room turned into music venue. With capacity of around 100 people, the space has nothing more than the bare essentials: four walls, a makeshift stage and a modest bar. Make no doubt about it, this is not Mississippi Nights or the Pageant. Berzerker is intended for and supported by an extensive underground music community.

Produced as a collaborative effort between Electronic Jihad Productions and Forced Entry Records, and featuring DJs Dan Doormouse, Baseck, John Tamm-Buckle and Johnson; Berzerker Studios provided a fitting backdrop for Swank.

Upon entering the dimly lit room, scattered bed sheets are hung on the walls adorned with spray painted English and Arabic messages reading “Don’t Let Them Win!” In between performers, an Emcee donning a combat gas mask and armed with a bullhorn takes the stage along side an impersonator of John Walker and proclaims, “Attention! This is the hardcore you…have been waiting for.” Surrounded by two American flags, spray-painted barricades and orange fencing surrounds the stage, the sultry capacity crowd screams for music.

After drum and bass mixed sets from John Tamm-Buckle and Johnson, Baseck unassumingly takes the stage and begins his musical assault. As he dropped the needle onto his first record, camcorders and audio recorders turn on, cameras flash and the crowd pulsates to the front of the cramped room. Baseck is among a unique breed of DJs in that the music he mixes is among the most abstract and abrasive in electronic dance music. Characterized by distortion, sounds void of melody and frantic juggling of beats broken from discernable rhythm, Baseck is pioneering a genre referred to as “Breakscore.” For those familiar with electronic music, consider Drum and Bass a very conservative starting point. Amidst the chaos, Baseck brings a staggering ability to cut, scratch and mix his records at breakneck speeds. Traditionally billed as a turntablist (one who uses the turntable as an instrument), Baseck has the entire room cheering him on as he displays his ability to drastically manipulate the records he mixes. The room is breathing and moving in unison. All eyes steadily remain on Baseck as his fingers glide across the turntables, drastically manipulating sounds and rhythms.

Following Baseck is Wisconsin native Dan Doormouse. Set up between two computers and a mixer, Doormouse isn’t a traditional DJ; rather, he performs as a PA – that is he sequences and arranges his electronic music as it is being played – live.

Barefoot and donning an authentic cheerleader outfit (allegedly from a Wisconsin High School), Doormouse introduces himself to the crowd and announces that St. Louis is the final stop on the U.S. leg of his tour and that “It’s Hot in Here.” Everyone eats his banter up like its going out of style. Doormouse immediately launches into his oft-revered variety of Breakscore married with tongue-in-cheek humor. Always a crowd favorite, Doormouse is wound up with a synergy of music, yelling and audience interaction. Yelling at and with the crowd, jacking and convulsing his body, his arms flying everywhere, Doormouse’s antics infect those in attendance. The energy of the room climbs, with everyone running, moshing or yelling. Taking full advantage of the moment, Doormouse drops a succession of remixes from Black Sabbath, Johnny Cash and GG Allin. The hungry crowd feeds off of Doormouse and Doormouse eats it right back up. During the final minutes of his performance Doormouse lets his music play and appears as though he couldn’t have been more pleased. Pandemonium is running rampant. The crowd is dismantling the stage, throwing, jumping and rolling inside the traffic barricades, allegedly one person in the audience accidentally punches a hole in the wall. All the while, everyone fervently demands more.

With the Emcee asserting musical “victory” against unspecified “terrorists”, the house lights come on and Swank comes to a close. For the uninformed public, Swank and those associated with it are often seen in a negative light.
< What is the significance of the symbolism, the music and the unbridled energy? Why not settle for a night at the Landing? For those in attendance, it is a renewed affirmation that the spirit of Rock 'n' Roll is not dead, that Punk as a lifestyle lives among subcultures, and despite all of the social concerns surrounding a 21st century generation. Swank remains as evidence that it is possible to remove oneself from a hammering daily routine and release energy amongst a community formed on the basis that there is cause to celebrate life, music, diversity and the ability to take a step back and poke fun at the world we live in.