Over the last decade, HARD Events and its founder Gary Richards aka producer/DJ DESTRUCTO have been supporting emerging electronic and hip-hop music through its hallmark events such as HARD Summer, HARD Day of the Dead and HOLY SHIP! MTV Live-the destination for concert and live-music music programming premiered HARD10 A Decade Of Crashing Sound Barriers with HARD, a documentary chronicling the story of one of the greatest party brands rise over the past decade.
The HARD stage has played host to everyone from Ice Cube, Calvin Harris, The Weeknd, Major Lazer, A$AP Mob, Pharrell and Future to Giorgio Moroder, Jack U, Die Antwoord and The Chemical Brothers. Moreover, the brand has continually evolved. HARD has delivered an unforgettable experience to millions of music fans over the years and augmented the mainstream rise of many leaders in the electronic music genre including deadmau5, Calvin Harris, Skrillex, Justice and many more. This 30-minute special takes the viewer through the history of HARD, one of America’s most influential live music brands, the story of its founder, music executive and producer/DJ Gary Richards aka DESTRUCTO and a behind-the-scenes take on HOLY SHIP!, HARD’s electronic music cruise.
The viewer is privy to archival footage of HARD’s first-ever party HARD NYE in Los Angeles in 2007 as Justice, Steve Aoki and Peaches ring in the new year. There is also behind the scenes footage of DJ AM’s epic Daft Punk set from HARD Haunted Mansion in 2008, as well as interviews with Richards and HARD luminaries and fans Steve Aoki, DJ Snake, Giorgio Moroder, Dita Von Teese, Claude VonStroke, Too $hort, Anna Lunoe, Duke Dumont, Justin Martin and Ghastly. HARD10 A Decade Of Crashing Sound Barriers, HOLY SHIP! and Destructo–is the documentary debut of prolific music journalist Steve Appleford (Rolling Stone, Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly). Tracks from Dog Blood, Aphex Twin, Destructo, Giorgio Moroder, Dusky, E-40 featuring Too $hort, Justin Martin, Ghastly and Carte Blanche highlight the soundtrack in this story.
“The music landscape has changed drastically over the last 10 years but one thing always remains the same good music is good music. When HARD was getting off the ground, it was about bringing people together in downtown LA to experience quality music together,” says Gary Richards. “It’s incredible how much the HARD audience has grown and I’m thankful for all the fans around the globe that have come to celebrate with us at our festivals, stages and aboard HOLY SHIP! I am thankful for all the amazing artists who performed at the festival over the years. You really made HARD hard. I hope this MTV piece sheds some light on the past 10-year history of HARD and my life.”
Watch the full documentary below!
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