Article By: Jamie Reysen ; Photo By: Shaun Hollingsworth

Rusko took on House of Blues Boston April 26th for an unforgettable set.

Opening with a mix of Doctor P’s “Last Ones Standing” seemed fitting the day after Boston’s weeklong Together music festival; on a Tuesday amidst final projects and cram sessions, House of Blues was sold out.

Christopher Mercer, better known as Rusko, is no stranger to sold out shows. Over the past few years, he has gone from little-known DJ to a dubstep king of sorts—and yet, he hadn’t released a full-length album until last year.

Rusko’s recorded tracks showcase his talent, but they’re not what propelled him to this level of success. Word of mouth that Rusko is the guy to see spread like wildfire—and for good reason.

Experiencing Rusko live is surreal. He combines his great ear with an unparalleled enthusiasm. He waves his gangly arms in the air, doing jumping jacks on stage. He periodically screams “Boston,” “dubstep,” and “remix.” He’s like the most outrageous, yet strangely endearing person at the party.

At the same time, Rusko’s the one behind the music, pumping out remixes, originals, and remixes of his original tracks. There are many performers who use some songs as fillers throughout their set—these songs serve to build up anticipation for the next big hit, but they’re not memorable.

Rusko, on the other hand, treated every song like an event in and of itself. There are no fillers in his sets—every song feels like the best of the night until he drops the next beat.

“Da Cali Anthem,” a remix of Tupac’s “California Love,” brought down the house. “Come Ere N Say That,” a mix of Jason Derulo’s “Whatcha Say” was a catchy, fun surprise.

Rusko began the slow, sad “Hold On,” and then stopped, announced “remix,” and dropped a bass-heavy, wompy edit. He did the same with “Everyday,” transitioning from the original into the Netsky remix.

Not one to disappoint, Rusko left the stage for only a few moments after the show ended, immediately returning for an encore. It felt like he didn’t want the night to end either.

“They’re telling me I only have five minutes, so I’m going to shut the f*ck up,” he said, as another voice crept over the speakers.

“When your spirit is floating down that tunnel toward the light, you know what’s behind the light? It’s not god—it’s me.” And there it was—his breakthrough hit: “Cockney Thug.”

Two years later, the song is still awesome, and it captures everything it is that’s great about Rusko— he’s intense, a little rough around the edges, and best of all, he’s a great time.

Everyday (Netsky Remix)