[Happy Caturday!]
Category: Music
[Happy Caturday]
[The Audiofiles] Shambhala ’14: Welcome to the FARM-ily
My story of Shambhala is two-fold, so bear with me; I get all romantic for a beautiful story and I’d love to unravel this one for you.
My bags were filled to the brim with neon, sparkles and what some of my friends would simply deem “hippie-shit“, our car was overflowing with camping gear ranging from coolers to tents down to folding chairs and for the second time in three weeks, I was standing in my living room, staring at our four cats and debating between Spirit Hoods for the weekend. Set plush against part of the Salmo River, Shambhala Music Festival stands as a centerpiece of Canada’s blossoming, and bassheavy, EDM culture. For the past 17 years, they’ve hosted international stars and fan favorites like Bassnectar, Excision, Danny Byrd, Mark Farina, Justin Martin, Datsik, Ill.Gates and Griz – just to name a small handful of this weekend’s talent. After all I’ve heard about the weekend, I was beyond honored when The Confluence reached out to me about covering the festival- and doubly ecstatic that my hat trick of a human (best friend, photographer and boyfriend) could join me for this journey.
For anyone that knows either one of us, it shouldn’t be any surprise that when we collaborate our creative talents catalyze each other – so whether it’s in every day life, or at a concert or festival, we’re attuned to making amazing happen together. It’s a phenomenon started with our friendship years ago and you could basically say that both of our lives revolve around our unabashed love of music. We met after the last EDC in Los Angeles in 2010 when my housemates and I had a rockin’ afterparty for a few of our college friends; after a few years of casually kicking it – we finally got to know each other, and friendship blossomed while we were both in other relationships. At the time, I was rekindling a relationship with my ex who had just been diagnosed with BiPolar 1, and he was leaving a relationship where his ex had OCD. It takes a strong person to be in a relationship like we were, and having a shoulder to lean on when I felt down was one of the best platonic feelings of understanding I’d ever had. Which got me to thinking: the most wonderful romantic relationships are born within the idea of true friendship; there’s a special kind of relationship that’s cultivated when you’re finally discovering how to love yourself. Life drifted us apart over time, but as 2013 came around we were back in each others lives.
As I danced in the New Year in 2013, I got a text from him – in typical Danny fashion – boasting “Make this year amazing!”. Out of a friendship, a bold new romantic relationship was forming – but finally, for each of us, it was a relationship that allowed us to be an unabashed version of ourselves instead of tip-toeing around the other person’s mental state. It was a breath of fresh air, it was beautiful. Almost all of my nights were filled with laughter and adventure, and by the time we went to Lightning in a Bottle last Summer we realized it was more than your average relationship: it was love. And we professed it at the top of our lungs to anyone and everyone who could hear.
Over the last year, we’ve been each others rocks, our shoulders to lean on, each other’s confidant and best friend; and now, thanks to my work writing for The DJ List – we’re an official team professionally, as well. Between his amazing eye for beauty and my passion for the pursuit of a good story, we’ve been on the prowl to capture the best and brightest shows and have been blessed with opportunities to cover class acts like Armin van Buuren, The Lucent Dossier Experience, Cosmic Gate, Autograf, Seven Lions, Krewella and Markus Schulz. Not to mention, some of the hottest festivals on the West Coast like Sea of Dreams, Lightning in a Bottle, Global Dance Festival: Red Rocks; and now, last but most definitely not least, Shambhala Music Festival.
Lights are strung up like stars in the sky, and totems dance to the sorted beats of the Living Room and AMPhitheater stages; it’s Thursday at Shambhala and the “Official” festival is just getting underway. But between the smiling faces skipping between us, glistening with face paint and drunk on laughter – you’d think the party had been going on for days; and if so, you’d be right.
This marked our first international festival but in no way did we feel like outsiders; from the moment we drove down their gravel road, it simply felt like coming home. After parking, we embarked on an epic mission to find a friend from Los Angeles – a mission that endured two days and two nights, and was just as good as his company. Locals gave us priceless looks when we told them how far we’d come to explore their world – and I feel beyond honored that they were more than willing to share their stories. From our neighbors at our campsite to the staff at the Production Office, the Lightning Design Team behind the unparalleled Pagoda Stage and the entertaining side conversations in the food court – everywhere we turned, there were new friends to make and laughs to share.
Shambha-LOVE
They say that Shambhala is powered by Shambha-Love; and after a weekend like that, I wholeheartedly believe it. What started as a small gathering of 500 friends on the Ranch 17 years ago has manifested itself into a week long extravaganza of costumes, creativity and camping with 11,000 of your closest, new friends. 
Since it’s inception, festival go-er’s have been so encapsulated by the environment that they’ve camped out for days to get a prime camping spot; seeing as though camping on the highway can be somewhat unfavorable, Shambhala started opening their gates early to let attendee’s set up shop, familiarize themselves with the grounds and relax a bit before the real party started. Artists that frequent the festival donate their time to the event in volunteer shifts and Almost all of the staff at Shambhala has been attending the festival for years. For the assorted virgin volunteers – they simply couldn’t think of a better first time at the Ranch.
Shambhala is unique on several fronts – and set excellent standards for other festivals to follow. First and foremost, because the event is held on private land almost all of the stages are permanent fixtures maintained year round by private crews, little branches on the larger festival family tree. Each one is catapulted into a unique visual and auditory experience that you just can’t find anywhere else. Between the rich forests, babbling river and epic stages – I couldn’t have been happier with my surroundings. Secondly, there’s no corporate sponsorship. From the artisan market to the food court and even the PK Sound Systems that serenaded the stages, Shambs is full of local vendors rocking to the beat who have nothing but love for the event. And third – it’s a dry event that boasts harm reduction services. In a world where there are hospitalizations left and right at music festivals, the one headline that you’re not hearing from Shambhala: 11,000 Festival Attendants Party Safe in the Forest for 5 Days. When you combine hours of dancing with blistering heat, you’re already paving the way for dehydration and heat stroke; add alcohol, and the results can be deadly. Remove it, and the end result is a glorious microcosm of the world that embraces the unique, the weird, the enlightened, the costumed, the naked, the artists and the beauty of our humanity.
Musical Highlights: Don’t Hate The 808
From Old School House Grooves in the AMPhitheater, boisterous Drum and Bass at the Village, EOTO’s live jam sesh, a hodgepodge of lasers and visual eye candy in the Fractal Forest and a farm-ily gathering during Bassnectar’s set on the Pagoda Stage – you wouldn’t have been able to tell who was headlining the stages, or the individual nights, or even the festival itself. Each artist is given a time to shine, and they more than inspire the crowd to let their freak flags fly. Day Onesie, Caturday – you name it, there were costumes for it and it was wonderful watching each and every person them embrace the weird within. From Thursday through Monday morning, the stages were oozing with talent, as boisterous basslines and salacious symphonies bounced through the trees. Regardless of where you ended up, there was phenomenal music coming concurrently from all six stages – our only regret is that we couldn’t clone ourselves and be at every single one. Now, like parents “don’t have favorites” – I have a hard time picking a favorite stage; I love The Village, Fractal Forest, The Pagoda and The Living Room all for different reasons. The Village is where you can get down and dirty with your bad self to some bass heavy beats, and the Fractal Forest can mesmerize you for days; I love the layout of The Living Room, nestled next to the river bank and the unreal visual experience of the Pagoda stage will simply leave you wanting more.
As the Friday sun came up, the first official day of the festival was underway and attendees were getting down with their bad selves to sounds ranging from SaQi, Marty Carter and the local flavor of the BC Dubcats. As the sun went down, we sauntered back to the car swept up in the magic of the festival; half to change and half to purely enjoy each others company. Like two peas in a pod, we climbed into the front seat of my Subaru and laughed at our adventures from the day. As the moon manifested over the campgrounds and we marinated in the days moments, Danny sat straight up and looked at me with equal parts passion and optimism; looked me eagerly in the eyes and asked me for an answer that love had given me all along. “Will you marry me?” – and of course, I said yes; over, and over, and over again. No ring, no pomp and circumstance – just us, wanting that moment forever.
As we bounded our way back through the festival hand in hand and heart in heart, we were absolutely enthralled by EOTO’s set at The Village. Formed by two members of The String Cheese Incident, EOTO’s known for live musical improv without pre-recoreded loops. We caught a smidgen of their dubstep inspiration – Skream – killin’ it on the main stage as we galavanted over to Lindsay Lowend at the AMPhitheater for a few minutes and were back off to The Village for Subvert. I’d never heard of him until that night but I’ve been hooked on his delicious drum and bass sounds ever since; hat’s more is that he’s the founder of PK Soundsystems, so instead of just DJing – he threw an epic party for the PK crew to everyone’s delight and The Village was the perfect place to host it. Boasting two levels of dance floors that wrap around the stage, The Village’s roster was the place to be for dirty basslines all weekend long.
Surrounded by blacklights, el wire, floating shapes from video games and an eclectic assortment of geometric patterns and lasers, I had my first Griz experience and now I know why he was the few acts, aside from some local favorites and A Tribe Called Red, to be booked twice at the festival. Performing in the tree house of the Fractal Forest could only be described as unreal, and something only the DJs from LIB’s Woogie Stage might be able to understand. Now, Moby; for his assorted talks on Music as Therapy at both LIB and Shambhala, I was expecting something a little more….progressive or emotive from him; instead, he took to the main stage to essentially thump bass and draw out the ravers from other stages. I dig on his music and would love him to come back next year to really perform for the crowd; a little bit of practice what you preach goes a long way in this world.
As we searched for our way back to The Village for Danny Byrd we made a pivotal friendship that forever changed our weekend. Tens of people had walked past, but it took a special personality – donning a furry penguin hat – that caught our attention. After exchanging festival pleasantries, he was just about to point out which direction to turn – only to realize that he’d lost his entire friend group. In surround sound, we both exclaimed “We’re your friends now!” and gleefully headed down the darkened pathway to the best Drum and Bass set I’ve ever heard. Danny Byrd has been a personal favorite of mine for the last five years with albums like Rave Digger and remixes to Zarif’s ‘California’, so when I found out he was playing this weekend I had a fangirl moment or five. Each and every moment of his set was D&B perfection, and they were all his original tracks or mixes.
Dancing my cares away, our new friend Bruce beckoned me over. “I’m a carpenter…” he explained, reaching into his pockets “..and my gift this year was wooden rings; I only have one left and want you guys to have it. I hope it fits.” Eagerly, I tried it on each of my digits; as the wooden ring settled onto my wedding finger, it felt like all the chaos and calamity in the world had manifested itself into the perfect storm. Danny and I exchanged ecstatic glances as we held onto each other, and after slipping the ring off my finger one more time – he dropped to one knee, and in front of my favorite set of the entire weekend – proposed to me again. Needless to say, this was a night – and weekend – for the books.
The next morning, we woke with ease and excitement – in our eyes, today was the big day; today, we’d be getting our dose of Bassnectar that we’d been waiting oh so long for. The day started off nice and easy, with a stellar Hip Hop showcase at The Village with Amp Live, Eligh, Scott Jackson, Sweatshop Union and my personal favorite, Zion I. As the days shenanigans got underway, fans were treated to sets from Breakfluid and The Human Experience; and then, the bass got turned way up. By the time Subvert took the reigns at The Village, I knew my love for that stage was real. I’d never heard of him until that night but I’ve been hooked on his delicious drum and bass sounds ever since; what’s more is that he’s the founder of PK Soundsystems, so instead of just DJing – he threw an epic party for the PK crew to everyone’s delight and The Village was the perfect place to host it. I’ve been told on multiple occasions that he’s one of a handful of artists – like Bassnectar, Griz, Paper Diamond and EOTO, that you should experience live for the first time; so until this weekend, I hadn’t heard anything he’s created and now – I want it all. If it wasn’t for Bassnectar and Beats Antique on the Pagoda stage, we could’ve stayed at The Village for the rest of the night.
The man, the myth, the hair – there’s no mistaking when you’ve caught a Bassnectar set. Somewhere between the crowd that’s overflowing just to catch a glimpse of his signature hair flip and the hundreds of people effectively lost within his music, Bassnectar cultivates more than just a musical following; it’s a full fledged musical experience that rattles your entire body and rightfully so since they even brought in more subs just for his set. I’ve been playing his new album Noise vs Beauty on repeat, but nothing can compare to hearing them on the PK Soundsystem at the Pagoda Stage; between the amazing live visuals and the state of the art projection mapping, the Pagoda Stage crafted an experience unlike any show I’ve ever been to.
I couldn’t imagine having to follow up a Bassnectar set, but What So Not – did it – and they did it big, pulling out all the stops and fresh remixes of fan favorites like ‘Jaguar Trap’ and ‘High You Are.’ Now, considering Flume was booked three times in Los Angeles over the weekend, it didn’t come as much of a shock to me that Emoh Instead rocked the Pagoda Stage solo. Maybe the joke’s in the name and we’re all missing out – I’ve seen What So Not twice, and it was definitely so not what I was expecting. So, call a spade a spade; it was an Emoh Instead DJ set, and it was absolutely phenomenal! He was up there doing his thing – all by his lonesome, so give the man credit where credit is due and don’t dupe your fanbase. For transperancy’s sake, and the fans.
We made it back to The Village just in time to catch my first Paper Diamond set and now that I’ve seen him go back to back with Datsik, I feel slightly spoiled! I’d never seen either one so to see them in a setting like Shambhala where both artists feel so honored to be there, felt like a real blessing. After watching the Pagoda illuminate with lasers, we rushed back to catch an epic set from The M Machine and were pleasantly surprised at the high energy set from the Oscar Wylde, the awesome stage manager for the Pagoda, right before. To end the evening, we roamed around The AMPhitheater to catch some Mark Farina and ended up by The Living Room for Golden Lips of Silence.
Unfortunately, we had to start our caravan back to California early the next day so we had to live vicariously through social media for Sunday’s sets, but it sounds like Odesza, Andy C and Gorgon City held down the fort on Day 3, bringing the 17th annual Shambhala Music Festival to a magical finale on the farm
As with most transformational festivals, the best part of Shambhala for me was the creative community behind it all. Friends, who moved away from home, come back every summer and truly treat the event as a family reunion. As with any family, there will always be some dysfunction – but the 11,000+ attendees of Shambhala put the fun in dysfunction. Their message board on Facebook is one of the most active that I’ve seen, and it’s overflowing with equal amounts Shambhalove and nostalgia as it is suggestions for next year. The amount of litter and trash left behind as the weekend ended was unprecedented according to past attendants; though it was cleaned up by the next weekend, it defintiely left a sour taste in the mouth. Seeing as though there were ample trash cans to toss things away, adopting the Burning Man mantra of ‘Leave No Trace’ or Lightning in a Bottle’s ‘Pack in; pack out’ mentality, or even something as simple as separate – and labeled – bins for trash, compost and recycling would be beneficial to the camp grounds.
Shamble On: Until Next Year
Now that we’re back across the Canadian border in the comfort of our own beds, reminiscing about Shambhala almost seems second nature to me. Between the sweeping hills, foliage rich forests and permanent stages boasting PK Soundsystems, Salmo River Ranch has cemented itself as my favorite festival venue, and the Canadian people – beyond being welcome, gregarious and all too friendly – were a hoot to party with and even better to talk to. For all the friends we made in Canada, we surely hope we can return the favor in some way.
In the wake of such an excellent event, it’s only right that Shambhala starts gearing up for next year’s extravaganza! The festival will be returning to Salmo River Ranch for their 18th year running, and the festival will be held August 5-10, 2015; tickets go on sale November 1st and we can’t wait to have our Farm-ily Reunion. Keep your eyes and ears on The DJ List as well roll out our Facebook album and start getting you pumped for next year.
[The Audiofiles] The Comprehensive Guide to Shambhala’s Stages and Side Parties
The Pagoda Stage
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby
Depending on who you ask, there are a host of variable definitions for Summer – dogs sticking their tongues out while riding shotgun in cars, short shorts and flip-flops, beach days and sunkissed skin, time away from school or an excellent reason to play hooky from work, and last – but certainly not least – festival season. Where before I would inhabit boisterous spaces and sparking places like Coachella, Together as One, How Sweet It Is, Electric Daisy Carnival and HARD events – I’ve caught myself yearning for something more: that cherry on top of the ice cream sundae, that je-ne-sais-quoi, that extra ounce of oomph and pizzazz. I’m beyond grateful to have found all of that in more in events sponsored and influenced by members of The Do Lab, my favorite rump shakers and taste makers inside the music industry.
Starting with New Years Eve in San Francisco at Sea of Dreams, this has been a formidable year of firsts for me. Not only was it the first festival that I covered for The DJ List, but it was my first event outside of Southern California. Then, just the other week – I gallivanting across the MidWest to Colorado and Red Rocks for the 13th anniversary of Global Dance Festival and my first out-of-state festival. And now, it looks like I’m going to fulfill yet another first this weekend as Danny and I road trip up to Salmo, BC! I’m packing my bags, exchanging currencies, making playlists and preparing to embark to my first festival outside of the US, and according to friends, musicians and mentors alike – there’s no better place than the hallowed grounds of Shambhala Music Festival.
There’s something just so right about a weekend where costumes are encouraged, so you can either come as you are right now – or you can come as you really are. So, whether you choose to dress up as a cat, superhero, a tried and true tie-dyed hippie – or simply yourself – there’s a community out there right now that’s been waiting for you. One last caveat: not that it should matter – but this is a dry festival. Meaning not only are there no obnoxious alcohol sponsors promoting a $22 beer, you get to actual enjoy your surroundings. If you’re sitting there saying “But, I can enjoy them with a drink or two…” – sure, you can; but do you enjoy the music, your community and your social circle of friends and peers without a drink or two? It not, you’re doing it wrong.
In ’98, 500 friends joined forces on the Bunschuh family’s Sunny Salmo River Ranch over Labour Day weekend for a party that would go down in history. Now, 16 years later – it’s one of the foremost festival destinations in North America. Now, boasting over 10,000 attendants – the grounds attract internationally renowned talent and one of the most enigmatic music communities in the world. From live art to music, and organic food – Shambhala reaches out to local vendors to cultivate a rich atmosphere and bonded community. The weekend features food from: Night Owl (locally roasted coffee from Oso Negro), Farm Phresh (fresh, organic ingredients made into smoothies) and Blaze Burgers (meat produced from happy cows raised on the Salmo River Ranch). During the year, the grounds boast a 500 acre farm riddled with horses, cows, pigs, farm dogs, chickens and even miniature donkeys – not to mention the pristine Salmo River, which runs through it all.
From Pre-Festival parties with your new best friends, to theatrics, acrobatics and amazing music on one of the 6th specially curated stages – no matter what you’re craving this weekend, there’s an exciting, costumed adventure to go on that’ll satiate your most immediate cravings for Wanderlust.
Shambhala’s Side Parties
In preparation for my first Shambhala, friends and peers alike have made one thing clear – the journey is the destination; so when it comes to the menagerie of activities over the coming weekend: soak it in and live it up. For the complete list of side events -check out this thorough schedule put together with help from the entire breadth of their festival family; for quick reference, print a copy – and don’t forget to bring an extra watch in case your cell phone runs out of battery. While the music is turned off, there’s no reason to turn down – there’s plenty of Shambhala shenanigans to indulge in with your new Farm-ily.
Starting tomorrow, there’s TuTu Tuesday, to Day One’s Day Onesie – which would make The Polish Ambassador beyond proud, and well into the weekend with assorted events daily afternoon hoop jams scattered throughout the grounds, Hatha Vinyasa Yoga in the yoga garden, theme parties ranging from Star Wars and Harry Potter to Pokemon, a treasure hunt through The Grove and various full moon celebrations. From embracing my age to falling down rabbit holes, touring Salmo River Ranch and watching a dance battle during Andy C’s Sunday set – these are the 5 parties that you shouldn’t miss out on.
5. Geriatric Raver Takeover at The House Legends Showcase | Saturday, 11p-2am | The AMPhitheatre
DJ DAN – 11:00 PM | DONALD GLAUDE – 12:30 AM | MARK FARINA – 2:00 AM
“Crusty old ravers unite for The AMPhitheatre Stage’s House Legends Showcase at Shambhala 2014. Bust out your phat pants, kikwear, kandi… we know you still have it in a box somewhere. Pair it up with a grey-hair wig or old lady / old man mask. And voila… welcome to Team #GeriatricRaver. We’ll show them young whippersnappers how to party. We’ve been listening to electronic music since before you were born, sonny. Now get off my lawn.”
4. A Funky Mad Tea Party | Sunday, 2-7pm | Fractal Forest
“You are cordially invited to the second annual Funky Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. The location of the event will again be held in the Wonderland section of the Fractal Forest in Shambhala Music Festival at the beautiful Salmo River Ranch. The event will be help during the famous Fractal Funk Jam. Come as your favorite Wonderland character or the character that you are. Until the time is ripe, I bid you adieu.” – The White Rabbit
3. 3rd Annual Captain Thomas’ SHAMB VIRGIN TRAIN TOUR | Friday, 2-3pm | Camp Caturday
“Join us on a magical train tour through the mystical land of Shambhala on the opening day of all the stages. We will be touring through all the stages at Shambhala Music Festival on an imaginary train and WE WANT YOU to join us!
Allow the infamous Captain Thomas to guide you along a magical journey through the festival grounds. This tour will feature exclusive entertaining commentary, super special Shambhala secrets, an imaginary train and a whole lot of silly! You should probably just jump on board and…JOIN THE TRAIN TOUR!”
Live in Vancouver? Find out more about Caturday at www.caturdaycrew.org
2. Caturday Morning Dishco w/ Joseph Martin | Saturday 8:30-10am | The Fractal Forest
“Cat calling all of our feline friends to share the good mews, it’s our favfurrite time of the year! Caturday Morning Disco returns to the Fractal Forest at Shambhala Music Festival, with your host Joseph Martin. Start your day off with a good strut full of cattitude, we’ll be dressing up & sporting our best cat-themed attire, feline good while pawtying down to funky disco house mewsics!”
1. Dance Battle Extravaganza DJed by Andy C | Sunday Night 12:30am | The Village
“We will be meeting at the Village, dead-center, for a Drum & Bass Dance Party! At the build-up to the set, we will politely ask people to step back to make room for a spacious, but modest pit. That way, we can show Shambhala how the Drum & Bass people really groove! Bring your most outrageous costumes, muster all of your endurance, and prepare your war face for a super-stepping dance battle extravaganza you will never forget! Sunday Night at 12:30am!”
Stages and Solid Sets
For five fun-filled days, a seemingly deserted ranch manifests into the biggest city in the West Kootenays. Staffed by 1,000 dedicated workers and volunteers – over five days, 10,000 happy humans will bustle and bounce through the majestic grounds, enjoying a seductive synthesis of live art, live music, the workshops above – and most importantly, one of the most beautiful music communities on North America. In a world where the majority of music has become infiltrated with dollar signs, watered down with mainstream techno-pop and rich with musical monopolies – Shambhala’s 100% Attendee-Sponsorship offers a breath of fresh air. In a bold move that I hope US festivals follow, Shambhala River Ranch – referred to by Vets as ‘The Farm’ – rejects all forms of corporate sponsorship in an effort to mirror their vision of their musical community at large. Each of the six uniquely themed stages is maintained and manage by their own Stage Director – they’re not only music curators, they’re dream weavers; providing for an exceptionally unique, exquisite, astounding festival experience that you simply can’t get anywhere else. To make your festival schedule ahead of time, head on to the Shambhala Schedule page right here; now, onto the stages!
The Pagoda stage is the main stage of the weekend, and essentially embodies the vibe of the entire festival – the curators simply want to make you dance the night away with a huge smile on your face. Not to mention, the stage is one of the world’s foremost pioneers in video mapping technology since the idea first became possible, and it’s home to one of the best audio / visual productions on the planet. My top sets on the Pagoda are Bassnectar, Beats Antique, Hannah Wants, What So Not, Justin Martin, J.Phlip and Skream.
If the Pagoda stage is the main course, consider The Fractal Forest™ your dessert. A show within a show, the talent plays in the heart of the forest out of a burnt out old-growth cedar tree stump in an enchanted forest. I’ve been told this is the crème de la crème of stages, and something that should really be experienced in person, so I’m beyond excited to report back! No matter who’s performing, the The Fractal Forest™ will be the place to be all weekend – highlights include Z-Trip, Griz, Rob Garza from Thievery Corp and my first official Beardyman experience. Oh man, yes! Check out the video below and get familiar with this guy; he’s amazing.
Oh, The Village – where do I start with my unrequited love. From the epic Drum & Bass infused, Andy C spun dance battle on Sunday to my first Danny Byrd experience, an unprecedented Hip-Hop showcase hosted by Emotionz with Zion I, Eligh and Amp Live, EOTO (Half of String Cheese Incident), Excision, Griz and the last live season for the Lucent Dossier Experience – in the words of Griz, this stage is getting live. Breakdancers, tree forts, turntabelists, catwalks to tree bridges, performance art and the most epic of stages nestled underneath a half geodesic structure – The Village has it all. Oh, and did we mention a 200,000 watt premium PK Sound System ready to shake your soul silly? Yeah, it has that, too.
For the past 16 years, the AMPhitheatre/Rock Pit has been known to cover a diverse spectrum of top-quality music. And now that it’s under new management, you’ll get a menagerie of musicians – from former favorites to a new variety from around the world, all ready to delivery a dose of bass straight to your face. With artists from G.Jones to Thriftworks, Grandtheft and Commodo – you’ll get a firsthand experience of the evolution of EDM.
If Shambhala is home, this stage – well, the name has it all – it’s your living room. That comfortable space that you can curl up with your crew. The only non-permanent stage of the festival, The Living Room evolves with the needs of the ranch, and it’s ever changing musical atmosphere. And in an effort to reclaim an endangered art form, they’re devoting an entire day to Vinyl and it’s where you’ll find Mark Farina’s epic three hour extended Mushroom jazz set.
Last, but most certainly not least – it’s The Grove. Deep within the forest, it’s dance floor beckons you – surrounded by art installations and lush lounge spaces. Formerly known as the Labrynth, during the day – the Grove becomes a place of mental manifestations with workshops on creative thought and live painting; at night, it’ll will feature ample downtempo tunes, from live bands to glitch hop, all while listeners can bob and weave through the Dream Temple Art Gallery, the Hive tea Lounge and the Mythosphere. Groups like Emancipator, Opiuo, Odesza, Desert Dwellers and Kaminanda will provide the perfect emotive soundscape for the weekend with their rich music and live performances.
There’s still a limited amount of tickets left – purchase them here!
For details, keep up with Shambhala on their socials – Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
[The Audiofiles] Global Dance Festival: Red Rocking To The Beat
Cross Published in The DJ List
Photography by Daniel Leist
In my nearly decade long career as a festival fanatic and self professed music maven, I’ve galavanted through Warped Tour numerous times, I’ve frolicked through Insomniac and HARD’s famed Music Festivals, shows from The Do Lab, and assorted events thrown around Southern California by LoveFest and GoVentures back when they were still an enterprise. But, as I descended upon Red Rocks in all of her glory, I was simultaneously awe-struck and anxious to finally check a new ‘first’ off of my musical bucket list. Now in it’s triumphant 13th year, Global Dance Festival at the Red Rocks Amphitheater marked my first out-of-California Music Festival, not to mention – my first, and most definitely not my last, trip out to Red Rocks. Dating back to the Jurassic period over 160 Million years ago, the natural amphitheater was formed by fusing together by enormous naturally sloping rock monoliths that contain the fossils of ancient animals like sea serpents and flying reptiles. And within it’s walls are an audiophile’s wet dream – an acoustically excellent arena, apropos to appreciate astounding live musical performances.
Being an all ages show, there’s a good chance that the younger members of GDF hadn’t fully seeped themselves in the rich history of the arena; but regardless of their perspective, artists, performers and media crew alike were all humbled that they were standing on the shoulders of giants and they performed as if they were all collectively paying homage to their predecessors. From iconic names like Jimi Hendrix, The Eagles, Santana and The Grateful Dead to more modern phenomenons like Incubus, No Doubt, Atmosphere, 311 and Nas – the majestic, though static, physical landscape of Red Rocks has been in perpetual dichotomy with the ever evolving musical landscape of the Amphitheater. Now, almost 70 years after the venue reopened in 1947, Red Rocks has become home base for some of the biggest, brightest and boldest acts in Bass Music thanks to the team at Global Dance. Throughout the weekend, rising stars like Norin & Rad and Odesza pulled an unprecedented proportion of the festival population to the stage at the top of Red Rocks while massive acts like Andy C, Infected Mushroom, Madeon and Zedd mesmerized the crowd, reminding fans – new and old- precisely why they fell in love with their music in the first place.
From early Friday afternoon solidly through Sunday evening, EDM enthusiasts across the Midwest flocked to Red Rocks for three nights of musical mayhem. As we settled into one of the parking lots surrounding the amphitheater, my eyes were immediately drawn to the vast array of license plates: from Wyoming to Montana, Idaho to Utah – patrons flocked to the festival from all around the greater Mid West and one thing was made absolute clear – we definitely weren’t in Kansas anymore. Gushing with exuberance, festival attendants trickled through the gates and were welcomed with open arms by brightly costumed friends, tailgating with boisterous music and infectious smiles. Whichever way your taste in music sways, Global Dance Festival had something for everyone. Spanning the genres from Dubstep to Drum and Bass, Trance to Electro House…and whatever you’d classify Destroid as – the evenings were peppered with an eclectic variety of talent on three separate stages: the EDM.com Amphitheater – the Main Stage, the NRG Stage at the top of Red Rocks and the GlobalDanceMusic.Com Stage plush on the opposite side of the venue. Differences aside, each act cranked up the bass and begged you to do one simple thing: dance.
Road tripping from Los Angeles out to Red Rocks had it’s perks- like exploring Zion and Bryce Canyons in Utah and various turnouts along the Colorado River; but there was one minor drawback: we didn’t step foot inside the festival gates until the sun went down Friday evening. But the important thing was that we’d made the 1,000 mile road trip from our front door to Red Rocks and we couldn’t wait to see what was in store for is.Starting with the second we stepped inside Friday afternoon, Kygo played us in and then Bro Safari – the Dubstep side project of Evol Intent’s Nick Weiller – unleashed a bass fueled beast on the Main Stage that raged into the midnight hours. Infected Mushroom followed with a fantastic, high octane live set that effortlessly transported me to a Rock and Roll show. As the band tore through powerful renditions of fan favorites like ‘Cities of the Future’ and ‘Becoming Insane’, they gave Red Rocks one of the best live performances of the entire weekend – including an epic cover of ‘Sabotage’ from the Beastie Boys [[insert video link]]. Up next was a choice between entering #ASOC with none other than Carnage, or trekking up to the NRG stage to watch Norin & Rad kick things up a notch. We made the journey, and it was well worth the miniature workout – from start to finish, the two California natives raised the bar for Global Dance Festival by delivering track after massive track, juggling between Electro House and darker basslines for an hour long non-stop dance party. ((Norin & Rad Image)) Kastle closed the night strong with groovy, emotive tunes on the NRG stage, but it proved no match for Adventure Club’s Electro infused Dubstep journey that left the entire crowd begging the Canadian duo for more. The group brought out the OG Chipotle Gang member Carnage and blasted through their set, fusing favorites and original tracks like ‘Need Your Heart’ and ‘Gold’ alongside tried and true remixes.
The next day proved a chance to start fresh, and let me tell you – there’s nothing that compares to simultaneously enjoying the natural wonder of Red Rocks, with the Denver skyline in a distance, while dancing up a storm to some of your favorite artists. For me, Saturday was the best day musically at GDF and I was exited to get there early and dive right in. After making friends in the parking lot, we walked into the festival as local artist Ecotek set the tone for the day on the main stage. Next up was a personal highlight of the weekend – Borgeous; admittedly, though I’d heard of him before the weekend – I’d never listened to him – and hearing him live for the first time made me stop in my tracks and look at my schedule again. Somewhere between the beautiful and effortlessly bouncing beats, the well timed song syncing and enigmatic stage presence, I’d been won over and converted into a new fangled fanatic.
A difficult act to follow, sure – but leave it up to OWSLA phenom and Skrillex protege Alvin Risk to do the job; from start to finish, we were engaged and energized by his heavy Dubstep sounds – the only thing we could’ve wanted from him was more. Masterfully mixing – and singing – for his audience, Alvin Risk put on a phenomenal performance and was definitely a highlight of my weekend.
The only thing that could possibly top an act like that would be some serious bass music, and that’s exactly what Andy C and Armanni Reign delivered. Though it’s unfair to pick a favorite with so much excellent music, Andy C’s set was it – he proved to the Mid West that not only is Drum and Bass alive and well, it’s a powerful, moving, emotive, dirty experience that will rattle you to your core and possess you to dance like you’ve never moved before. The only MC that I can’t get enough of, Armanni Reign spat verbal venom as the legendary Andy C gave us a lesson on everything Drum and Bass – from Jungle to Industrial to Liquid, we all walked away with a better understanding of why Andy C is revered as the king of his genre.
After handing over the reigns to Showtek, the main stage went down a thumping Hardstyle journey of a Rabbit Hole, only to come out of the other side to Waka Flocka Flame and the aptly titled Destroid living up to their moniker; entertaining, yes – but I’m honestly still trying to figure out what happened. If my gold medal of the weekend went to Andy C and Armanni, my silver medal goes out to Seattle natives Odesza. If I thought the NRG Stage was packed for Norin & Rad, then we were definitely over capacity when Odesza took the stage – between their presence, including their funky dance moves, and a well manicured, expertly produced live set – they not only wowed crowd, but they made us all wish we’d gotten to see them on the main stage. Knowing the way Global Dance Festival has operated in the past, they could well be on their way next year. GDF loves repeat offenders and has even noticed that their side stage has a slight tinge of special stardom attached. In the past, artists like Krewella have skyrocketed their careers after gracing the stage – and we’re sure that with Odesza it won’t be much different.
Sundays slight threat of rain barely dampened the mood as the final day of the festival set in. From start to finish, the GDF was exactly where you wanted to be. As we galavanted through the gates on our last visit to Red Rocks, I discovered yet another fabulous new artists in Tchami – I still might not know how to pronounce your name (sorry!), but man – when that remix of AlunaGeorge’s ‘I Know You Like It’ came on I danced in the rain like I didn’t have a care in the world. As the sun went down, Madeon stepped it up in another one of my favorite sets of the weekend and hands down my favorite set of the day. The lightning provided a dramatic backdrop for the delectable Electro House beats as the youthful producer sifted between original productions party tracks like ‘Get Low and a sexy Wave Racer remix of Panama’s ‘Always’ , a personal favorite. For a full hour, the audience was perpetually swept up by his eccentric style and I was doubly reminded why he’s one of my favorite producers in his genre.
Penultimate on the main stage was Wolfgang Gartner – who took us through on an adventure through his discography, blasting hits like ‘Space Junk’ and ‘Ill-Merica’ while flowing through Hip Hop, Tech House and Electro House – all the while, reminding the audience why he’s one of the best in the business. Last but certainly not least, there’s no better way to round out the weekend than Zedd; for an hour and a half, he did double duty dancing and delivering hits like his funky remix of ‘Breaking a Sweat’, and originals like ‘Stay the Night’, ‘Clarity’ and ‘Spectrum’ as the audience danced the night away.
Global Dance Festival has always done a first class job of encompassing the current state of the EDM industry, much like a snapshot of sound or a time capsule of cacophony. As if in an echo of the rest of the Electronic Music Scene, the showcase this weekend seemed to be on the infamous bass drop and with epic and entertaining acts from left to right like Carnage, Destroid, ______ – who can really blame anyone for loving it? We’re simply stoked that artists like Odesza, Kastle, Borgeous and Andy C brought their A-games this weekend in a true display of musicianship and entertainment. It was utterly evident that the artists were playing for more than just their audience – they were paying homage to the greats that had come before them, a tribute to the musical influences that propelled them to the very stage they graced over the weekend.
Another point the festival drove home, is that there’s a thin line between ‘Bass Music’ as Armanni Reign calls it and more or less ‘Rage Music.’ Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for danceable dissonance and if there was a time and place for it, Global Dance Festival is it but my personal preference would be to see emotive acts like Above & Beyond, or smaller Anjunabeats acts return, alongside a healthy dose of ethereal Trance that I was definitely missing all weekend. With such an iconic venue and breathtaking environment, we’re eager to see what happens next at Red Rocks. Next Thursday, Gary Richards returns to Red Rocks as Destructo as HARD goes HAM at the rocks – but hopefully with events to come, transformational festivals will find a mainstay at the rocks as well – because with a venue like that, there’s more than enough good music to go around.
By the end of Sunday night, we felt we’d earned our stripes, or wings – or whatever first timers are graced with whenever they’re elected to cover an event at Red Rocks. For three solid days, we grinned and galavanted our way through the crowd to get the necessary shots – only to find at the end of the weekend that there’s an iconic tunnel that reaches from the Press area to the stage. And iconic doesn’t even begin to describe it – everyone, and I mean – everyone – that’s played Red Rocks has left their mark, or marks, on the hallway. We went from standing on the shoulders of giants, to being encapsulated by their essence. For a good ten minutes, Danny and I stood in awe – gawking at each other as we read off names STS9 to Shpongle, Thriftworks to Len _____ – we were, and still are, beyond grateful for the entirety of our experience.
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[Happy Caturday!]
It’s hard to believe that just a week ago I was in Colorado for Global Dance Festival – let alone galavanting through the beautiful, hot and spacious states, of Utah and Nevada.
Usually, I find myself cranking out at least 500 words a day but between catching up on my 8-5 at Disney, and catching up on some must needed rest I’ve fallen short of my weekly goal. Well, at least until yesterday when I really sat myself down to pen my first phone interview – with none other than Gary Richards, the CEO of HARD. So far, that’s two interviews I’m incredibly proud of – between Gary and Dream Rockwell of Lucent Dossier and Do Lab notoriety, I’ve basically talked with people that I not only revere as individuals but business savvy people that I truly look up to in this fast paced, ever changing industry.
Well; now that I’m don’t rambling a bit – cats!
[The Audiofiles] Go HARD or Go Home: Gary Richards and the Evolution of His EDM Empire
– Cross Published on The DJ List –
As a innovator and pioneer of the dance music scene in Los Angeles, Gary Richards has forged an empire of sound out of a simple mind state: just play good music. Internationally recognized as Destructo and the head honcho behind HARD, Richards had humble beginnings as a club promoter and warehouse DJ in perpetual search of the perfect party location. His first two ventures – Magical Mickey’s Holy Water Adventure in ’91 and Ravemerica in ’92- were held at Wild Rivers Water Park and Knott’s Berry Farm and spoke volumes to his creative capabilities; not to mention, they’re something his current fanbase would most certainly welcome back with open arms. ‘The Sermon’, his first real parties series, was perfectly timed to open at 6am and boasted Richards on the decks as Destructo donning a priests costume as an extended family of friends rallied around as the sun came up. As a local Angelino with almost 15 years in the industry, he proceed to throw parties at literally every venue in town – from the Roxy to the Viper Room, The Standard to the Fonda (formerly the Music Box) and The Shrine to his personal favorite The Palladium. In 2011, he was sought out by Trent Reznor to promote the American release of ‘Girl With The Dragon Tattoo’ at his Mouth Taped Shut Parties and he’s even forayed into the silverscreen as the Music Supervisor for the 2001 flick 15 minutes; though it’s not likely he’ll be back again.
“I just do what I like to do, I dont do test stuff with audiences; I just kinda go ‘Hey, let’s do this!’ The thing with Trent was way different, he personally asked me to help promote the parties – but movies, I’m good with what I’m doing right now”
As I sit silently grinning on my cell phone, a gregarious Richards sits on the other end; and as he delves into the details on his new Album, it’s easy for me to forget that the musical tastemaker and global jet-setter had literally just walked in the door from LAX. For the last few days, he’s been in Europe as part of The West Coast EP World Tour in promotion of his latest album dropping later this year. For the past few months, he’s been deep in the studio curating his signature G-House sound for ‘The West Coast’ EP and his latest single ‘Party Up’ featuring YG, one of the first releases on Insomniac’s new label.
“As a DJ I always try to find something new – that’s the point of being a DJ, playing something new. I heard some stuff incorporating hip-hop into house and wanted to do a whole set, but there just wasn’t enough material. So I went into the studio with intentions and sampled some stuff from Dr. Dre.,” explains Richards, ” I thought it’s cool – but I thought it’d probably just be better to get a real rapper instead of sampling. I hooked up with YG before and it worked out real well, and he introduced me to other artists – and not only are the songs cool, but it’s fun. What I do, it’s computer, programming, synthesizers – so to have someone come in as professional lyricist, or someone to who really sing and put it over all that – it’s like discovering a new planet; it adds so much more to the music, it’s exciting. “
Though we can’t tell you who else he’s collaborating with, we can tell you that he’s excited. For an artist who draws inspiration from personal favorites like Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, NWA and Dr.Dre – this album is set to be a Pandora’s box full of eclectic earcandy and creative collaborations.
From promoter to producer, father and husband, artist to audience – Richards is more or less a modern day Renaissance man. Hand picked by Rick Rubin to handle A&R for the Electronic Music division Def American Recordings, Richards was responsible for bringing in the electronic rock sound of Prodigy, Lords of Acid and XL Recordings. As he catapulted throughout the industry, Richards forayed back to DJing and Producing when he realized that what people were really craving was the live experience.
On New Years Eve ’07, Richards threw a the party of a lifetime – and by in just 7 years, the HARD franchise has catapulted from a one night stand into an international empire with events spanning from North America and into England and Australia, curated stages at festivals like ULTRA and EDC, and last but certainly not least, the cruise everyone craves: Holy Ship! Since it’s inception, the HARD brand has forever been at the crux of music festivals – offering up something a little darker and outside the norm of a more ‘mainstream’ event, and has become synonymous with exceptional live performances from some of the most talented, multifaceted artists across the board. Though they might differ in terms of styles and traditional ‘genres’ – they all do have one thing in common: they play good music. Through the pursuit of exceptional artists and his annual US tours, Destructo has catapulted the careers of artists, peers and friends like the Dub Police, Boys Noize, Wolfgang Gartner, Rusko, Crystal Castles, the Bloody Beetroots, and is responsible for bringing the awe-inspiring South African group Die Antrword to Los Angeles.
“I just like good music. It’s just about dancing and having a good time – but I always try to pepper something in with an edge.” Take one gander at his lineups over the last seven years and you’ll find yourself wondering whether you’ve stumbled into an EDM Festival or a Rock Show – but according to Richards, that’s the point. “HARD is like a salad – artists like Bootsy Collins, Bootsy Collins, Giorgio Mororer, Miike Snow; they keep it fresh.”
Every brand has growing pains as they reach their pinnacle, and HARD is no different; take the most recent HARD Hollywood Bowl date featuring the legendary Nile Rodgers and Chic, Giorgio Moroder for example. “Sometimes when you try new things, they don’t always work – I got ahead of myself” lamented Richards, ‘We will definitely be having them for a show because they deserve the notoriety.” The main difference between some brands and this brand – perseverance. Minor setbacks aside, HARD has blossomed into a household musical name, hosting shows from LA to Miami and New York City to Colorado.
Next Thursday, HARD’s ruckus returns to Red Rocks with Knife Party, Dillon Francis, Samo Sound Boy and Julio Bashmore and Richards couldn’t be more excited –
“Red Rocks – favorite venues anywhere period. I remember the U2 album ‘Blood Red Sky’ from when I was a little kid. It was recorded there live. They sold out that place, and to now sell out that place with house music; I’m humbled. And the people of Colorado are fucking awesome – they know their music!”
The day after Red Rocks, he’ll rush back to Los Angeles for the 7th anniversary of HARD Summer. With LA’s Historic Park under construction – the event has migrated to the Whitter Recreation area, about an hour away from the heart of Los Angeles. From Beyond location, fans should note some fantastic changes coming their way:
“It’s a much larger park so we have more room…and we have grass! We added a fifth stage – so just expanding and making it into a more proper festival.”
Representing each and every genre, HARD’s lineup boasts a menagerie of musicians – the HARD and HARDER stage featuring the ‘biggest acts’ and the Green, Pink and Purple tents speaking to specific sounds, according to Richards – he’s basically DJing the DJs. On Saturday, the Pink Stage hosts the Dirtybird Crew with Worthy, J.Phlip and Justin Martin and Sunday will showcase the G-House on Green Stage as Destructo joins Tech House phenoms Brodinski, Sharam Jey, Kill Frenzy, DJ Mustard and favorites Hannah Wants, Bones, Vanilla Ace and production partner Wax Motif. “We all go together like butter; it’s 10 artists vibing out to the same beat.”
If we’re going to talk about every genre, we have to mention the Trance elephant in the room – Tiesto. Though Richards admits he’d never host a whole stage, if there’s one or two guys in the Trance scene that are habitually turning it out (we’re looking at you, Anjunabeats) – they’ll be there.
Originally introduced through Zedd to, Tiesto was in talks to come to Holy Ship 2013. Though that fell through, his agent reached out to Richards again this year and after paying his own way to the cruise – Tiesto got to pull surprise of a lifetime as Zedd introduced him as the guest act of the weekend. And after playing a late night back to back deep house set in the disco of Holy Ship!, Richards was taken back by Tiesto’s skill and sold on his abilities to bring something new and different to HARD,.
“It seems like the perfect thing. People are excited to see him, and I’m stoked because he gets to play what he wants. He’s an awesome fucking DJ. It’s weird when you say the word trance because what I think of trance and what you think on trance is different. When I started DJing, Trance was synthesizer, arpegiated, super deep long, electronic, synth-ed out really cool shit – and somehow it turned into vocal pop music. What happens a lot with these guys is they have to live up to their name, they have to live up to what fans think of them. But they want to do different stuff too, they don’t always want to do the same thing.”
Between developing the HARD brand and his perpetual push to fill the world with good music, Richards has built more than an empire of music -in a true reflection of our cultural melting pot, he’s assembled a brazen community of international music lovers, simply begging the world for more good music. Catch Richards as Destructo next Thursday at Red Rocks, then Sunday 8/1 at HARD Summer on the Green Stage.
Keep up with Gary Richards through his socials – The DJ List | Website | Facebook | Twitter | Soundcloud
The Bouncy Kitty 
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