[Oh, Snap!] Eagle Rockin’ and Eagle Walkin’ v7

March 8, 2015March 8, 20152 Comments

So far this year I’ve learned that if you’re on the West Coast you should literally pay no mind to Punxsutawney Phil; he might know a thing or two about weather on the East Coast but when it comes to us, just consider him Jon Snow: he knows nothing. For the past few weeks, Danny and I have been on a determined fitness kick. With festival season right around the corner and the wicked terrain of Lightning in a Bottle heading our way in almost T-3 months, we’re planning on kicking our own asses, taking some names and making our bodies into lean, mean, workout machines. A few weeks back, I snagged a sweet crystal ball off of Amazon and we’ve been having a ball (pun) snapping pictures using it. We’ve even managed to discover a few new walking trails around our apartment. Enjoy our journey!

[Happy Caturday]

March 7, 2015March 7, 2015Leave a comment

Cats rule everything around me, and these photos are proof – I just adore the world out of my little fur babies. So much so that I’m going to start sharing my tips and tricks for fantastic feline maintenance with my Caturday updates. But that’s for next time – until then, enjoy the cats!

[The Audiofiles] Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Festival: 42 Tips and Tricks for Festival Season

March 6, 2015March 6, 2015Leave a comment

It’s all happening.

Bright, blue skies filtering down unadulterated California sunshine while blissful vibes and beautiful souls abound in every direction. Yeah, okay – so Spring is set to start in two weeks, but that’s not why there’s a bouncy in our steps and a twinkle in our eyes; Music Festival Season is coming in hot, with an eclectic menagerie of musicians for each and every type of fan out there. Everywhere I go, the excited murmur of music festival lineups lingers in the air like a sultry perfume; living in Los Angeles, you almost have to go out of your way to not know these things.

At this point in my life, I’d more or less consider myself a Music Festival Veteran, or at the very least a PhD candidate. It’s not that I’ve been doing this my whole life, but the last decade of my life has definitely been overrun by the delicious drops, salacious synths and booming basslines of EDM. We didn’t walk up hill in snow both ways or anything, but back in my day – EDC was a one day festival at San Bernadino’s NOS Event Center and GoVentures was still promoting festivals, HARD didn’t exist yet and Create was known was Vanguard. Fast forward to present day and I’ve easily amassed over 50 festivals under my belt. From HARD 13 and How Sweet It Is to Monster Massive and Fresh Events, there’s a long list of single festivals of the good old days that I’ve loved and we’ve lost – but they’ve paved the way for the multitudes of multi-day camping festivals that I’ve grown to know and love over the last few years. The way this year is headed, I’ll probably be making it to at least one festival a month until Summer’s over – which means I’ll be getting my fair share of booty shaking and friend making up and down the West Coast. Starting with Serenity Gathering and Desert Hearts in San Diego then Lightning in a Bottle coming up at the end of May, and who knows where Summer will take me!

Attending an overnight festival is vastly different from attending a single day Rave, so word to the wise – be prepared; which is why I’m here to help! If anything’s in competition for what I love the most, music and creating lists would definitely be up there. So I’ve developed a foolproof list for Music N00bs and Festival Vets alike to peruse at their pleasure. There are a few pieces of advice that I want to impart on you before you get into the actual list – because these takeaways are just as important!

Leave your comfort zone at home, festivals are for personal exploration; emotional, mental and physical transformation. So, let yourself be moved by the incredible art, the conscious community and the music and know that spontaneous expression of human emotion – from laughter to tears – is perfectly normal and natural. Be smart. Don’t take candy from strangers and acknowledge your limits and levels of inebriation; your friends certainly didn’t pay for a ticket so they could spend their night taking care of you, and vice versa. Ladies, ladies, ladies – leave the heavy makeup at home! Yes, makeup is awesome – trust me, I know – but your fresh face is your best face and these are the places that your beauty emanates from your spine through your soul. And don’t be afraid of a little solo musical journey; by in large, those are always the most fruitful.

There’s certain things that are a bit obvious and inevitable, so I’ve left those out. Hopefully that’s made room for you to have a few ‘A-ha!’ moments while you peruse this list with your Festival Fam. Any friend who’s gone to at least one multi day festival will be able to warn you about the traffic to and from the festival – so a full tank of gas, some snacks, water and awesome tunes for the ride are a must. No matter where you go, you’ll need your ticket, a form of photo identification and some cash; and whatever you do – Don’t Panic.

1) Pick one headliner a day that you have to see, and let the rest play itself out. The festival is a journey, relax and enjoy the ride.
2) Make a totem so your crew is easy to spot in the crowd
3) Pick a meeting spot and time each day in case you get separated from your group
4) Say Excuse Me, Thank You and Hello – they go a long way! Be AWESOME – and remember, PLUR used to exist – we can bring it back..
5) Bring pens and paper in case you want to get a little creative one night after the music goes down, or you want to exchange numbers and your cell phone is dead
6) A Renegade Sound System: Speakers, Wires and the dope beats.
7) Ziploc bags to keep your stuff dry, that Woogie likes to spray!
8) Flashlights that can easily go around your wrist and extra batteries just in case; late night porta potty trips just got a whole lot easier
9) Lighters. I have a general rule that if you don’t want to light at least something, even just a candle or incense, we shouldn’t be friends – and people at festivals are always losing theirs. Actually, you might want to bring a few.
10) Buy Festival and Vendor Merchandise on Day 1 Before it sells out
11) Fanny Pack or small backpack that you don’t mind carrying all day – and make sure your load is as light as your mood
12) A watch – you don’t need to charge your watch and you can be king for the day when everyone wants to know what time it is and their phones are dead.
13) Cash on hand – the ATM will run out, and not everyone takes credit card; plus, you can even barter with cash. Oh, and beer can be like $13…. #whompwhomp
14) Toys – they’re not just for kids, you know! Water toys like squirt guns are a great distraction when it’s hot during the day and flow toys are great for downtime and nighttime; just make sure you have enough room to go with your flow!
15) Bubbles. Everyone loves bubbles.
16) Take enough time off work – your coworkers have children and plan week long family vacations, don’t feel weird taking an extra day off at the beginning and end of your trip so you can get there early and get back to the office with enough sleep.

You’re going to want your campsite to be pleasing to pre-party at and easy to find when you’re cruising back at the end of the night in pitch black darkness.

17) Light it Up: Lanterns, Faux Candles, Christmas or Holiday lights
18) Tapestries: add some color to the mix and make your campsite pop
19) A Whiteboard + Mailbox for the campsite so friends stopping by can leave messages
20) Inflatable mattresses are awesome, but yoga mats make equally good padding under your sleeping bag
21) Blankets that you don’t mind getting dirty
22) An EZ-Up Tarp – or a few and some folding chairs.
23) Solar Shower: Skip the line for the shower with one of these puppies. Also, shower. PLEASE.

Apparel + Accessories

Check the weather report before you start packing your bags, and if you’re feeling super curious you can always refer to an Almanac to check on the historical weather in the area. You’ll want to be prepared for it all, and no matter what you’ve packed chances are, you’ll only wear about half of it. I don’t need to tell you that you need to pack your underwear and clothes to wear everyday, but these ideas might not have crossed your mind…

Also: for those of you who don’t know what an almanac is, welcome to life before the internet.

24) A bandanna to keep your hair out of your eyes, or the dust out of your mouth. I have distinct memories of eating dirt at Coachella…and Lightning in a Bottle. Bonding experience, sure; easily avoided, definitely.
25) Comfortable shoes that you can walk at least 3 miles a day in. Yeah. That’s about how much exercise you get at a festival. You’re welcome.
26) Cheap Sunglasses and a backup pair; leave your favorite gear at home – there’s a chance it’ll get lost or broken; same goes for your jewelry
27) Swimsuit or two. Chances are, it’s going to be hot, hot, hot – and you’re going to want to take some, if not most, of your clothes off – having a swimsuit handy means you’ll be able to soak up the rays in style

Tech Talk

Mobile charging stations are prevalent but cell phone service still wanes. If you can’t live without your phone, installing an app like FireChat could be resourceful – but because I’m on board with leaving your phone on airplane mode while you enjoy the ride.

28) Take Photos of your Info – on your phone, on your digital camera – that way if you lose them, they can be returned to you. And while you’re at it, add a geolocation for your car so you can find it when you’re fear and loathing it back home on day 5.
29) Solar Cell Phone Charger
30) Put your phone on Airplane mode – who are you really going to be calling; all your friends should be with you!
31) Include a Time Stamp and Location in your texts to friends; saying “Where are you, Bro?!” doesn’t help anyone.
32) Jumper Cables. Not saying that you could get stuck (then again, I had to have my car jumped at Shambhala…) – but you could be Captain Save-a-Tow.

Health and Hygiene

Festivals are beautiful, wonderful places that can make you incredibly dirty and unhygenic. With a few helpful hints – you, too, can ease into the festival experience without turning into a germaphobe. You should know what toiletries you need when you leave home for a few days, but I’ve got a couple more you might not have accounted for

33) Hand Sanitizer and Toilet Paper. You will be using a port-a-potty. Come prepared.
34) Makeup setting spray. This isn’t just for the ladies – though, if you want your makeup to look impeccable all day, it’s kind of amaaazingggg – if you’re using face paint, body paint or glitter, this ensure it sticks through the wet and sweat of the day. If you can’t get your hands on one, hairspray also does the trick.
35) Mini First Aid Kit with Medicine in ORIGINAL Bottle. Make sure to toss in some Allergy Medicine, Muscle Rub, Gold Bond for your feet and Midol. Laugh all you want at the last one, but it’s a pain reliever with a bit of caffeine meaning it’s perfect for hangovers. Speaking of Midol though, Ladies – well: Be prepared; if anything, a friend will thank you for being prepared.
36) Baby wipes or face wipes to get the sweat and dirt off of your face, and give your body a little wipedown when you need it.
37) Perfume, Incense and Palo Santo. I’ll be the first to admit that after day two of a multiday festival there’s a definite festival smell that rests richly in the air. Good news is, you can do something about it.
38) Cooler with Pre-Frozen Water Bottles and a refillable, portable jug
39) Hydration Helpers: Himalayan Salt Crystal, Vitamins, Emergencee
40) Eat regularly scheduled meals and save your drinking for when the sun goes down. Also, no matter how hard you will it – beer is not water.
41) Sunblock is necessary, even if it’s cloudy and you don’t think it is – you’re spending much more time outside than the average bear and it couldn’t hurt to cover up a bit. For those with fair complexions, sport a hat and keep the top of your head from getting toasty.
42) Don’t forget to bring a towel

What are your tips, tricks and hints for the upcoming festival season?

[Weekly Dose of Wisdom] The Power of Books

March 5, 2015March 5, 2015Leave a comment

My entire life, I’ve been a collector of sorts – a personal curator for the museum that’s manifested into my modern life. From My Little Pony’s and calligraphy pens, to my current menagerie of cats, gemstones, books, quotes good music and great company – I’ve managed to live up to my favorite Oscar Wilde quote: ‘I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best.’ And speaking of quotes, with the reading that I’ve been doing and continual bouts of knowledge that I’m contently shoveling into my skull – I’ve found a great assortment of quotes on to the enraptured wanderlust of the reading experience.

Unbeknownst to me until this afternoon, it also just happens to be World Book Day! Whether it’s a wonderful coincidence or a well planned post, I guess we’ll never really know but as the Genie says in Aladdin – a little of column A, and all of column B. For other lessons in literature, delve into my book repository in my latest post concerning my 2015 Reading Challenge and take a gander at my Top 10 Works of Literary NonFiction. While we’re here though, take a stroll through my favorite quotes on reading, books and literature. To commemorate the day, I want to leave you with five of my favorite books of all time in no particular order because they’re all so different and good. My taste ranges from delicately woven social commentary and dark undertones mixed to insightful scientific analysis and gonzo storytelling, so if these five don’t float your boat – maybe something in my Good Reads Library will.

Caucasia, Danzy Senna
Cat’s Cradle, Kurt Vonnegut
Bel Canto, Ann Patchett
Suicide Casanova; Arthur Nersessian
Music, The Brain and Ecstasy; Robert Jourdain

What’s your favorite book?

What’s your favorite quote about reading?

Let me know in the comments below!

[Write On] Adventures in Literature: My 2015 Reading Challenge

March 4, 2015February 22, 2016Leave a comment

Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience: this is the ideal life.
[Mark Twain]

First things first, let me just drop this knowledge on you – Reading is Sexy; and don’t let a person tell you anything differently! I don’t mean reading articles from HuffPo, Lost at E Minor, Mother Jones or Science Daily on your smart phone or tablet. I’m talking tangible, hold’em in your hand and smell the page; wafting in wanderlust and adventure, syllable after syllable; ending up in a world you couldn’t have imagined in your wildest dreams while you’ve stayed static, stuck on the couch with your head in the clouds. When I was younger, my appetite for literature was almost insufferable for my family – every meal, every car ride, every turn – there I was, ears billowing out hushed musical tones while my mind wandered feverishly through the chapters.

As I grew older, I realized that my penchant for reading was only matched by my aptitude for math. Over the course of several family reunions in Washington I was taught how to use long division and counted by powers of two to fall asleep. Nature and nurture seemed to have a field day when it came to determining my true passion in life – on one hand, I could eat, sleep and breathe data, numbers and patterns – there’s something so simple, so logical, so straightforward about the output of data. In a similar but opposite context, I love extrapolating on the English Language, enamoring my work with poetic justice and jubilant prose while challenging the definition of sentence structure and simile. And let’s not forget, the joys of reading – of traveling infinitely inwards, shooting through the future and somersaulting through the past while staying firmly, yet delicately, in place.

It only makes sense through both nature and nurture. As the granddaughter of one of the creators of the ENIAC and great granddaughter of one of the only female writer of the Harlem Renaissance, it makes all too much sense that I’d find a unique penchant for both and be able to put it to work. But that’s not to say that I don’t find myself getting writer’s block every now and again. In my last few years as music journalist for The DJ List, I’ve had the wonderfully unique opportunity to ask music professionals how they get over an uncreative slump – they all tell me that fully immersing themselves in art has always worked the trick – and by in large, I absolutely agree. Both literature and music have a therapeutic, cathartic way of affecting my daily outlook, and my daily output. Fully immersing myself in another persons passionate creative endeavor more than fuels my fire to foster new ideas, or simply push through and finish what I’ve started. As far as my writing, personal, music blogging, gonzo journalism and the like are concerned – reading is by far the best way to expand my horizons on what I’m capable of, and the literature that already exists within the world. Through proper perusal of passionate creations, I see ways that I can make my own more harmonic, melodic, whimsical and descriptive.

Last year, my best friend challenged me to find my Top Ten Works of Literary NonFiction and that was a wonderful blast from the past but truth be told, my reading has waned in the last decade. Since College has ended, I’ve been on a perpetual mission to educate myself – in any way possible, and books have done just that for me. To out myself now – Book Clubs don’t do much for me, except potentially give me a room of disappointed faces when I announce that I’ve read three different books that definitely were not assigned while I’ve definitely avoided what we were all told to read. I get reading inspiration from across the board and I have to admit that for the last few years, with the influx of all sorts of social media, my reading offline had fallen by the wayside – but I’ve taken a bold stand to that and say no more.

Amazon has a wonderful book buy-back (well, technically – it’s an “anything” buy-back program, but whatever) where you can get books for as little as 1¢ (plus Shipping, so 5 bucks total – which is still awesome!) that I’ve been (ab)using since college. Like rare wildflowers, there’ve been an influx of lending libraries popping up around Los Angeles, as well as Corvallis where my family lives – and there’s a corner of my heart that’s infinitely happier for that. Beautiful bookstores, though few and far between, are havens of literature and apparently, actual Libraries still exist – and now you can rent CDs, DVDs, Blu Rays, Video Games and so much more than just books! On the flip side, if you’re looking to catalog your library or expand your literary horizons – I’m a huge fan of GoodReads, it’s basically the Facebook of reading; you can find your friends, explore authors and use your cell phone to barcode scan your bookshelves. It’s a book nerds dream – and if you go on it, you should definitely add me!

For 2015, I’ve decided to inspire my creative side with a reading challenge and figured 25 books over the course of the year was doable. Sure, I have to basically billow through a book biweekly – but with all the absent minded things I tend to do around my house, not to mention the bouts of latent lackadaisical laziness and semi-permanent procrastination due to writer’s block, and I could easily reach my goal; if not surpass it! We’re just past

The Agile Gene: How Nature Turns on Nurture, Matt Ridley

In my personal opinion, science is one of the most beautiful subjects to write about – taking a process, breaking it down with language and reinforcing connection through poetic prose, symbolic symbolism and delicate diction. In a sea of science authors, Matt Ridley stands out with other greats of our generation like Richard Dawkins, Oliver Sacks, Simon Singh and Brian Greene. A personal fangirl of his writing since I was graduating High School in 2003, as a budding young biochemist at one point in my life I was enamored by books like Genome, The Red Queen Theory and The Origins of Virtue. ‘The Agile Gene: How Nature Turns On Nurture’ is a wonderful encounter with ideals we’ve been familiar with grade school – except instead of pitting them against each other, Matt Ridley makes an excellent argument for how nature and nurture work in tandem to produce the genetic world in which we thrive.

The Joyous Cosmology: Adventures in the Chemistry of Consciousness

The Joyous Cosmology, Alan Watts

I’ve been recommended various Alan Watts books over the years, but it took until the past month to finally get through one. Taking into account how in love I was with Huxley‘s Doors of Perception and Pinchbeck‘s Breaking Open The Head, The Joyous Cosmology was a no-brainer first choice.

A lyrically written journey into the mind, Alan Watts impeccably conveys his journey into human consciousness, the ego and the psyche. A must read for anyone intent on exploring the bounds of the mind. Watts does poetic justice to moments where words typically won’t suffice, on a journey through the internal, mental and emotional manifestdestiny of the human race in the 21st century. And speaking of Watts and Huxley, while doing some research I found a wonderful interview from 1968 of Alan Watts and Laura Huxley, Aldous‘ late wife.

Vibrational Healing Through the Chakras Joy Gardner

After experiencing a menagerie of types of healing and transformational moments at festivals along the West Coast, from Lightning in a Bottle to Shambhala Music Festival, I’ve been eager to learn some myself. During my first LIB, I watched as festies relaxed under billowing trees while a plethora of instruments were tuned around them and this past year, I watched as a sonic soundbath featuring tuning forks alleviated stress and relaxed my entire campsite. In Canada, I had my chakras read and realigned by a happy camper, explaining beforehand that last year he set a personal record by reading the palms of 50 people – last year, he wanted to break 100.

It’s purported through ancient scripture that the universe is held together with vibration and sound, and the more I read into vibrational healing the more I truly understand what this means.

The Beginner’s Guide to Constructing the Universe, Michael Schenider

This is my latest, and it’s a goodie. Mathematics is the language of the universe, and this wonderfully engaging and hands on approach from Michael Schenider is one of the best explanations of how math plays into the world as we currently know it. From the formation of gems and minerals to hexagonal shape of beehives and formation of historic sculptures and art from sacred geometry, this is a must read for math people, and non-math people, alike. Every chapter contains a section on how to construct various shapes like the platonic solids, promoting a beautiful discussion while delving into the history of our current numeric system.

My bookshelf is literally toppling over with reads, which makes me incredibly indecisive on what to pick up next. I’ve been reading The Alchemist outloud with Danny and it’s brings a whole new element to the read, and on my own I’ve been itching to get through some Alan Watts books, as well as an Alex Grey book on The Mission of Art. What are your recommendations for my next read? What’s on your bookshelf that you just can’t wait to dive in to? Let me know in the comments below!

[Tech Talk] The IFPI Shifts Global Record Release Day From Tuesday to Friday

March 3, 2015March 3, 2015Leave a comment

With the growth of the Internet, streaming media and haphazard album releases stemming from illegal downloads and pirating – it makes all too much sense that the industry standard for music would eventually shift, and artists across the genres are both actively pushing back. Within EDM, take into account Spor’s latest album ‘Caligo’, released weeks early because it was leaked in it’s entirety, Knife Party’s willingness to give up ‘Abandon Ship’ to eager fans, and of course – there was the media aftershock of Queen B’s self titled album release on a haphazard Friday in 2013. The simple fact of the matter, is that musicians far and wide have effectively been forced into forking over their music before it’s official release date.

In the wake of almost six months of discussions with record companies, musicians, music executives, music unions and retailers – the International Federation of the Phonetic Industry, commonly abbreviated by IFPI, has announced a pivotal shift in album release dates – moving it from the traditional Tuesday that we’ve all grown up with and flipping it to Friday. There’s been push back from indie labels and merchants, who are against implementing a change – but all things considered, they might not have much say.

From Frances Moore of the IFPI:

“…Moving a whole industry to a global release day involves big challenges. Inevitably a global project involving more than 50 countries is not going to make every stakeholder in every country happy. There will be upheaval for some, no doubt. However, the truth is that there has been no credible alternative to a Friday proposed that would work at the global level.”Considering labels such as Spinnin’ Records, Tool Room and Revealed aren’t part of the current IFPI – as a whole, EDM might not necessarily abide by the new regulations for music. However, considering the high rate of cross-collaboration and crossover between Pop Music and EDM, the question remains – how will the Dance Music Industry be affected? And for now, we don’t have the answers.

[The Audiofiles] A Rambunctious Chinese New Year with ill.Gates and The Good Vibe

March 2, 2015March 2, 2015Leave a comment

All creation myths and stories aside, the Chinese Zodiac has always been one of my favorites. There are many tales, some taller than others, about its origins, and the order of the animals but first lets delve into the Chinese Calendar itself. Unlike our current Gregorian Calendar, a calendar that revolves around the Julian Calendar and breaks up the approximate 365 day year into twelve, somewhat irregular, slivers – the Chinese Zodiac is based around the LuniSolar Calendar, which treks from one Winter Solstice to the next. Unlike most calendars, she’s a wonderful marriage of Geography and Astronomy through exploration and astute observation. Currently, the Chinese Calendar has over 100 versions and is a beautiful consequence of evolution with deep roots in both science and folk lore. More often than not, the Chinese Calendar encompasses 12, if not 13 Lunar Cycles, Moon-ths – or as we know them now – Months.

Using the Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice as celestial markers, the year is then divided into 24 equal partitions. The first lunar month is dictated by the month with its first day closest to the “Beginning of Spring”, which ends up being around February 4th – 6 weeks before the Vernal Spring Equinox. With ornate costumes, boisterous music and vibrant life the week long Spring Festival for the Chinese New Years celebrates the coming of the New Year with enchanting style, grace and community. Three years ago, I had the wonderful fortune of spending it in Shanghai with one of my best friends and let me tell you – it’s one festival not to miss.

As the fables go, one day – the Jade Emperor assembled the animals together in Heaven…for a race, or a banquet of sorts (FYI – there are a LOT of fables). The first twelve to show up were the Rat, Ox, Pig, Ram, Monkey, Dog, Rabbit, Snake, Chicken, Dragon, Horse and the Tiger – and the Jade Emperor determined they were a perfect fit for the twelve calendar years. Over the course of their quest,typical shenanigans, mayhem and hijinks ensue – including the original prank of the Rat not passing on the invitation to the Cat. A cat lady through and through, I’ve always found it personally hilarious that I was born the Year of the Rat and was slightly dismayed – but now, I own it. Rushing to the finish line, the Rat came in first place – the Ox next, but the Rat only won because he rode in on the Ox and jumped off at the last second, etc, etc; the Chinese Zodiac as we know it now is dictated by the order of the animals arrived in. An additional attribute from the Wu Xing, otherwise known as the Five Elements, governs over the universe and like the years of the Zodiac – each have their own unique characteristics. In the wake of the 2015’s New Lunar Year, we moved from the Year of the Wood Horse to the Year of the Wood Ram – and thanks to the Good Vibe, we did it in style.

“The upcoming year of 2015 will be rich in positive emotions and intoxicating amorous affairs; after all, its patron – the Wooden Ram – is exactly this way: it is kind, adventurous, easy to get carried away with something new and exciting, but similarly easy to lose interest…. Life is good and it is nice to have nice people around – this is the motto of this period’s patron; we should always keep this in mind. “

Living in Los Angeles, we don’t necessarily need an additional reason to celebrate – a Friday, Wednesday – or even a Sunday will suffice; but toss in an excellent festivity thrown by an impeccably run company, and the OG party people will come out to play. Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, 333 Live was a new venue for my party pants and dancing feet – be it the amazing company, variety of vendors, wonderful vibe or the fact that there was ample space to move and groove to some sick beats, but I’m already excited for the next event thrown there, whatever and whenever it it might be. From start to finish, the human species was on prime display as the evening was engulfed in delightful sets from two different rooms on separate levels of the club, which also boasted a tightly packed outside area fully equipped with delicious Dim Sum eats for anyone with an empty stomach. The Solid Gold room upstairs got rowdy to the sounds of Oh Diggz, Paragon, Lou E. Bagels, Mihkal and the Smasheltooth Pirate, while the Main Stage partied to Winnebago, The Good Vibe’s own J*Labs, and Ruffhauser before the midnight Lion Parade, fully equipped with a mobile, larger than life Ram that seductive dancers and an intoxicating cast of characters, including dance troupes, Bijoulette, the GoGo Stars and the Vibe Tribe.

The crowd got straight rambunctious when ill.Gates took control of the decks, wooing partygoers with epic drops and freshly improvised productions. We managed to capture a couple on video, in case you want to relive the moment like we do –

Up next was Colorado native VibeSquaD, a favorite of ours from the Gem & Jam festival – I appreciated that he brought a new feel to his set for the night, throwing in more industrial bass than the first time I saw him. And oh man, when he dropped “Chocolates” – the floor lit up.

As Friday the 13th evolved into Valentine’s Day morning, our night ended in the most perfect way – a wonderful set from Pumpkin that left us dancing until we were ushered out venue at 4AM.