Over the past decade, the Lucent Dossier Experience has left a legacy of excellence in and around Southern California. Just the other weekend, the troupe descended back onto their home turf at Club Nokia located in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles’ LA Live. From the second party go-ers descended through the front doors, minds were expanded and hearts were opened. Vendors adorned the walls, while live painters – including West Coast Festival favorite Ngene – were catalyzed by the creativity that was rotating through.
As we billowed out of the elevators into the second story of Club Nokia, the sultry Deep House sounds of the Desert Hearts crew blissfully blasted through our eardrums. Graced by the presence of Mikey Lion, Marbs and Deep Jesus, the groove was just sexy enough to make you forget that there was an entirely different party happening just a few feet away from us. In the main arena, Nico Luminous kicked the night off with some funky fresh wobbles and drops, gracefully passing the torch onto David Satori and Evan Fraser, respectively from Beats Antique and Stellamara. For the night, the dynamic duo joined forces as Dirtwire, crafting delicious electronic soundscapes through rustic beats.
Through a unique fusion of fire-dancing, aerial acrobatics, body contortion, audience immersive characters and a cast that effectively blends in with their creatively costumed cohorts, our worlds were illuminated and legends were unleashed as Lucent Dossier once again stole the show. Side conversations came to a halt as dancers glided harmoniously in a showcase of human agility and grace.
For seventy minutes, we were enraptured in the magic and ethereal wonder that the Lucent Dossier Experience brings to the table. A powerful performance embodying the feminine mystique and the constant push for both internal and external creation, the music from the aptly titled Unleash Your Legend is also featured on their sophomore artist album – Light of the World. With beautiful artwork from the ever talented Venice artist Chris Saunders, the album is currently available for both purchase on iTunes as well as streaming through Spotify or Soundcloud.
Closing the night, we found there just ain’t no party like a MartyParty. Tapping into his new ‘Black House’ sound, a delicious, melodic take on G-House heavy with Hip-Hop lyrics, we simply couldn’t have asked for a better follow-up act for Lucent Dossier. For the final hours at Club Nokia, worlds collided and the weird went pro – as Lucent Dossier troupe leaders joined in on the stage antics for MartyParty and I have to say, I hope this fusion of live entertainment and music transcends into more and more shows.
Did you love the Desert Hearts Tribe? We know we did! Stoked to be covering them in a few weeks for Desert Heart’s Spring Fling, if you’re fiending for some fabulous deep house and tech house beats under the stars, come kick it with a stellar group of humans – including myself!
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.
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.
2014. As of this moment, there’s only a separation of two calendar weeks – but it somehow it already seems a lifetime a go. I’ve heard it’s just one of those things about aging, and understandably so: the older you get, the years become a smaller and smaller percentage of your life. 5 year old Amanda got to enjoy the year as a fifth, or 20% of her life – and here I am, inches away from 30 and last year merely accounts for 3.3% of my time on this wonderful planet. But in that year, twelve months, 365 days, 525600 minutes – I started a miniature business, delved into my DIY capabilities, moved in with the only man I ever want to live with. Hand in hand, we’ve made friends across the West Coast while simultaneously passionate pursuit of perfecting our crafts while diving headfirst into the electronic music scene. I’ve been humbled to work alongside some of the best and brightest minds in the industry, and am living out a my adulthood’s childhood fantasy. After seven years of living in Los Angeles, I was finally booked for a paid modeling shot; my lost dream and the reason I swapped zipcodes as a young college grad.
From Lighting in a Bottle to Global Dance, Shambhala to HARD Day of the Dead – I consider myself blessed to be taken in by so many different music communities and families; and then to be entrusted by the music community to share that journey, and evolve what it means to be part of it – it’s more than I could’ve ever asked for. But, that’s not to say my year didn’t have it’s equivalent share of setbacks – after being in a car accident last Spring, I was anxious behind the wheel for months, I resigned my maid of honor status by endeding what I thought was a close friendship and I’ve been living with an obnoxious Bartholin cyst since the Summer. Whether your year was full of accomplishments and accolades or trials and tribulations, New Years Eve marks a time when the lot of us can put on our party pants, forget our worries and party like it’s 1999 (or, 2015, whatever).
As the penultimate day of 2014 quickly approached, I was haphazardly balancing work, family and trying to pack for that my favorite blustery city in the Bay, San Francisco. For the second year running, Danny and I were off, off and away – to the land of tech talk and Burner babble, where the Sports teams are hot and the weather is brisk, the skyscrapers tower above you while the city rumbles with animation. Now in it’s 15th year running, Sea of Dreams was plotting a triumphant return to the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium after last year’s immense success. In an incredibly welcomed yet unprecedented move – they booked a two night stand for the event. The brainchild of Joegh Bullock, founder of Anon Events, Sea of Dreams was celebrating a decade and a half of decadence, dancing and deliriously wonderful vibes in San Francisco with support and assistance from Another Planet Entertainment and Sunset SF.
We crushed the 5 on Tuesday morning, leaving as early as possible so we could muster in a nap before the first night of the show. It’d been forever since I’d had a healthy dose of Pretty Lights, and now – I’d be seeing him twice in two nights. Christmas might’ve come early for some, but it came late for me and I was in no way complaining.
The first night of Sea of Dreams was as laid back as we were feeling, with only one active stage an intimate crowd and only a handful of artists, but they were all bursting at the seams with talent. For this night only, dancers, festies and music lovers of all kind brought out the flow toys and hoops as they grooved to the salacious sounds of Sea of Dreams. The early bird caught the worm at 7pm when Pumpkin jumped on the decks, but for anyone that missed his opening set – he was featured in between the other sets for an equal amount of time, if not longer, than his actual set. My only wish was that he was a little more highlighted as the crowd got down to a slew of remixes, from the tried and true MJ vocals to his soul tingling remix of Wildlight’s Twirl Me.
For anyone who’s said that true music is dead or lost within EDM had surely never witnessed the musical genius of the rest of the lineup. Next to grace the stage were Adam Deitch and Borahm Lee, better known to fans as NYC glitch-hop duo Break Science. From start to finish, they expertly fused genres from Funk to Hip Hop and Breakbeats with layered, live elements.
Break Science ebbed into Pumpkin and then flowed into The Glitch Mob. Living in LA since ’08, I consider myself more or less a local down south at this point – so seeing the Glitch Mobbers up in San Francisco was a nice treat. They kicked the crowd’s energy up, flowing through tracks from Love Death Immortality and older, crowd favorites; a solid set from the Mob, but being a pre-NYE event, I was hoping it would have been more raucous than it was. But that was immediately forgotten as the stage was stripped and the equipment rearranged. Left and right, audiophiles were geeking out as the acoustic musical setup took place and made way for the last performance of the night: the man, the myth, and the lights – Pretty Lights, to be exact. For this two night stand, Derek Smith brought the beats – and a full band, equipped with keyboardists Bor, trombonists, trumpeters, a Hammond Organ, a mixer and a drummer. And quickly, you remember why it’s called the ‘Pretty Lights Family’ – it features Scott Flynn of John Brown’s Body, Lettuce’s Eric Bloom and both members of Break Science. – at the very least. And we can’t forget, Lightning Director Greg Ellis, but you might know him better as LazerShark – and does that guy ever live up to his name!
For the next two hours, hundreds of eager ears danced their cares away until New Years Eve Day on a musical high that you can honestly only get from real instruments. There’s something in their tonality, the depth, the layering, the colors of the notes and harmonies they create. Nowadays within EDM, were so accustomed to a one man show – but we forget that traditionally, culturally, historically – music has been a multifaceted, artistic vehicle that encompasses the community and brings it together, in celebration; and Pretty Lights did just that. After the show, we forgot about the blustering wind and frigid weather while reminiscing on the beauty and wonder of the PL Live Band; a perfect pre-party for the main event.
Overnight, the wind subsided and the New Years Eve excitement was palpable as the sun rays broke through the window. Puffy white clouds dotted a surprisingly bright blue sky as the last moments of 2014 dissolved in front of us. During the day, we gallivanted around Crissy Field and over the Golden Gate Bridge – dishing on our favorite moments on the night and eager to feast on the main course of music. The sun slipped into the Pacific Ocean while spirits soared simultaneously from each corner of the city.
Strolling up to the second night of Sea of Dreams, the mood was elevated and enlightened, overflowing with ostentatious costumes and enigmatic personalities. Tonight was the big night; hello, 2015! If the main room was the main course, the small rooms may as well have been decadent appetizers that could fill you to the brim. Off to the right side of Bill Graham, the aptly named Trapeze Room was in full swing – fully equipped with life burlesque performances from local favorites Meka La Crème, Elektra Cute, Olivia Bellafontaine, Mojo Deville, Hunny Bunnah, Iza L Vamp, Tonya Kay Jay Siren and Miss Emma Nation. Throughout the night, DJs from The Gentlemen Callers of LA, Jazzy Fox, The Bellhop, Delachux and The Klown delighted party go-ers with the delectable rhythms of Electro Swing until the late hours of the morning. If you took a few steps back, the Silent Disco was getting a quiet groove on with the likes of Matt Haze, Analog Disco, DJ Phleck and DJ Mancub – just to name a few. On the flip side, there were some Funky Deep House and Disco vibes being tossed around jubilantly in Larkin Hall. An eclectic array of artists – from Dirtybird’s Worthy and the Fort Knox Five to Sea of Dreams’ own Robbie Kowal as Motion Potion – delivered exceptional sets to eager fans, lapping up celebratory drinks and reveling in style on the dancefloor.
Descending onto the main dance floor was a treat in itself; decorations adorned the ceiling while live painters and artists from Anthony West to Gregorio de Masi lined the walls, finishing the musically influenced masterpieces they began the night before. Mikey Thunder opened the night, followed by the funky freshness of Lettuce. Beats Antique came out swinging with animated set, more exuberant than their Creature Carnival Tour. Live performers including Zoe Jakes writhed to a bass heavy take on world music, with group members David Satori on the violin and Tommy “Sidecar” Cappel on the drums. For the second time in as many nights, the Pretty Lights Music Band reminded the crowd what dance music should truly be about – musicians and artists collaborating on the creative process, the end result – pure magic. Lightning Director LazerShark outdid himself, as the room filled was once again bombarded with the salacious sounds of a menagerie real instruments. I can’t stress how wonderful it is to hear the color a brass section produces or the emotions an organ can convey. As Derek and the band flowed through old (and personal) favorites like Hot Like Sauce and Keep Em Bouncing, I actually forgot that we’d just seen him the night before; it was a completely different vibe, but the same musical prowess and passion.
Whether it was the exceptional talent presented by the Pretty Lights Full Band, a desire to head home after the midnight ball drop or the almost poetic lull of music after Pretty Lights as the stage was discombobulated and reconfigured in front of our eyes – the crowd seemingly disappeared at 1:30; only to be slowly drawn back to the dance floor as Flying Lotus took the stage. The 2am crowd at Sea of Dreams had a mystique to them, a twinkle in their eye and an extra bounce in their step. As the music picked up, a hushed tone settled over the room; bodies at rest were revived and reinvigorated by the subtle tonality of near binural beats layered over intelligent lyrics. Dancing suddenly felt more like reacting as the low end frequencies emanated from my head down to my toes. We stood there, eyes transfixed on the cube come to form in the center, projection mapping psychedelically warping our minds. The lyrics wrapped their way around our skulls and into our memory, while the projection mapped visuals manifested, fractled and spiraled into and out of control. Tl; dr: my mind was blown.
Like a select other festivals that boast permaculture and collaboration through societal progress – Sea of Dreams is about more than just the music; it’s about the culmination of a music and collaborative community that embrace it. I spent the two nights of SOD celebrating with good friends old and new, festival friends that I’d made at Lightning in a Bottle and new friends just as thrilled as we were to rock into the New Year surrounded by exceptional artists, visionaries and peers. With the menagerie of live musicians that graced the main stage we’re seeing true musicians push back against the stigma – displaying their instrumental prowess as well as their exceptional production skills on the same scale. it’s a different crowd, a different edge of the venn diagram that EDM lovers mingle between. For once, the ‘Dance’ was rightfully thrown back into the moniker ‘Electronic Dance Music’ and was sweet music to all of our ears. It’s been said that how you spend your New Years Eve is indicative of how your year is going to be, and if so – the dance community is in for quite a treat this year.
To take a gander at the breadth of the photos from Sea of Dreams, head over to The DJ List’s Photo Gallery or our photographer Daniel Leist’s Gallery.
For more information on Pretty Lights and Sea of Dreams, check out their socials –
One of the few natural amphitheaters on the globe, Red Rocks Amphiteater in Morrison, Colorado manifested from enormous sloping rock monoliths that have been carbon dated back to the Jurassic Period – complete with sea serpent, flying reptile and marine reptile fossils from over 160 Million Years ago. The Rocks have been called many things, like ‘Garden of the Angels’ and ‘Garden of the Titans’, and at one point, Red Rocks was considered one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the World‘. Anyone who’s been there, including me, will vehemently agree with that statement.
As Dance Music continues to dominate the music industry, the landscape of musical acts at Red Rocks has shifted accordingly; and now that we’re in 2015 – ‘Pop’ has become pseudo-synonymous with EDM. If you’ve been living under a Rock, or at least living under ‘Rock and Roll’ – EDM is an uber generalized term for the bass heavy, synth rich Dance Music you hear coming from those Tweens, 20-anythings and young professionals in the car next to you… or, at the gym, on the sidewalk or in a State of the Union address. Honestly, it’s just everywhere at this point. And that includes Red Rocks.
“Over the 50 years, the biggest and brightest pop stars in the music industry have graced the Amphitheater stage…” – but even that’s a loaded statement. For some, ‘Pop’ is the culmination of redundant records on the radio, for others, it’s the ‘Sound of the Youth’ and even then – you can just make the argument that ‘Pop’ is simply what sells. All statistics aside, ‘Pop’ is a simple, watered down version of the complexities of ‘Underground’ Dance Music that’s made acceptable for approval by the masses. Starting in the 60’s, fans at the Rocks bore witness to the musical genius of The Beatles, The Grateful Dead, John Denver, Fleetwood Mac, Rush and Jimi Hendrix. This is the location where U2’s fabled ‘Under a Blood Red Sky‘ was filmed. As we catapulted into the 90’s – Rock Bands from Dave Matthews, Incubus and Oasis to A Perfect Circle, Phish and Colorado’s own The String Cheese Incident have all hosted musically monumental events at Red Rocks.
As we ushered in a new millennium, Red Rocks witnessed a parallel changing of the guard. In addition to raucous rock and roll evenings, the night air at Red Rocks is filled with the delirious, delectable Electro sounds from industry greats – for at least one night a year. In 1999 local radio station KTCL hosted the first ‘Rave on the Rocks‘ with The Chemical Brothers and Fatboy Slim; and in, 2000, Moby became the first solo EDM artist to perform at Red Rocks. Rave in the Rocks eventually disintegrated and reappeared as Global Dance Festival – a recurring, now multiday, Music Festival at the Rocks in the Summer. And let’s not forget, the grounds also play host to annual events like Punk at the Rocks, ‘Reggae on the Rocks’ ‘Opera on the Rocks’, The Mayor’s Jazz Festival and more.
As the decade wore on, there were spotted dance acts including Paul Oakenfold in 2002, Daft Punk in 2007 and STS9 starting in 06 (who never left the bill, and trust me – no one is complaining about that!) but the only real EDM show in town was Global Dance. It wasn’t until 2011 that the people of Morrison were truly taken for a spin. Yes, it’s true that there were more shows in general – jumping from 74 events in ’08 to 98 in ’11, but a larger proportion of acts also had deep roots in EDM. In one concert season, ears and eyes feasted on Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, The Glitch Mob, Thievery Corporation, Benny Benassi, and LMFAO – a 700% increase in solo performance EDM nights at the venue compared to previous years. The amount doubled the next year, with 2 nights of Bassnectar and Pretty Lights (not combined, mind you, I would have known about that one…), Avicii, Kaskade, Skrillex, and Justice in addition to previous performers. And it was only uphill, or downhill, from there – depending on how you want to look at it.
Between graduations, Festivals, Concerts and community events – 2014 has been the heaviest scheduled event season ever at Red Rocks with over 150 Scheduled Events – and over 10% of them were EDM. From Flux Pavillion to Zeds Dead, Global Dance to 2 nights of Skrillex, it went off this Summer at the Rocks. Red Rocks even went HARD thanks to Gary Richard’s – and now, the city of Morrison wants us to go home.
The first time there was a crack down on the musical mayhem at Red Rocks it was almost 50 years ago. Back in the 70’s, a rowdy group of Jethro Tull fans changed the game for the next five years as non-ticket holders attempted to crash the festival – this led to a ban on ‘heavier sounding’ acts that was finally dropped in ’75. And now, it’s happening again. The heavy metalhead turned dubstep producer and most epices of DJs, Bassnectar literally brought the noise – busting out his own speakers and incurring over $100,000 in fines at the Rocks – on multiple occasions. Over time, this pushed the residents of Morrison– and then the city of Denver – to enact a new noise ordinance on the area. In a tour de force, the music community came together to help contribute to the atrocious fine as well as speak up in support of his decision to be heard loud and clear, but that doesn’t change how the legislators and residents feel.
In 2013, the city of Denver imposed several sound regulations over Red Rocks. And now again in 2015, we’re witnessing yet another schedule heavily riddled with EDM and a city with residents that want the genre banned all together. Set in motion at the beginning of the year, there are some new regulations for artists to take notice of. Instead of having a to tone down the music, 2013’s music regulations are now extended to the entire set. The entire show must be at or below 105 dB for one minute averages, and the bass levels are limited to 125 dB between 25 and 80 Hz for one minute averages. The weekday music curfew has been moved a quarter of an hour back to 11:45 pm, and on weekends – the music has to shut off by 12:30am. The sound levels are measured independently by the city’s equipment at the Front of House, and performers can be fined $10,000 for every five times the one minute dB limit is surpassed – not to mention $5,000 for every half hour they go over curfew. Going into effect January 1st, the new laws stipulate that the City of Denver has the authority to ban any offending artist for the subsequent concert season.
Though some artists aren’t happy, others – including Pretty Lights labelmate Michal Menert don’t seem to take issue:
As an audiophile myself, I whole heartedly agree. Though there’s a lot of music I love listening to loud and proud, when you change the volume on any song – you’re presented with new nuances in tonalities and melodies, a novel way of interpreting the melodies and a richer understanding of the song. Generation Y, Y-Not, or Generation NOW seems to disagree – and has brought an influx of music that effortlessly blends together in a barrage of bass defaced by drops. When you add that on top of rocks that are already breaking apart and falling on fans, well, you’re going to have a bad time. So, bring on a new era of music at the infamous rocks and let’s see how (or if) this season’s musicians – including Adventure Club, Excision, Chromeo and Odesza – fare under new regulation.
Do you live in Morrison or does your city have amplification regulations?
Are you a musical artist that feels slightly devalued by their sonic restrictions or do you merely see this as a minor obstacle?
Or, are you a fan that just likes your music loud, bass filled and proud?
What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below?
Pomona Fairgrounds
1101 W. McKinley Ave.
Pomona, CA, 91768
18 to Dance | 21 to Drink
Music starts at 11 AM Saturday and Sunday, ends at 11PM
Back in 2008, a small event called HARD Haunted graced the Shrine Exposition Hall in Los Angeles, and ever since: the dance music scene in Southern California has never been the same. This year’s Day of the Dead marks my 4th Halloween spent with the HARD family – two at HARD Haunted, now my second at Day of the Dead; and it’s a holiday that I personally wouldn’t have any other way. Over the last few years, HARD has migrated all across the greater Los Angeles area – from The Shrine to the Hollywood Palladium, Downtown LA’s State Historic Park and now in their 7th year, they’ve landed some mad luck with the new location at the Pomona Fairgrounds. It’ll be my first time there for anything, so I’m excited to for this new journey that we’ll all be taking together. Since we’ll be at the Fairgrounds, it’s only proper that we act accordingly – and that means Zip-Lining across the festival grounds, an awesome Ferris Wheel dubbed the Century Wheel, and The Typhoon – an awesome looking carnival coaster. And as always, there will be loads of merch stands and over a dozen different food vendors, ready to cater to every type of dietary need: vegan, vegetarian and carnivore.
Over the last few years, as EDM Festivals have been held under exponential scrutiny – HARD has drawn a line in the sand in a push for more mature dance events; their festivals are an 18+ adventure that frowns on ‘Cuddle Puddles’, rave lights, pacefiers and face masks. For some, this might feel slightly disillusioning and a blow to their perceived individuality at said events; but at the end of the day, it’s not just about image but safety, for the patrons as well as the festival itself.
Make sure you have your essentials: ID, Credit Card, Cell, Cash, Robot Ears and Good Vibes.
and some The Pomona Fairgrounds are pretty expansive, with two days and 5 stages to visit you’ll want to opt for comfortable shoes over fancy footwear.
Layers are your friend: It’ll get to almost 80 during the day, but prepare for some blustery wind and nighttime chills. I mean, Winter is coming.
Regardless of weather, if you’re dancing a storm you’re gonna sweat – remember Water is your friend; fill up often and make sure everyone in your crew does the same
Earplugs might dull the bass, but when you’re older – you’ll thank us.
The Buddy System – there’s something said for flying solo at a festival, but if you’re in a group make sure you have a meeting point and a bestie.
[Click to Enlarge]
This year, CamelBakcs and GoPro’s have the Green Light, but as I was saying earlier – there’s a pretty expansive list of Don’ts; besides the very obvious ones (no outside food, no outside alcohol, no ins and outs, no weapons, etc…), here are the highlights for you pretty party people, and then a few from me.
NO Masks
NO Laser Pointers
NO LED Gloves or LED Microlights used for Light Shows
NO Markers, Pens or Spray Paint
NO Large Chains or Spiked Jewelry
NO Balloons, Balls, Inflatable Balls or Frisbees
NO Tents, Large Umbrellas, Chairs or Blankets
NO Stuffed Animals or Dolls (Including Plush Backpacks)
NO Kandi Bracelets or Kandi Necklaces
NO Electronic or Vapor Cigarettes
NO Wubs
NO Totems
NO Bad Attitudes
Mobile App
As a tried and true Techie, I have immense respect for Music Festivals that respect the 21st Century. HARD DOTD’s interactive and immersive mobile app for Android and iPhone is the perfect combination of festival fun and ergonomics, right in the palm of your hand. On the top, you can see the current temperature at the festival and at the bottom there’s a lovely little countdown window, tick-tocking away until the gates open on Saturday morning. Click through the tabs on the left, and you’ll have access to the HARD Mixtapes that have been slowly but surely appearing on Soundcloud, directions to the Pomona Fairgrounds, a site-map and the opportunity to make your own schedule and navigate unexpected time conflicts as you peruse the lineup. There’s assorted details like Set Times, Stage, Artists Details and Socials and last, but certainly not least, you can set a timed reminder so you don’t miss your favorite artists; GENIUS. Between the running tally’s of most anticipated sets and most liked artists through the API, if you pop over to the Discover tab you’ll see the latest and greatest trends – which directly correlates to the biggest potential crowds.The only thing missing from the Official App is something like FireChat, a mobile texting technology that’s proven useful for off the grid events like Burning Man and then gained international notoriety during the recent protest in Hong Kong. The app creates a network of phones that can still communicate with each other on the festival grounds even if they can’t upload their latest Snapchat or Selfie. #Priorities
Scheduling Conflicts and Highlights
Gaining acclaim under the DJ moniker Destructo, Gary Richards – HARD’s proverbial Fairy Godmother – once again outdid himself on the event this year. To curate artists – not just for the event, but for each of the five stages (HARD, HARDER, Pink, Purple and 7UP) for both days, for a specific feel – takes a vision, drive, passion and respect for his peers. That said, if you’re a Tech head, you’ll probably end spend Saturday at the Pink Stage and Sunday at the Dirty Bird on the Purple Stage. Want to get your wubs on – just Enter The Void with RL Grime’s Pink Stage on Sunday. Feeling experimental? Dive into Saturday’s Purple Stage.
Saturday
On a personal level, there are so many great acts on both days, it’s easy to just get lost in the schedule. I was turned on to acts like Sweater Beats and Shakehips at Do LaB events, so it’s awesome seeing them represented here as well. Sweater Beats has a bunch of new tracks that I’ve been lusting over lately, so fingers crossed I get to hear ‘Dark Matter’ live. I love Seven Lions, so that’s a no brainer; between him and Bassnectar, maybe I can even pick up a few hair tips. ! I’ve been crossing my fingers for no conflicts and on Saturday there’s really only one (well, I guess technically, it’s two): Pretty Lights, TEED and ZHU are all overlapping and making my life difficult. I’ll be getting a double dose of PL over New Years Eve for Sea of Dreams, and this is ZHU’s North American debut – so I’ll probably skip PL – head to TEED then ZHU, but man…that’s a tough one; and it’s easier said than done. (Have you ever seen Pretty Lights live, I mean, WOW). To end Saturday night, I’ll be getting weird in Mau5ville as Prydz and Deadmau5 head back to back for an epic two hour dance off. I should apologize to Jamie Jones, Knife Party, Araab MUZIK and Odesza now before it’s Saturday because I won’t be leaving that main stage once those two start going off…
If you’re going for only one of the days – I’d pick Sunday. Between the Dirty Bird BBQ on the Purple Stage which promises surprise guests and back to back sets, RL Grime’s Enter the Void on the Pink Stage and a closing set from the man, the myth – the epic hair himself, Sir Bassnectar – the only act that compares in any way on Saturday is the epic Mau5 off: Eric Prydz vs DeadMau5. And that’s some real talk. There’s actually so much musical win on Sunday that I have a bit of anxiety, three times over. First, I have to pick between Eats Everything and RL Grime….at the end, Claude vs Bassnectar but the worst is that Zeds Dead, Cashmere Cat and Booka Shade are on within 10 minutes of each other on the HARDer, Pink and 7Up Stage. And the cherry on top of the ice cream sundae? I finally get to Trop til I Drop with Thomas Jack – I was so bummed to find out he wouldn’t be at Lightning in a Bottle this year (visa issues, I believe) that it’s about damn time I get to see him live.
Shiba San, Purple Stage, 3:30
Aeroplane, 7Up Stage, 4:10
Big Gigantic, HARD Stage, 5:00
Thomas Jack, 7Up Stage, 6:00
Eats Everything, Purple Stage, 7:15
RL Grime, HARD Stage, 7:20
Zeds Dead, HARDer Stage, 8:30
Cashmere Cat, Pink Stage, 8:35
Booka Shade, 7Up Stage 8:40
Claude VonStroke, Purple Stage, 9:45
Bassnectar, HARDer Stage, 9:45
For last minute details, interviews and more – keep it locked on The DJ List; for more information about HARD and their upcoming events, try their socials:
“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 mooncelebrations. 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.
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.”
“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
“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!”
“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!”
“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.
This past weekend, over 400,000 smiling faces graced the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for three nights of what can only be described as a whirlwind combination of friendly faces, massive bass, eclectic costumes and immense, immersive stages. Now in it’s 18th year – Pasquelle Rotella and Insomniac Events have been bringing people together under the beautiful, electric sky for a night of magic, mystery, euphoria and the most beautiful type of mayhem you’ll ever encounter. From it’s humble beginnings in San Bernadino and Los Angeles, to the massive scale festival that’s now situated just beyond the bright lights of Las Veags – EDC has become an internationally renowned festival; and the Insomniac Team has it’s more than earned those bragging rights.
Between the 8 permanent stages of music and mobile art carts traversing the grounds, there was literally something for everyone. neonGARDEN played host to the Deep and Tech House DJs for the night, and was hosted by the man, the myth and the legend Carl Cox the first two nights and hosted the likes f Claude VonStroke, Dusky, Art Department, Adam Beyer, Booka Shade, Maya Jane Coles and Eats Everything. The circuitGROUNDS brought in some of the more bass heavy, electro house like Afrojack, Sander van Doorn, Dada Life, Bingo Players and my personal favorite, Prydz. Even though there were some stand outs in the line-up for me, Martin Garrix would be enough for me to avoid the circuit like the plague on the first night and any stage hosted by Avicii is reason enough for me to meander elsewhere.
Bassrush hosted the BassPod and brought in crowd favorites like 12th Planet, Infected Mushroom and Seven Lions for the first two nights. On the last night, the BassPod boasted a co-curated stage with Andy C’s Ram Records for one of the most epic nights of Drum and Bass I’ve ever seen stitched together with Wilkinson, Loadstar, SubFocus, Netsky….um, yeah. Swoon. In what I consider a monumental move, HARD is back at EDC for it’s second year with a curated stage – bringing in a Dubstep, Electro House, Bass heavy…well, party. They’re covering all the genres with eclectic artists like Diplo, Justin Martin, Oliver, Madeon, Flosstradamus, Knife Party, Chromeo, Brancez, A-Trak, Zeds Dead, Dillon Francis, Bassnectar, What So Not and HARD’s founder Destructo. And for the first year, the DiscoveryProject itself was expanded to encompass costume design, stage design and art installations in addition to DJs and producers.
I consider music my religion, so when I discovered that the kinesticFIELD – the main stage of EDC – had been completely redesigned into a cathedral – the DJ booth was giant pipe organ, adorned by two massive owls with outstretched wings. At over 440 feet wide and 80 feet tall, this is the largest stage in Insomniac history. As I burrowed through pictures on social media – my heart swooned almost as fast as the FOMO set in; yes, I get claustrophobic, sure Las Vegas would’ve been expensive this weekend, and maybe I’m not exactly all the way recovered from my amazing weekend at Lightning in a Bottle. So what?! Oh, man – that’s when I knew I was really missing out on something. It was the first time since EDMBiz ended that I really felt the need to physically be in Vegas for EDC. Through an on-point digital partnership with 7Up, EDC live streamed select stages for ‘EDC Curated’ as a way to indulge those of us that couldn’t attend the spectacle – and I’m so thankful they did! As part of this global consciousness, it’s a great reminder for those of us that’ve been part of this ‘scene’ or whatever you want to call it that we really are connected by the music; and that’s a formidable bond. My first EDC was the last festival held in San Bernadino and my last EDC was the first held in Vegas; the event and the community that engulfs it have become a family and within that, a second home for me. So even though I wasn’t there, it was near impossible to not feel like I was still part of the event.
From stilt walkers to aerial artists, winged fairies and masked marathon dancers – the troupe that Insomniac brings in rivals the high octane energy of each and every smiling face in attendance. Over 400,000 people from 40 different countries and all 50 states came together to experience the epic 3 night event, and for everything potentially lost in the Vegas desert – from cell phones to wallets, id cards and brain cells – with the new friends and a welcoming community, I guarantee much more was found.
If you’re fighting against the grain this Monday, wishing you were in Vegas or itching to get back – I’m pretty sure these EDC sets will help you coast through until 5pm. Enjoy! 🙂
Vendors adorned the walls, while live painters – including West Coast Festival favorite Ngene – were catalyzed by the creativity that was rotating through.
we simply couldn’t have asked for a better follow-up act for Lucent Dossier. For the final hours at Club Nokia, worlds collided and the weird went pro – as Lucent Dossier troupe leaders joined in on the stage antics for MartyParty and I have to say, I hope this fusion of live entertainment and music transcends into more and more shows.
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 
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, 
Gaining acclaim under the DJ moniker Destructo, Gary Richards – HARD’s proverbial Fairy Godmother – once again outdid himself on the event this year. To curate artists – not just for the event, but for each of the five stages (HARD, HARDER, Pink, Purple and 7UP) for both days, for a specific feel – takes a vision, drive, passion and respect for his peers. That said, if you’re a Tech head, you’ll probably end spend Saturday at the Pink Stage and Sunday at the Dirty Bird on the Purple Stage. Want to get your wubs on – just Enter The Void with RL Grime’s Pink Stage on Sunday. Feeling experimental? Dive into Saturday’s Purple Stage.
The Bouncy Kitty 
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