Elements Lakewood 2018 Viking Funeral: BURN ALL YOU WISH TO LEAVE BEHIND

Just after sunset Sunday, May 27th we invite you to burn all you wish to leave behind at our Viking Funeral. At 9:00 PM sharp, we'll gather to set unruly baggage ablaze on the lake of Elements Lakewood.

We will provide a variety of stationery for you to jot down anything you long to cast away - your old nose-picking habit, names of two-timing ex-lovers or anything you wish to leave in the past. We'll fill the canoe with our notes and shove it off into the lake. An archer will launch a flaming arrow, burning the canoe and its contents into the lake. 

Shortly after the burn, join a lakeside fire conclave with entrancing performances leading up to the festival's closing ceremony. (Hint hint- it'll be big, bright and LOUD)

Elements Lakewood 2018 Air Stage Design by Ilya Barannikov

Presenting: the spellbinding design for this year's Air Stage at Elements Lakewood by visual artist, stage, and furniture designer Ilya Barannikov. The stage is equally as enchanting as the music and moments that will soon surround it. Imagine yourself deep in the forest of Elements Lakewood, following the pulsating sound of the music and stumbling upon this massive structure. You begin studying all its intricacies. And all the while it's looking back at you. 

Before Elements Lakewood, we sat down to speak to the artist on his inspirations. "I was very excited to be asked to design the Air Stage at Elements Lakewood, the venue, production and crowd are all top notch, so I wanted to do something really magical. Since the location is set amongst the trees in a very natural environment, I wanted to create something with a lot of organic lines and textures, giving the impression that the musical artists are performing from this living, conscious thing. I try to push the stage designs I do past simply being decoration, and hopefully engage the people who interact with it, to create a dynamic visual accompaniment for the amazing music that is so important to all of us" Barannikov. 

We encourage you to get to know the artist before the festival by checking out more of his inspiring work. You never know- you very well may have already danced at one of his stages!   

Heart-On Tantra & Conscious Intimacy Workshops at Elements Lakewood 2018

Rachel Santos is an expert in Taoism and the Classic Tantric Arts. It's her mission to educate the masses on consent communication and to promote a lifestyle that aligns oneself with the universe's underlying principles of yin and yang.  This year, she'll be sharing her knowledge with us through her workshop that she presents at festivals around the world, Tantra TeaTime and Cuddles + Consent Class.

What are the Classic Tantric Arts?

The Tantric Arts are an ancient tradition practiced in many cultures, which aim to enlighten through meditation and to create intimate unions in relationships.  In Western civilizations, the Tantric Arts have shifted focus to emphasize sexual union as one of the ways to reach enlightenment. However, only a small portion of the Tantric Arts use sex to become one with the divine. The Tantric Arts as a whole deal with allowing all feelings to be met with equal acceptance and for each individual to become deeply sensitive to their feelings and the feelings of others. 

Why practice the Classic Tantric Arts?

You are likely already aware of conversations around consent in the festival community and our world as a whole coming to the forefront. We believe consent and intimacy in all relationships are of the utmost importance and want to create a safe space for every person that enters the gates of Elements Lakewood. We'd like you to leave the festival with a deeper sensitivity to the feelings of those around you. 

Enter The Immersive Igloo at Elements Lakewood 2018

One Time at Elements Lakewood

Finding yourself sharing ideas with new friends in plush meditative lounges, joining in parades of animated performance artists and stumbling upon interactive installations deep in the forest is usually where the most meaningful festival memories are made. We encourage you to enter Avant Muse's Immersive Igloo for a unique audio-visual experience.

The Immersive Igloo is an interactive play space that provides a one of a kind audio-visual experience. Enter the Igloo and embark on a 3D spatial journey through sound. Meditating and healing are what this experience is all about. 

WHY TRY SOUND BATHING?

Sound bathing soothes overstimulated nervous systems and aligns our physical body and our energetic body-  a term used to describe where our life force exists. Sound bathing has been used to help heal depression, anxiety, chronic pain, insomnia and to deepen our capacity for meditation and creativity.  

WHAT TO EXPECT?

1.  First, you will lay on the floor in supported savasana (corpse pose) to begin your meditative listening exercise. 
2. Bringing a matt or a blanket into the Igloo is helpful to create an extra snug space.
3. You might feel like laughing. Or crying! Sound baths help us let go of emotions we've held onto unconsciously so allow yourself to be vulnerable.  Experiencing a bout of uncontrollable giggles is also common. 
4. Ease back into the noise of the festival slowly. Take ten minutes to adjust after exiting the Igloo and reflect on your experience. 

Firewalking: Elemental Empowerment at Elements Lakewood 2018

One Time at Lakewood...

WHAT IS FIREWALKING?

Firewalking is the practice of walking barefoot over something such as hot stones or wood ashes, often as part of a traditional ceremony. It has been used in many cultures in all parts of the world, with the earliest known reference dating back to Iron Age India – c. 1200 BC. Now, you can participate in Firewalking at Elements Lakewood!

WHY SHOULD I TRY FIREWALKING?

Elemental Empowerment Firewalking aims to support Art and Music Festivals by educating and empowering the young people that attend. Firewalking offers an array of benefits including pushing yourself to overcome fears, expanding your comfort zone and building self-trust and awareness. 

HOW CAN I SIGN UP?

Firewalking classes will have a 250 person cap, so if you're interested, be sure to sign up fast! We expect this to fill up quickly. Sign up below or at the festival at the Misinformation Booth!

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Firewalk presentation will require a minimum of 2 hours 
• All firewalk participants must sign a liability waiver and get a wristband or stamp to walk
• Our firewalking presentation is SAFE- Our instructors top priority is fire safety. There will be multiple certified instructors present to ensure you are safe while you conquer the elements. 

Everything You Can Climb at BangOn!NYC's Warehouse of Horrors 2017

A night out with BangOn! is guaranteed to elevate you and all your senses. That's because feelings of elation intensify tenfold when you're ten feet above the party. 

Let's explore all the things you can climb at Warehouse of Horrors 2017 before we gear up for the annual celebration Saturday, October 28th. 

THE LOTUS

Eric Coolidge and his team at Eagle Rock Studios are masters of transforming steel into custom-made dance apparatuses. Their large-scale structures and art cars have traveled across the country following music all the way from grungy Brooklyn warehouses to the dusty playa of Black Rock City.

The Lotus features a second floor, a slide and ample space to make yourself comfortable inside. 

THE BOOMBOX

The Boombox design is a nod toward the urban music culture we so love to celebrate. And handing your drink off to a friend, ascending the ladder and gazing down at the madness ensuing below is a BangOn party staple. (also makes for a fabulous photo op)

BANYAN BAR

When global stamina supplier, Red Bull teams up with leaders in innovative design like Arch Productions, the only obvious outcome is an ivy-covered oasis on wheels. 

Stop in for a delicious cocktail or climb up to the second story and make new friends. Either way, this mobile work of art will leave a lasting impression.

THE COSMIC HOURGLASS

The intent to capture the lightheartedness of youth built our Cosmic Hourglass.The urge to climb, touch and explore everything never actually fades. So we asked Christopher Miles to fashion us a LED-adorned structured that welcomes this kind of behavior with open arms. 

THE ATLANTIS

Powerful enough to house Poseidon, the Atlantis has acted as a stage for countless talented artists as well as provided guests a spiraling staircase to climb. We encourage daredevil guests to venture up and get down with their favorite artists. 

GOD ANTENNA

For the more adventurous, there's the God Antenna. This massive structure has graced each industrial venue we've transformed and planted its roots in Lakewood's grassy fields. Everywhere it's traveled, there's always been a group of climbers thankful for the view.

NYC Promoters Team Up to Curate Camp Bisco's Renegade Stage

This year’s installation of Camp Bisco presented something vastly different than years prior. Instead of slowing the energy down after typical 1 or 2 AM curfew hours, Bisco decided to turn up a notch with its first official Renegade Stage in the RV lot. Each night Brooklyn-based promoters Sermon, Mr. Bugsly, and Good Looks drew the crowd from the festival and kept us in the RV lots until the wee hours of the morning.

Thursday: Sermon Takeover

The frenzy towards the RV lot began almost immediately after the headliners finished up each night. After GRiZ on night one,Sermon brought acclaimed artists from the Brooklyn bass community, including Esseks, Of The Trees, Ethan Glass,IX, and a surprise prime-time Space Jesus B2B Digital Ethos set.

The crowd and shenanigans that took place were truly next level. The audience was packed with attendees flailing totems, whipping around mesmerizing LED smarthoops and dancing as if they just won the lottery.

Friday: Mr. Bugsly Takeover

Night Two was swarmed following Bisco’s headlining sets from Bassnectar and Shpongle. Mr. Bugsly chose to present a style left-field of recognizable bass music. Up-and-coming producers Kill Them With Colour,  Birocratic, ye., and octbr showcased a tropical house / feel-good style, which provided a soothing and interesting change in atmosphere, especially after the mental discombobulation that occurs from a Bassnectar / Shpongle set. Bugsly saved the heaviest energy for its most hardcore attendees, those that stuck around past 4am. The west-coast bass wizard Pleasure hopped on the decks, turning up the energy ten-fold and making the freaks freaky once more. Pleasure’s set consisted on nearly ALL original productions, which is a rarity and incredible display of talent in our day and age; pay attention to this guy.

Saturday: Good Looks Takeover

Good Looks Collective closed out the Stage properly. When Honeycomb took the mic, spunions and humanoids were instantly entranced by mind-blowing beatboxing skills. This dude seriously beatboxes heavier tunes than most producers could ever accomplish. Jaenga (also the owner of the Renegade Stage bus) presented an incredible live set on guitar, featuring silver body-painted dancers and CO2 guns. Jenaux and Geotheory showcased their original productions and truly lifted the collective vibe. One of the most anticipated sets from the weekend was EPROM. It’s safe to say that after his set, everyone was riveted by his sound. It was easily one of the most insane performances to take place on the lot with a crowd stretching back farther than anyone anticipated. The music kept popping till it was shut down at 5am, but that didn’t stop people from dancing to tunes still blaring in their heads.

Any Camp Bisco veteran knows that the crowd isn’t nearly through with the night until the sun’s back up. It’s safe to say Bisco’s first official Renegade Stage epitomized that over-the-top energy Bisco is recognized for. There’s no doubt that the Renegade Stage will be here to stay, one-upping its production value and sound year after year. Already counting the nights till we’re back on the Montage Mountain lot to unleash our inner freak.

Featured Image by Rivkin Photos.

How To Win Free Electric Forest Tickets For Life: Electricology & The Prize Cart

After the final acts finished up each night of this year’s Electric Forest attendees were not given much time to absorb what they’d just witnessed on stage before an intoxicatingly catchy jingle filled the air. By Sunday night of weekend two, the jubilant, booming singalong had become familiar and quite loved. It was not uncommon for guests to call out Electricology‘s “Priiiizeeee Caaaaart” song, perfectly mimicking the enthusiastic tone in the announcer's voice, hoping the crowds moving through the forest would follow suit. Some may even agree the “Prize Cart” jingle was cheered out more often than the iconic “CAAAARL”.

After Bassnectar’s set, the crowd abruptly stopped their mass exodus from the stage to pay full attention to the jingle we’d grown so accustomed to during eight days of forest. But something was different. Someone had flipped the originally mellow tune into a seriously heavy Prize Cart remix. Once again the bass hungry crowd was thrashing their bodies in sporadic dance. Watch it go down in the video below; it was easily one of the most hilarious moments from weekend two.

https://soundcloud.com/extralargepurple/prizecart https://www.facebook.com/xlpmusic/ I still can't believe they played this.

 So, let’s take a second to talk about the deeper story behind the now infamous Prize Cart.

 The Electricology team, responsible for ensuring Sherwood Forest remains beautiful during and after Electric Forest conceptualized the cart. The Prize Cart called for everyone to participate in a festival-wide competition to keep the forest clean, and of course, came stacked with goodies for hard-working winners. 

With this year’s expansion of Electric Forest into a two-weekend festival, the team inspired guests to lend a hand in keeping the forest pristine by offering those with the most “ecopoints” a chance to win rewards like FREE tickets to the forest for life.

Ecopoints were rewarded through impromptu clean up games around the forest (the PRRRRIIIIZZZEEE CAAART), turning in recyclables and trash to campground Ecozones and the Electricology store, carpooling and for composting food vendor plates, cups, and utensils… By the way, EVERYTHING received from vendors at Electric Forest is compostable. Keep this in mind for next year!

As for that unforgettable jingle though, we have Kyle Hollingsworth, The String Cheese Incident‘s keyboard wizard to thank for that. We can also send big thank yous to the teams at Vibedration, ENO hammocks and Grassroots California for sponsoring the Electricology team and supplying gifts for winners. And of course, keeping the forest beautiful and cared for.

Join the movement! You can sign up to be apart of the Electricology team in 2018 here.

Potos contributed by Silky Shots.

5 Most Anticipated Art Installations at Electric Forest

There’s more than one reason Electric Forest, the love child of powerhouse production companies Madison House Presents and Insomniac Events, is considered to be the ultimate FOMO inducing event of the summer by even the most seasoned festival-goers. The unbelievably on-point lineups, ethereal magic of Sherwood Forest, and the communal love centered around the festival are just a few things that set Forest apart from other events.

We’re always drawn to festivals by musical acts, but once we’re on the grounds scheduled set times often take a back to the enchanting atmosphere. So, let’s take a moment to delve into the minds of the installation artists that have created breathtaking attractions to be displayed in Sherwood Forest this year.

We’ve done our research and broken it down for you below, take a look at our top five must see installations!

1. Daniel Popper

South African installation and multidisciplinary artist Daniel Popper‘s production company, Pop Productions, has taken a rightfully earned leading role in creative concept design at music festivals since its formation in 2010. The company specializes in 3D lasers and LED mapping on large scale sculptures to electronic music- seamlessly combining physical and digital art to create something truly one of a kind. Popper has tackled projects spanning from a wooden fire-breathing-dragon to a 45 foot Tree of Wisdom built for the Nelson Mandela School of Science and Technology. Mr. Popper is an artist capable of flawlessly executing any design feat. 

2. Jive Joint w/ SuperTallPaul

Our second pick is likely the most hilarious experience Forest has to offer. Located deep in the woods and complete with multiple wacky characters, the Jive Joint is known for fostering endless positive shared moments between guests. Aside from making you laugh the hardest you have all year, they also cover self confidence and social building topics during performances. Audience members are encouraged to participate, so join in on the theatrical games, improvised songs and contests!

3. The Electric Dream Machine

The Electric Dream Machine installation is where you’ll want to be when the sun sets and the vibes get thick in the forest. This team of 3D projection mappers are capable of taking any space or structure and visually transforming it into an entirely new place. The effect can be quite mystifying. Their projections are playfully clever and extremely creative. Sherwood Forest is the perfect place for these talented artists to showcase their work. Catch a sneak peak of past installations here.

4. Curious Customs

Curious Customs is the brainchild of two fiercely dedicated lighting and lantern designers. They first made a name for themselves building installations for counter-culture mecca, Burning Man. The artists spend their time creating and sharing dreamlike structures at music festivals nationwide. Some of their previous works include a large scale wooden temple built in the center of the playa and a geometrically patterned clock tower. They also never turn down the opportunity create one of their famous, fairytale-like stages.

5. tHe gRaNd aRtiQuE Stage

This Los Angeles based production company specializes in creating large scale spaces that'll launch onlookers on a journey to the first trading posts of humankind. Reminiscent of the Wild West or Silk Road, this area highlights the give and take of humanity.  Come prepared to barter, trade and observe this one of a kind experience. tHe gRaNd ArtiQuE is also known for curating some after hour madness in the forest.

Though each of these incredible teams possesses a unique style, their goal to offer novel experiences for attendees rings true for each artist… And that’s likely what drew them all to Sherwood Forest. Get your tickets to weekend 2 of Electric Forest

here. 

Minus Zero Festival Brings The Heat To Vermont [Festival Recap]

With the help of Bassnectar, GRiZ, Zeds Dead and a plethora of other talented producers, Minus Zero Festival on Vermont’s Stratton Mountain tiptoed it’s way into the festival circuit on April 7th and 8th and left a massive mark. Bassheads from all over the northeast gathered to transform a quaint ski village into a bass filled winter wonderland. Hundreds packed into the village decked out in their warmest ski jackets, fuzzy animal onesies and pashminas fully prepared to ski, snowboard and congregate around a single stage just below the mountain’s peak.

Basically, it’s safe to say Minus Zero just changed everything we thought we knew about music festivals.

VENUE: 10

What was it that originally lead the masses to believe festivals are best suited for green open fields? The most thrilling aspect of Minus Zero was it’s frozen, breath taking location. There’s no exaggeration in saying the main stage was placed delicately below a snow covered mountaintop. The location brought it’s own special kind of magic to the venue. Brightside clearly agreed. During his set he called out over hypnotic bass “Yo this place feels magical as fuck. It’s not just me, right?”

No, it definitely was not just him. It’s not every festival that gives you the opportunity to let cathartic sound waves and a full blown blizzard wash over you simultaneously.

The ski lodge across from the stage provided refuge from the cold, a place to eat, drink and meet up with friends we’d lost in the crowd. During performances brave festival-goers stood on the pillars of the lodge’s balcony dancing and attempting to get a better view of the stage.

MUSIC: 8/10

Perhaps the most special musical moment of Minus Zero was during Zeds Dead. The crowd fought the blizzard to stay outside and enjoy a mixture of weird wobbles and trap tunes. An added bonus was looking up at the multitude of lasers reflecting off of the snow. They gave the illusion of multicolored glitter falling from the sky. Towards the end of their set, Zeds Dead unleashed one of their most loved tunes, “Collapse”, and a Nirvana remix of “Lithium” that had the entire crowd singing along.

On day two both YOOKiE and Brightside tested some brand new material for the crowd. Both sets were upbeat yet heavy at times. They provided all you could possibly want to warm up for some GRiZNectar maddness.

GRiZ took the stage in his typical fashion. He walked on accompanied by his right hand man, Muzzy Bearr, thanked some friendly strangers for lending him weed and delivered an hour and a half of sweet, sweet funk mashed up with gnarly dub. This was a GRiZ set that left you walking out of the venue saying to yourself “He’s just one of those artists who gets better and better each time you see them play”.

The set was packed with favorites off his newest album, “Good Times Roll”, “PS GFY” and “My Friends And I”. It also featured sprawling back and forth saxophone/guitar jam sessions between GRiZ and Muzzy- an extra treat for an already incredibly sweet set.

If you follow GRiZ on social media, you know he’s quite open about his political views. In light of last weekend’s global news he decided to bring a dose of reality to his performance. During the middle of his set the music stopped and a voice sounded, “HEY TRUMP. FUCK YOU”

Images of blimps dropping bombs filled with exploding hearts and GRiZ’s famous “love is love” visual flashed on the LED screens surrounding the artists. The funk ensued immediately after. We were gifted a dubstep remix of “Funkytown” and a sample of new Kendrick Lamar.

As his set wound down, the tension only a looming Bassnectar set could bring was heavy in the air.

The iconic bassdrop laptops were set up on stage and shouts came from the crowd as we huddled under the full moon. Anxious excitement bubbled in the pit of our stomachs as Ashton walked out, bundled up in a hooded jacket ready to bring the heat to Vermont.

The set was full of slow, sultry moments that made you want to hold someone close. But these moments didn’t last long. Attendees were quickly brought back into bass driven headbanging. He didn’t play any rare gems or specific songs off his latest album, but rather many unidentifiable remixes with a consistent trap/hip-hop theme throughout the set. Overall, it was a delightfully different side of Bassnectar. (Although he is constantly showing fans how his productions and live sets are ever-changing.)

VIBES: 10/10

While walking around the ski village you were bound to witness countless warm reunions between friends. In fact, the entire community of Stratton Mountain banned together to ensure Minus Zero Festival guests enjoyed their stay. One particular gentleman working a stand to the right side of the stage was half-dancing/ half-head banging while serving up delicious tacos with a smile. We were all just thankful to be at our intimate celebration up in the mountains. 

All in all, we highly recommend Minus Zero Festival to those who are seeking an entirely new way to experience live music. Next year when festival season rolls around you’ll want to be sure to mark your calendars. Minus Zero may be a relatively new festival but the production staff is already completely in tune with what festival goers are looking for.

Marika Hackman's New Track 'Boyfriend' Explores Cheating In Relationships

English Dirty Hit label artist, Marika Hackman‘s discography is made up of haunting melodies and lyrics containing double meaning listeners must decipher to fully appreciate. Hackman’s last full length album, We Slept At Last, explored one aspect of our dual human nature- our propensity to long for deeper connections and how we often let anxiety and doubts consume us when forging them.

But I’ve got a feeling her next project I Am Not Your Man, set to release June 2nd, is headed in perhaps a less emotionally heavy, more playful direction.

Now that Hackman has explored our predisposition for good and the temptation of evil, she’s writing about acting upon impulses and the consequences it may bring. Judgement of said actions is completely up to listeners, but I think her pre-released single Boyfriend is extremely relevant and brilliantly executed.

Like her previous work, this track tells a in depth and complicated story. It’s a rather upbeat tune that questions society’s notion of same sex cheating “not counting” in a relationship between two people of the opposite sex. She treats the song as an open letter to the object of her affection’s boyfriend, letting him know that anything he can do, she’s already done better. Hackman is clearly having a laugh at the expense of clueless men.

Laugh with her and listen below! Keep up with her Facebook for more updates on the album.

5 Best Derek Moments On Pretty Lights Live Band “Flips”

Pretty Lights has quite the mystifying stage presence. Hate or love it, Derek seems to always have a little something extra to share with his audience during live sets. More often than not what he has to say is pretty damn hilarious (even if it’s unintentional). With that being said, let’s take a minute to appreciate these amazing Derek moments overheard on the newly released Pretty Lights Live Band “flips”.

1. Out Of Time Monologue Flip 10/08/16 – “I feel like sometimes we don’t even realize we’re vessels of energy. Givin’ and takin’. Goes up a little. Goes down a little. BOUNCIN’ AROUND. If we could control our… sort of trajectory… and bounce off the right places to become energetically favorable with every fucking ricochet WHO KNOWS WHAT THE FUCK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. You know what I’m saying? Magic becomes reality. Spirituality becomes everyday life. Science becomes fuckin’ history. At least how it is now. EVERYTHING is possible. If you can imagine it, it means it’s fucking possible. That’s how the universe works. It’s not the other way around. NASHHHHVILLE……MUSIC….MUSIC.”
    
2. Yellow Bird Flip 09/24/2016 – “Ya’ll gotta have friends that inspire you. Cause you gotta bring each other UP. EACH OTHER UP. When ya’ll both get up thats called RESONANCE. Energy from nowhere, over unity, RELATIONSHIPS. Chicago. Ya’ll off the hook.”
    
3. Out Of Time Monologue Flip 10/08/16–“LOOK FOR THE PRETTY LIGHTS! TOUCH A CRYSTAL… Beauty is like a compass.”
    
4. Out Of Time Monologue Flip 10/08/16– “We’re just trying to tune in. We’re just trying to tune in. Cause everything is always so hectic… Make the energy like a fabric… Wear it.”
    
5. Out Of Time Monologue Flip 10/08/16– “Chris Karns on the…. ON THE… THE DOPE SHIT. Borahm Lee on the… right here… [Talking to Lee] You’re like the most futuristic human I know. …He knows how to …like…. take people on an idea. On a synthesizer wave. He puts lasers in crystals and tries to feel this shit.”

Pretty Lights photos contributed by Silky Shots from Telluride 08/16.

A Look Inside The Mind of Brooklyn Artist Esseks [INTERVIEW]

Esseks is the multifaceted creative project of Brooklyn artist, Sam Eckstein. Whether you’re taking in the imagery in his paintings or noting the sound design in a song he’s worked on, you’ll likely pick up on the same unearthly yet playful vibe present in all of his creations. He and his team of bass music producers, the Wakaan label, are perhaps the most influential artists in their chosen genre, paving the way for avant-garde producers and testing just how unorthodox a crowd takes their dose of bass. We had the opportunity to sit down and pick his brain before the Wakaan label touches down at Webster Hall  tonight.

GLC: How did you first get introduced to the Wakaan label and Liquid Stranger?

E: From what I remember I met him at F.A.R.M Fest around two years ago. I think he had his eye on Jasha (Space Jesus), my close friend. And through looking into Jasha, he found my music. He was looking for a kind of sound that we were all producing since we were bouncing ideas off each other. That was the sound he was looking for his label. It just worked out overtime.

GLC: What’s your favorite aspect of working with Wakaan?

E: It’s working with my friends, people I know and trust.

GLC:  What’s the inspiration behind your sound design? Do you go into creating a song knowing what you want the finished product to sound like or does it evolve as you work on it?

E: It flows. I don’t really ever go into it with a specific idea in mind. A lot of times I’ll start something and I’ll make it very complex with a ton of notes and melodies. I’ll go over the top and then I go back in, listen and start to hate how complex it is and delete a bunch of stuff. I’ll take all the pieces of the song I like and then refine it into a much simpler thing. It’s making something and then deleting 80% of it.

GLC: When you’re not working on music you also create visual art. Can you tell me more about that?

E: I paint when I’m stuck or bored making music. It’s my alternate outlet. When I’m not feeling inspired with one thing I can work on the other. And also it’s all the same expression. It’s all goofy but spooky.

GLC: You make all of your own cover art, right?

E: Yep! It’s all the same vision, expressing the same general feeling and vibe.

Sam Eckstein visual art

GLC: What’s your favorite festival you’ve experienced as a performer and an attendee?

E: The answer for both is Shambhala because it’s got the best music, the best sound systems, nine stages, a river you can swim in. I had the best time of my life there this year.

GLC: Your song Human Music got a lot of attention, especially from Rick and Morty *buuuuurppp* f-fans. If you were a Rick and Morty character, which would you be and why?

E: Probably Rick because he’s coolest. But I feel like everyone wants to be Rick. In reality I’m more of a Jerry.

GLC: Can you tell me about your musical background growing up?

E: My dad was a drummer. He never had a drum set in the house until I was in high school, I guess because he thought “the kids are gonna be gone soon so I can have this loud thing in my house now”.

I was in a band in high school, I played guitar. We wanted to sound like The Mars Volta. My friend had a laptop with ProTools he left at my house because my dad had the drum set, I had a guitar and amps and my brother had a bass. Because we would rehearse at my house, I had all of the equipment and eventually I started recording and making my own songs. More like soft rock music.

GLC: Soft rock. That’s surprising to hear considering the music you produce now. Do you still listen to rock when you’re not producing?

E: I’ve been listening to a lot friend’s music that they’re working on. Mostly I listen to comedy podcasts. I really like Your Moms House podcast by Tom Segura and the Duncan Trussell podcast. And Harmontown, the writer ofRick and Morty’s podcast.

GLC: Can you tell me about any new projects or collabs you’re working on?

E: I have a collab with Stylust Beats coming out and I have something I’m working on with Yheti and another with Kll Smith I did a while ago that’s still one of my favorites.

GLC: So for my last question, I’m going to ask you something every prospective member of the Good Looks Collective family is asked before we begin contributing to the team… What is your favorite slice pizza?

E: Hmm…Plain. I’m a plain guy.

And there you have it, folks- a look inside the man behind the musics mind. Check out this contemplation original works below so you can get a taste of what to expect from his set tonight. Grab your tickets here and stay updated with releases and upcoming shows through his Facebook.

BOOKING: gregg@rogueagency.us Sam Eckstein is a producer/musician/illustrator and member of Technicolor Lenses contributing electronic production and guitar. ALL OF THE MUSIC IS FREE but if you appreciate the music and want to contribute please feel free to donate.

BangOn!NYC Expands Annual Elements Festival

If you’ve attended Elements festival in the past, you know BangOn!NYC curates one of the most seamlessly put together day festivals in New York. Each year attendees pour into the venue anticipating psychedelic art installations, mesmerizing performance artists and electronic music spanning every genre.  Each year Elements does not disappoint.

This year, our friends at BangOn have gone above and beyond by expanding their one-day festival in Brooklyn into a weekend camping trip in Northeast Pennsylvania on Memorial Day weekend.

LINEUP

As of now, only phase one of the official Elements Lakewood Camping Festival has dropped, and we’re already bubbling with excitement. Tipper and Ott. are a match made in heaven for the glitchy bass music lover in your life. Claude VonStroke and Claptone‘s Masquerade Party are sure to satisfy any, and all house music cravings and heRobust will be in attendance to provide delicious heavy dub. Those are just our favorites, but check out the rest of this glorious line up below. (We mentioned this is just phase one… right?)

VENUE

This year Elements will take place on a sprawling green campground remote from the outside world's distractions. Complete with a vast, picturesque lake and hidden treasures sprinkled throughout the venue, this is shaping up to be an entirely transformative weekend.  The new venue will also feature on-site cabins and “theme camping.” This exciting new feature gives attendees the opportunity to bring their creativity to life within the Elements community. Themes should be interactive, consistent and original! Apply here.

ART/ACTIVITIES

The aspect that makes BangOn events truly unforgettable is their large scale sculptures, immersive art installations and the plethora of performance artists they put together each year. Elements camping festival is set to include an interactive theater, circus performances, art cars, LED installations, 3D video mapping, art galleries, and tons of vendors!

Just a two and half hour drive out of New York City, we’re sure this is the place to be this Memorial Day. Every summer BangOn! NYC’s Elements fest is a no holds barred party. When the music comes to a close, it’s, had us asking ourselves “So it’s time to find our tents and do this all again tomorrow, right”?

This summer we'll finally get the chance! Get your tickets and more information here.

5 "Must Hit" Summer Music Festivals 2017

Everyone's favorite holiday season, festival season, is quickly approaching. Can you feel it? Excitement is bubbling in the pit of live music lovers stomachs all across the country as stacked line ups drop each week and plans are set in motion between respective festie families about where they’ll end up this summer. However, it can pose quite a challenge deciding which fest is the one to hit before snagging tickets. No worries, though, because we’re here to break it down for you!

The Guaranteed Good Time: Camp Bisco

If a festival with a strong sense of community and a massive line up that still manages to keep an underground vibe is what you’re looking for, get ready to make Camp Bisco your home this July. Each year The Disco Biscuits succeed in curating the sweetest of jam bands and the most experimental in electronic music to create a weekend escape sure to satisfy everyone in your festie fam. There is definitely a consistent theme between the artists and crowd at this festival. Bisco is for those who want to get down and let their freak flag fly shamelessly. Whether it’s the water park or camping up on Montage Mountain, something about this festival unleashes everyone’s inner weirdo. It’s truly a magical place and we wouldn’t miss this summer staple for the world.Tickets are not on sale yet, but you can stay updated with the festival through their website.

The Dream Line Up: Electric Forest

We could explain why this festival is on our “must attend” list. Or you could take a look at the glorious line ups for weekends one and two of Electric Forest yourself. Seriously… it doesn’t get much better than this.

The Surging Superstar: BangOnNYC!’s Elements Lakewood Music & Art Festival

For almost a decade BangOn NYC! has been throwing unique parties and day festivals around New York City. Their events are known for extravagant, psychedelic art installations, mesmerizing performance artists and of course, fantastic live music. But this year they’ve decided to extend their one-day event that usually takes place in Red Hook, Brooklyn, into a weekend camping festival outside of the city. The new venue is about two hours outside of NYC, in lush northeastern Pennsylvania. It will feature sunrise/ sunset DJ sets on a lake, heated pools, cabins, a roller disco and a boat stage that will set sail every hour. Elements Festival has always been a summer favorite and it’s incredibly exciting to see this festival grow! Learn more and get tickets here.

The Hidden Gem: Infrasound

Not much information regarding this beautifully intimate Wisconsin fest has been released yet, but Infrasound is already making waves for its sixth year running. This festival’s capacity is usually capped around 1,500 attendees, allowing for an especially strong communal vibe. In fact, it’s highly likely you’ll run into the friends you made the night before at the main stage the next morning for a surprise sunrise set. That’s definitely what sets this festival apart. As well as each of the three stages boasting funktion-one speakers. (More bass = more fun. Right?) Stay updated through the Infrasound Facebook.

Like Nothing You’ve Seen Before: Minus Zero Festival

Minus Zero Festival is about to take everything you thought you knew about music festivals and turn it upside down. Wave goodbye to warm, open green fields and say hello to a bass filled winter wonderland. Minus Zero is taking place at Stratton Mountain Ski Resort in Vermont on April 7-9 and we’re seriously blown away by this ingenious venue idea! To further add to the excitement surrounding Minus Zero, possibly everyone’s favorite headliner, Bassnectar, was just announced on phase one of the line up last week. Since tier one tickets have nearly sold out. We can already picture it- delicate flurries of snow falling on the crowd as we’re simultaneously immersed in tantalizing sound waves and heavy bass. Check out their Facebook for more information on this one of a kind festival!

What Does EDC NY's Cancellation Mean For NYC Dance Music Community

Electric Daisy Carnival has been kicking off New Yorkers’ summer festival seasons since Insomniac Events brought their fest to Met Life Stadium in 2012. Since then, EDC NY has become one of the largest events in the New York Metropolitan Area and drawn crowds from across the nation. Which is why the 2017 cancellation announcement (by EDC founder Pasquale Rotella) stirred up some anxious feelings this could be the beginning of a decline for New York City events. But I don’t think so.

Instead of lamenting the loss of a festival with hyped-up, regurgitated line ups and lackluster communal vibes, let’s take a minute to appreciate the many aspects of NYC’s dance music community currently thriving.

You can count on exciting events being thrown in NYC every weekend. Be it up and coming producers playing intimate venues, collectives of musicians organizing nonstop warehouses parties in Brooklyn or even highly anticipated tours making their stop at one of NYC’s larger venues, there will always be people gathered to see and support live music. This is because NYC has an unmatched and incredibly passionate dance music community, constantly seeking out new talent and working to fortify the electronic music scene’s place in NYC nightlife. 

If you’re hurting over EDC NY’s cancellation and a festival with a communal vibe is what you’re looking for, we suggest checking out MysteryLand (held on the original Woodstock grounds) and Camp Bisco, which hosts musicians spanning all dance music genres. Both fests are less than a three-hour drive from the city and are sure to introduce guests to new favorite acts and create dream-like experiences. 

Lotus Brought Their Space Funk Home To The Mann Center in Philly

Lotus is a five piece jamtronic/jazz-funk group based in Philadelphia, PA, as well as Denver, CO. They’re the type of band with a tight-knit, dedicated following built through years of constant touring. Fans go to hundreds of shows to “chase” their favorite tunes, guess the set list of upcoming events weeks ahead of time and revel in the futuristic, rhythmic dance party Lotus is so loved for throwing. When it came time for their highly anticipated hometown show at the Mann Center, it was a safe bet they would play a special gig packed with favorites for their return.

Tycho, a San Francisco, CA, based ambient music project opened up for Lotus as the sun set over Philly’s skyline. Tycho sounded good but the audience’s full attention just wasn’t on the music until Lotus walked out, introduced themselves and questioned, “You guys ready to get your groove on?”

Always.

The beginnings of “Spiritualize” came together and there was an explosion of energy in the crowd. This set the bar high for the rest of the performance, but how could it shape up to be anything short of incredible with a “Spiritualize” opener? We broke out yelps, sporadic dance and I even heard a little bit of meowing. Drummer, Mike Greenfield’s energy was building on the percussion. Guitarist and sample wizard Jesse Miller hit us with a full minute of space gun synths that had me looking over at the person beside me in disbelief. Philly was getting absolutely drenched in the vibes.

Next up was a surprisingly heavy but still very pleasant “Expired Slang”. Lotus was cranking out the older tunes until they played “When Our Nerves” and “Move Too Fast” off their latest album Eat The Light. The new and old material mixed seamlessly all night but these songs in particular worked very well.

Guitarist Mike Rempel serenaded us with sexy guitar riffs through the entirety of “Blender”. “Plant Your Root” picked the tempo back up before they so effortlessly morphed back into Spiritualize for a big ole’ Lotus sandwich of a set.

The first round was fun. But set two was groovy, gnarly space funk from the moment the boys walked back on stage. There are fans who spend years chasing their favorite Lotus songs. I still can’t believe I heard all of my favorites within an hour. They brought me to church when “Flower Sermon” begun. Complete with tantalizing guitar riffs, extra alien ray gun battle noises, and that classic, flirty bass line…I am willing to bet there was not a single person able to stand still for the entirety of the twenty-minute Sermon-groove. LED string lights rapidly rained down on the band while the stage  flashed blue through heavy smoke. Bass-fueled breakdowns added some extra energy to the already thrilling song. This kept on until they gifted us the sweetest release possible.

They teased us with a little bit of “Umbilical Moonrise” guitar and everyone knew what was coming. It was an instant turn to the person next to you and tell them you love them moment. Things definitely got deep for a minute. 

The grooves picked right back up again on “Sid” and “128”.

Gabriel Otto, who is featured on multiple songs off their latest album and has been a continued presence on the Eat The Light tour joined Lotus on stage to perform vocals for a Tame Impala cover of “Elephant” to close out the show. Lotus also covered “Elephant” at their Red Rocks performance this month. Could this be an ongoing theme for the whole tour? Either way, we’re not complaining.

This was the kind of set that leaves you smiling for weeks after the fact, listening to the stream on repeat and counting the days until you see them next. I’ve already got my tickets for their back to back New York City run at the end of November. You can grab yours here.

Photos by Brady Cooling Photography.

Meet Maddy O’Neal, The Producer Supporting Pretty Lights on Dates Throughout the US

Maddy O’Neal is the refreshing change of pace the electronic music scene has been craving. Her soulful, jazz/hip-hop influenced beats instantly grabbed our attention when we discovered her at Fly Me To The Moon Saloon in Telluride, CO, during a Pretty Lights Live after party.

We were instantly entranced by Maddy’s energy on stage. Her genre-bending sound is uniquely her own and absolutely infectious. That’s probably why she’s opened up for Pretty Lights at Red Rocks Amphitheater this summer and has been a continued presence on his Episodic Festival tour. And we’re lucky she has been, or else we might not be aware of her music and we definitely would not have had the opportunity to meet her and ask her a few questions. Check out Maddy’s take on being a female producer in the industry today, why she produces the type of music she does and of course her nuttiest tour experience.

Q: What is it like being one of the few female producers in a male dominated industry?

Maddy: It is definitely interesting. I have said before its kind of like a double-edged sword. I feel like people are twice as likely to pay attention to you at first because you are part of that rare niche but also twice as likely to write you off or think or question what you actually do, so I feel like I have to prove myself a lot more. I know it’s definitely an important topic, but in my own mind, I try not to think about it too much because I want to think of myself on the same playing field as everyone else. I wanted to be respected as a producer in general, not a “female producer”.

Q: Was it harder to get your music noticed at first?

Maddy: Since I came from a male-female duo project, I feel like people were anxious to see/hear what I did on my own. I kind of felt more pressure knowing that there are ignorant people out there that were kinda waiting for me to prove myself but that pushed me a lot in a way even having that thought. That was part of the reason with this first release I do all of the production as well as mixing and mastering too. Even sang for the first time on my debut LP as well. I wanted to challenge myself, but it also was an opportunity to put any of those rumors to rest right off the bat at the same time.

Q: Who has been your biggest musical influence?

Maddy: Oh man. That is definitely a tough one… how much time we got? I can’t even say there is one person in particular, I think what brought me to where I am doing what I am doing is my open-mindedness, and seeing the way that producers have combined and defied genre boundaries. I grew up listening to a lot of indie rock and roll and blues because of my dad and brother, then moved to Colorado back in 2008 and that opened my mind up to this whole world of electronic music. I’ve been influenced by so many different things, I am just grateful I found an outlet to combine them all through producing.

 Q: How did you get into producing music/Do you play any instruments?

Maddy: Well, I grew up in a very musical family. My dad and brother are both in Rock & Roll bands and music was just kind of instilled in me as an important part of my life from early on. I dabbled playing instruments like the pain and cello growing up but never really stuck with an instrument because I was too distracted….It wasn’t until about 2010 when my brother got the Ableton software I use as a Christmas present and gave me a copy of the demo that I discovered my niche with it. I opened it up and started to mess around with mashups/ using samples. From that moment on, I was hooked and just dove in head first, using my ears and the more time I put into it the more I learned and began to develop a bit of my own sound.

Q: Why do you make the type of music you do?

Maddy: I think the most fun part about making the style of music that I do is the possibilities are really endless. I can take 4 samples from 4 completely different genres of music and collage them to work together in this crazy fusion where genre doesn’t really exist anymore. I can sit down and create a track all organically from scratch using electronic elements and synthesizers and go from there… it’s given me a lot of freedom creatively. But as long as at the end of the day I am making people feel something/ dance/ reflect, whatever that may be… that is the ultimate satisfaction.

 Q: What was it like opening up for one of the most anticipated Pretty Lights live shows at Red Rocks this summer?

Maddy: It was unreal. It still almost feels like it didn’t even happen, it went by so fast. Playing Red Rocks has been an absolute dream of mine since the beginning of making music, especially living in Colorado and being so close to the venue. It was kind of one of those all encompassing moments where everything just made sense. I posted afterwards, that it was kind of the first time that mu mom and brother really got to see what I do, and seeing the look on my moms face after the whole experience was really the coolest part- everything that I have been working towards the past 6 years finally made sense to her. That is really the best way I have to describe it.

 Q: Will you be playing with Pretty Lights again in the future?

Maddy: Yes, I am doing another date on the Episodic Festival tour with Pretty Lights October 7 in Nashville at The Municipal Stadium.

Q: What is the strangest thing you’ve ever seen happen in the crowd while playing a show?

Maddy: Hmm… haha I don’t know about the strangest but one of the scarier things was playing Wakarusa last year someone threw a joint on stage and it rolled underneath one of the monitor speakers. I looked over while playing and the speaker was smoking. I got a little freaked out for a minute.

Q: Do you have any shows planned for the East Coast? Particularly Philly?

Maddy: Not yet, but I really hope to get out there something in this next year… I’ve heard amazing things about the East Coast and a lot of the venues and people there. I can’t wait to be out there hopefully soon.

Her latest project ‘Introspect’ dropped about a month ago and features nine juicy original tracks. Listen here.  

Pretty Lights Returns To Telluride On The Episodic Festival Tour

Derek Vincent Smith, better known by stage name Pretty Lights, returned to take over Telluride, CO, along with his newly constructed live band for a surreal two days of live music. On August 26th and 27th the quaint ski town of Telluride became absolutely mobbed with the most dedicated PL fans, waiting to hear Derek play his absolute favorite location.

VENUE:

Upon my arrival it became obvious why the Pretty Lights crew holds this location especially close and encourages loyal fans to make the journey from their home states, through country roads of Colorado to end up at a place so beautiful it looks like it was dreamed up in a story book.

The seemingly untouched valley gave visitors an impactful experience. The mountains reminded me how small we really are but also of the connection we share with each other through music and nature. It was lush, alive and green. The natural beauty of Telluride and its surrounding mountains was captivating to say the very least.

NIGHT ONE & NIGHT ONE AFTER PARTY:

Pretty Lights weekend kicked off on Friday with a solo set from Derek. He opened with a version of “Country Roads” that gave the crowd a chance to reflect on our separate but equally breathtaking travels through the mountains of Colorado. A highlight of Friday’s solo set was making my way into the venue as Derek dropped his newest release, “Only Yesterday”, which features Telluride in the music video. 

 The crowd got a taste of what the new Pretty Lights live band is capable of during the second set of night one. Derek, Brian Coogan, Borahm Lee, Alvin Ford Jr., and Chris Karns teamed up to execute the most cohesive Pretty Lights live performance yet. Songs we already love had new, improvised elements that turned them into sprawling jam sessions.

The crowd really got into it during “I Can See It In Your Face”. We sang along to Derek’s spooky vocal samples and swayed to the nostalgic, vintage PL sound. Friday’s set held a ton of never heard before tunes but that didn’t stop anyone from getting down.

Of course we have to take a minute to talk about the creative genius behind the Pretty Lights team's lighting design. The outdoor venue posed an uncontrollable environment for the lights, lasers and strobes but that did not stop Greg Ellis, better known as “Lazershark” from putting on the most consistently beautiful light show in the electronic music scene.  During certain points of the show, Ellis even used the bad weather to his advantage.

 Dazzling combinations of Laser beams shot at the crowd as old favorite “Hot Like Sauce” closed out night one. Derek sent us off to our respective after parties with a reminder to stay “extra dope and respectful” of Telluride for taking the Pretty Lights family in. And this crowd genuinely was, judging by how accommodating and welcoming Telluride locals were to us visitors. I also must add that after the weekend was said and done, the venue was left in the condition it was found- clean, green and unharmed.

 Fly Me To The Moon Saloon, one of Telluride’s cozy ski town venues hosted Marvel Years, Late Night Radio and around one hundred and fifty PL fans who were just not ready for their night to come to an end. The artists kept us moving until last call and Late Night Radio surprised us with one of their special vinyl restoration sets. The venue was packed with Colorado artists and musicians, who came to get down and show support.

 NIGHT TWO & NIGHT TWO AFTER PARTY:

We bundled up and headed down the mountain in a gondola, which provided a sweeping birds-eye view of the valley and fueled bubbling anticipation for another night of Pretty Lights. There was a slight drizzle, but the rain added it’s own special magic to the evening. Lazershark was able to manipulate his lights in a way that made lasers moving across the front of the state looked like an aurora surrounding us through the fog. Lasers on either side of the stage moved up and down and reflected off the rain, giving the illusion green glitter was floating down upon us from the mountain peaks. Ellis clearly saved his craziest combinations for last.

Overall, the band sounded tighter on night two. We heard two or three songs repeated from the night before, which upset some fans because of the huge catalogue of music the band has to play. I was just happy to get down to “There Is A Light” more than once.

Night two was all about hip-hip. Break beats were plenty and live percussion gave Derek’s sound the ability to hit the crowd in a more pronounced way than a DJ set could. Karns seriously impressed the crowd on the turn tables with his record scratching expertise. Jazz/funk infused hip-hop kept coming on Derek’s “This Is How We Do” and “Numb/Encore” remixes.

The band stopped often so Derek could express his happiness to be back in Telluride. He had the crowd laughing hysterically at nonsensical one liners. We fed off his energy and it felt like a huge family affair.

Every set has a highlight and the moment that did it for us was Derek’s freestyle over a never heard before beat. He welcomed “everyone in this valley, from New York, to Colorado, To Cali” and talked about the clarity his fans and music has brought him. Next he smoothly transitioned into the “I Know The Truth”. He questioned us, “Telluride, is it in you?” and dropped the heavy beat on us. It was powerful. Dancing light and color filled our vision and were totally immersed in Derek’s sound.

The after parties on night two lived up to all expectations. We ran into up and coming producer, Maddy O’Neal, who just recently opened up for Pretty Lights at his Red Rocks Amphitheater performance. She kept the old school hip-hop vibes going and has easily become a favorite since discovering her at Fly Me To The Moon. Look out for an interview with her coming soon and be sure to check out her music here.

After, we paid a visit to the Sheridan Opera House to see Eliot Lipp team up with lighting designer JJ Henkin for a laser packed late night set- the best way to end Pretty Lights weekend.

Whether it’s the music, mountains, one of a kind light show or the love felt between fans, we’re certain this is a family gathering we aren’t willing to miss next year. Pretty Lights gave us a spiritual experience. We’d like to close by saying thank you to everyone involved in making this event possible. You made us feel.

 Get our entire Telluride album here. 

Photos contributed by Silky Shots.

 

A Camp Bisco 2016 Festival Review: “Ground Zero for Misfits”

This past weekend Montage Mountain hosted Camp Bisco for yet another year of music and unfiltered debauchery. For yet another year, Camp Bisco succeeded in culminating a year of breakout artists, veteran musicians, and simply good people. For yet another year, Camp Bisco was our home for a weekend.

Montage Mountain became ground zero for misfits. People who want to let loose without crippling judgment of normies or their everyday responsibilities. If the good citizens of Bisco know anything, it’s how to let their freak flag fly. We came, we saw, we conquered and we got down to the latest in electronic music and the absolute greatest of jam/jamtronica.

SECURITY/ORGANIZATION: 9/10

Wednesday night attendees slowly began to trickle in. Event staff knew the correct information this go around, which is a huge improvement from last year when my crew, as well as many others, were stuck waiting 11+ hours in line on foot just to enter the festival.

Shuttles carried anxious attendees and their gear into the fest. The mountain became a colorful sea of tents, tapestries, and hammocks.

Lucky campers scored spots closer to the base of the mountain, with a short walk to the water park and stages. Some had to trek their camping gear all the way up the massive rocky incline, which would be a challenge even for the stone cold sober. So, before deciding Camp Bisco is on your agenda for next year, make sure you’ve got a wagon, a few good leg work outs in, or a six pack of brew.

VIBES: 8/10

Friendships I’ll always hold close were formed because of Camp Bisco, so this festival has a permanent number one spot on my summer agenda. There’s nothing that will bring you closer with someone than lounging in the lazy river listening to your favorite DJ play the Above The Waves stage or perhaps the teamwork it takes lugging gear up the mountain.

People come to Camp Bisco for a short escape, a sense of community, and of course to vibe out to live music. But for whatever reason the people of Bisco get grungy. I fully support a good time, however, it’s a bit disconcerting when someone is so messed up they try to crawl into your tent at 7:00am to sleep off the night before. (Yes, this really happened to me. It was mortifying).

MUSIC: 10/10

NIGHT ONE

The lineup for night one was truly a thing of beauty. Just one day before the release of their new album, Lotus put on a show at Electric City, the main stage, full of crowd favorites and a never heard before song, “Sleep When We Are Dead”. It was one of those Lotus sets where you look over at your friend standing on the seats, grooving their body to the sultry bass line with the biggest smile lighting up their face when all of sudden in classic Lotus fashion the music is brought somewhere entirely different. You lock eyes and bust your funkiest dance move because although you didn’t realize it beforehand, it’s exactly the sound you’d been craving.

Right when the crowd was convinced their sprawling jam session had come to a close, the lights flashed back on and we were given one more song! They so graciously played “Eats The Light”, the first single off their new album. A large number of spectators filed out of the amphitheater to have a seat on the lawn and contemplate the overwhelming Lotus vibes and of course, to wait for The Disco Biscuits first set of the weekend.

The Biscuits pleased the crowd with an upbeat cover of “Saftey Dance” by Men Without Hats and an iridescent light show packed with lasers. No one stood still. The energy was too high because directly after this set, on the same stage, Big GRiZMatik would make their long awaited appearance on the East Coast this summer.

Unfortunately, Big GRiZMatik was a disappointment. You can tell just from watching the supergroup had fun performing but effort to put on an unforgettable show was simply not present. The set included lazy mixing by Gramatik paired with uninteresting guitar rifts by Muzzy Bearr and I’m not necessarily positive what Big Gigantic contributed aside from drummer, Jeremy Salken, carrying the percussion flawlessly for the entire set (seriously, this dude is unbelievable). If you’ve seen any of these musicians before this set, you know they’re all extremely talented. But what they gave the crowd was basically a repeat of every collaboration or single they’ve already released extended into longer jam sessions. With that much music at their disposable, why not switch it up? Why not drop new material to produce a really mind blowing set? They were headliners, after all.

NIGHT TWO

GRiZ proved himself the king of future funk while simultaneously melting faces during night two. The sax solos were undeniably sexy and the crowd responded accordingly so, especially when a James Blake cover of ‘The Wilheim Scream” dropped. Grant’s cover of “Kung Fu Fighting” had us karate chopping whoever happened to be next to us while belting lyrics in unison. This performance was the most fluid of the weekend and proved how much Grant cares about putting on an interesting set for his audience.

When the set came to an end, we were nowhere near done with the grimy funk we were just gifted. Luckily, we were in the know about a secret GRiZ DJ set in RV camping. The journey over was a long one, but it was absolutely worth it. We watched Grant DJ out of the renovated “Jaenga” bus, who partnered with Camp Disco Taco and Good Looks collective to make our Friday night bleed into the early hours of Saturday morning. People danced wildly on the roof, mass amounts of sparklers were passed out in the crowd, and we listened as heavy bass and bizarre remixes one might never expect in a GRiZ set dropped.

When the king of funk, @mynameisgriz, decides to drop some grime at his secret DJ set ... Full review up tonight. @campbisco | 📹: @katelovaglio

51 Likes, 11 Comments - The Musies (@themusies) on Instagram: "When the king of funk, @mynameisgriz, decides to drop some grime at his secret DJ set ... Full..."

NIGHT THREE

As the final day loomed over the crowd, the venue was filled with people wrapped in pashminas, covered in glitter and decked out in their very best tie dye by 1:30pm. Just in time for Colorado natives SunSquabi to serve up some of their mellow hyrdo-funk on Above the Waves stage.

The madness began later during 12th Planet. Splashing and flailing their bodies in the wave pool, the crowd was totally captivated by filthy dubstep.

The final stretch of night three called for squadding up around our hammocks set up in the venue, which we ended up sleeping in one of the three nights, to join in some light yoga. We had to be assured we were nimble and ready for RL Grime into Zeds Dead, straight into STS9 and The Disco Biscuits to close out the festival. No amount of stretching could have prepared us.

Both RL Grime and Zeds Dead played fan favorites and kept the crowd moving for hours on end. Out of the four, STS9 played the most unforgettable set. When the opening of “Totem” began time stood still. Those sitting on the lawn, watching the light show in all it’s glory were drawn closer to the music. Dancing came to an abrupt halt and we listened as we were called to do the one thing that Camp Bisco allows us to do best; express ourselves.

Group hugs formed and chills went down my spine. The same feelings of satisfaction carried straight over into The Disco Biscuits.

I wasn’t entirely sure if everyone was so astounded with jams that just would not quit, even for lightning and rain, or a light show so beautiful it could steal souls. Nothing stopped The Biscuits from delivering the jam-hungry crowd what we came for.

All in all, camping at this venue is a bit of a challenge. The stages are unmatched by any you will experience at another fest. The line up consistently holds the best talent in both jam and electronic scenes to create a mashup that will please the most intense ravers to the biggest jam enthusiasts. People drawn to this festival are some of the most open minded, interesting individuals you could ever hope to meet. It’s impossible to have a bad time at a place like Camp Bisco.

I said this after my first Bisco and I will say it again, Camp Bisco is a beautiful mess. But it’s home.

Photos taken by our friend Silky Shots.