Soundwave

The atmosphere was electric. The people were beautiful and positive. The music was NON-STOP and INCREDIBLE.
Ty best described it as a potluck of electronica.

There was some great live musicians dj duo's: live MC's ripping out lyrics, Beatboxers craving vocal rhythms, drummers pounding out accompaniment and a dj who spun vinyl while playing bass guitar.

Five stages with a ever constant lineup each Dj playing for one- two hour sets.

Stages ordered by preference:

Meadow:
The furthest stage but well worth the jaunt. Following a dirt road into the forest then under a drift wood archway marked by a sign reading " Groove Ahead". The narrow archway opens up into a large clearing in the forest with a dj booth built of artfully stacked logs, reaching 30ft above ground. Above the center is a paper lantern sculpture comprised of white tubes randomly encircling each other to mimic the overall shape of the clouds. At night time the trees are lit up in a gothicesque fairytale manner with low lights that shine upwards in an array of dark pinks, reds, greens and blues. There is an upper dance floor blancy that is 10 feet high and perched amongst the trees. The trees on both side are also adorned with disco balls and Chinese paper lanterns. There are two bars near the entrance in a forest tiki hut style.
The music being played was either funky 70's remixes with house flavour or minimalist progressive electronica. The latter I fell in love with especially a Swedish Dj called Mikael Stavöstrand. Just flat beats no more than 3 layers at a time held for long periods with simple voice over vocals that were monotone and sounded like the safety instruction voices on airplanes. They would repeat simple phrases such as " No Stress". Usually the voices were female. Also reminded me of a less creepy version of the computer voice on the game " Portal". I spent most of time there . There was also a firepit in one corner for dance breaks at night.

Liquid Soul Stage:
The stage right next to our campsite. It was interesting the first night after dancing for eight hours when at 2am I was tired and about to go to bed, I asked my DJ friend when the music shuts down. His response " Kim the music does not stop for three days. Seriously, it doesn't stop."
Suffice to say I can now fall asleep to Drum and Bass playing on a gigantic soundsystem with the bass reverberating in my bones. Come to think of it, the silence right now is weirding me out.
This stage was on the beach with a club feel to it. The atmosphere was not the as nature intrinsic as Meadow but some of the best Dj's I have ever heard in my life played this stage. The number #1 being a five person DJ crew from a little town in France called PARIS !! Dirty Phonics . They has a live MC who was British and sounded like a classy version of dizee rascal. His raps were so fast to keep up to the tempo. I COULD NOT BELIEVE how insane their sound was and how each dj was in charge of his own layer yet they were a team and the sound was organic. They were so into it as well. Jumping around all over the place.


Chill Out Stage:
This was in front of a smoothie station that was open all night and had great organic coffee. Perfect for Ty and I who had decided we wanted to spend SoundWave sober. And sober we spent it. It was great all the lights, music and dancing was more than enough for me. This stage was more for providing music for people drinking smoothies and buys souvenirs. Except when they had this old school DJ ( Dj steamboat Fattie - poor choice of name-) from the 60's playing the BEST 60's VINYL I have ever heard. Also early 70's. Considering I was a Mod Go-Go dancer for three years AND have frequented my share of ice cream socials. The Dj whos name I need to know loved it when Ty and I knew all the words to "50 ways to leave your lover". That song as amazing drums. He also remixed Patsy Cline regardless we danced in front the smoothie station for a good hour.


Dialektic
Mainstage. Nothing to exciting. Nobody good played there until the last night. Then this crazy dup wearing carnival masks rocked my world. Ty, Ross and I lit of our sparklers and waved our hands in the air. I had at least four people ask me to take a photo with them. I think it is because I covered myself in gold body paint and was wearing a gold disco dress. I told people I was the female version of the tin man but landed some inheritance money and moved up to gold. They thought I was funny or they were on 'E' and would have laughed at anything a sparkly person said.

Renegade.
The stage was a drift wood tower on the open beach and you literally dance on sand that they imported because it is a pebble beach. Faux natural. It also managed to be the Chauch magnet stage. Everytime I went, there was a different vibe and the kids from plan B would always be there. It was bizzare I could not understand how these people even knew of soundwave and why were they wearing faux polos to a three day Rave ? and why do they keep doing rapping hand gestures and pumping the air to trance music ?