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Review: Rootwire Music Festival

Event Production Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of | 08/10/2010

41430_38313280_9136_nThis past weekend I had the great pleasure of attending the first annual Rootwire Music and Arts Festival in Logan, OH. The festival, which was put on by the fine young champs in PAPADOSIO, was an absolute blast! I have been to festivals of all sorts and sizes and let me tell you this baby was extremely well organized! From the moment we arrived to the moment we departed there was not a single thing that did not run smoothly. The guys did not spare any expenses when it came to production either. When you think small music festival, you think small stage, limited light show, and minimal PA system. Rootwire could not have steered any further from those pitfalls. With a set up much like that of ALL GOOD music festival, Rootwires main stage and side stage were both situated side by side, allowing the music to be continuous with no overlapping sets and no down time in between acts. The main stage had a light rig and sound system that were stunning! No joke, everything about the main stage screamed major music festival in the making. It was done up big which made it really special to see these up and coming acts on such a large scale. The property was also pretty much damn near perfect. The camping was great, hiking, amazing main/side stage area with a natural bowl shaped hill, and the weather was so refreshing at night, but I failed to bring a coat which was a bad call :)
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Now lets talk music :) , I can honestly say this line up already had my knees buckling before I even arrived, but I had a whole new appreciation for this truly diverse selection when I left. The festival boasted a spectacular line up of only up and coming acts through out the region. In particular there was a cool array of “livetronica” acts such as Zoogma, The Malah, EP3, and of course our friends in Papadosio! The nights were carried on by a variety of DJs in the late night tent which would keep the party going into the wee hours of the morning. On top of all the electronic tones there was a strong group of funk rock bands. My favorite acts with were unquestionably the more funk rock oriented acts such as STRANGE ARRANGEMENT, MACPODZ, and UV HIPPOS. While these acts were less on the “untz untz untz” side of things they still used their impressive jazz/funk chops to bring a absolute raging dance party that changed it up for a bit.
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As always Papadosio brought the heat, but this time it was on a whole new level! This being their festival the guys really ramped up the DB on the sound system and pretty much shell shocked the crowd for 2 hours. I saw for the first time where this band will be in just a short few years, playing huge stages on a thunderous PA with an outer space light show! Make no mistake these guys are going to be the next big band that dominates the scene. They are growing so big and really doing it right.
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The Macpodz took the crowd on a tripped out journey through a creepy cosmic atmosphere in a different galaxy! Pretty much an acid jazz odyssey, that was not only wacky but extremely funky! I have been a big fan of these guys for the past year, and they always crack me up with their stage presence, in particular the bassist Brennan Andes, who makes jokes, voices, and faces at the crowd for the entirety of the show. These guys put on a very interesting performance fueled by crazy instrumental skillz executed in their own way. Trust me if you like a lil bit of humor in your music and love dancing, then these guys will treat you well.
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I had never seen or heard UV Hippos until Rootwire and it blew my mind. This band was just freaking awesome. They had great song writing, amazing musicianship, spectacular build ups, solos, pretty much the whole package. They also had the great opportunity of having Alex Herm (one of the best Light Designers around) run and design the lights during their performance! Needles to say they killed it and I would keep a close eye on these guys, because they put on a truly remarkable show :)
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When all was said and done my hands down favorite performance of the weekend was Strange Arrangement! These guys have been on my radar since last summer and let me say they are getting better every time I get to see them. This weekend was no exception. The guys were armed with a group of new tunes and have started expanding a lot of their material live. With only about 2 years under their belt, I truly believe it is only a matter of time before these guys are playing sold out shows and travel with a massive production. They are incredible song writers, and absolutely insane musicians who create super sophisticated pieces of music with multiple layers / sections that revolve around some extremely catchy hooks. The band has such a diverse and refreshing sound that really works well in the scene. If it was not obvious by me singing every song during the bands performance, I am a huge fun of everything they are doing right now :) Do not pass these guys up when they come near your area!
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What a weekend it was! The best of the best in unsigned / regional small acts, put on the large stage with a massive sound system and light rig as they all truly deserved. I hope this festival continues for many more years to come. Thank you to Papadoiso, and all the friends we met over the weekend.
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John “The Grizz” Grisanti


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Rootwire Music and Arts Festival

News and Events | From the mind of | 07/05/2010

RootwireI thought I would let the Resonant Vibes community know about what I consider to be one of the most exciting and forward thinking music festivals to hit this nation in several years. ROOTWIRE music and arts festival, which will take place August 6 – 8, 2010 in Logan Ohio, has been created by Papadosio and is not your regular massive corporate festival with mega headliners and high priced entrance fees. Quite the opposite! This festival has focused on bringing together the best of the best up and coming performers in the live music scene! In particular there will be a large slew of Livetronica acts such as Papadosio, Zoogma, EP3, The Malah and a whole bunch of my favorite bands to see live right now, including my good buddies Strange Arrangement! On top of the stellar lineup this festival only cost $50 dollars for 3 days of camping and access to all stages. Let it be known there will be no skimping on production elements either, these guys are taking this very seriously and truly going to give the fans a most epic experience that will be hard to forget :)
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A STATEMENT FROM THE FESTIVAL:
ROOTWIRE Music and Arts Festival is all about shifting focus. From the mundane and nihilistic viewpoints of large corporate festivals that only exist to make profits, we have put in the effort to avoid all the common pitfalls of today’s modern music festivals. To bring about ideals of enlightenment, community, and social change that is real and tangible.
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In our travels we have met amazing artists, who are sending the very same vibrations we work so hard to recreate on a daily basis. We have collected a lineup that will not only deeply move and impress fans, but serve as a reminder that real good underground music and art exists today in full swing.
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As for the musicians, we have shared stages with them, witnessed their shows, and made sure that each performance will be a unique and captivating experience. We are confident these are the bands you will see emerge from today’s thriving underground scene as tomorrows headliners.
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Another way ROOTWIRE is shifting focus is through featuring visual art, in the same way we feature music. We have searched far and wide for live artists who wow and inspire people with a “here and now” approach to their work. In addition to live performances, the will be a large scale tent which will act as a walk through psychedelic gallery displaying finished pieces and prints.
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Hoopers, poi artists and other performers will rejoice when they see our raised stands located right in front of stages, allowing them not only to be featured but also allowing them to be part of the show. So in the spirit of ROOTWIRE, we encourage you to bring whatever you do, be it juggling, hooping, uni-cycling, etc and be an inspiration to everyone.
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THE LINEUP:
Papadosio
Zoogma
The Werks
The Malah
The Macpodz
EP3
UV Hippo
Jimkata
Moon Taxi
Sci Fi
Silo Effect
Super Massive
Freepeoples Frequency
RoeVy
The Floozies
Shank Bone
Elemental Groove Theory
The Twin Cats
Strange Arrangement
Garganta
aFugate
Nala
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Make sure to check out http://www.rootwirefestival.com/ to get your tickets! This is an event you will not want to miss, trust me :)
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Look for reviews of ROOTWIRE from me and Matt “Eldo” Eldridge to hit the blog after we return from what I anticipate to be one of the most fun and interesting weekends of summer 2010!
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John “The Grizz” Grisanti


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Camp Bisco 9: July 15-17, 2010

Uncategorized | From the mind of | 06/25/2010

SiteLogoHello to the RV Community. I’m Matt Eldridge, “Eldo” , a new writer with Resonant Vibes. I’ll be keeping you updated on and covering many electronica/livetronica shows and transporting you into my own experiences at the events. Look for “Where’s Eldo?” in the coming future to find out where the excitement is at.
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In just a few weeks, I’ll be traveling to Mariaville, New York to get down at Camp Bisco 9, an electronic festival with perhaps the most exotic and exciting lineup of the summer. The ninth annual 3-day music and arts festival, taking place July 15-17 2010, hosts an array of artists, including: The Disco Biscuits, LCD Soundsystem, Ween, Thievery Corporation, Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, Break Science, The New Deal, Papadosio, Telepath, Major Lazer, Diplo, Rusko, Eskmo, Future Rock, Big Gigantic, Mimosa, and MANY MORE! The festival takes place on the scenic 200-acre Indian Lookout Country Club, and will have numerous stages, as well as a late night dance tent. If you have the chance to get to this year’s Camp, I HIGHLY recommend it. This will undoubtedly be a weekend event of epic propotions! Don’t miss it!
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Tickets are available online at: www.campbisco.net
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-Eldo
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Gallery: Bisco Inferno with The Disco Biscuits, Booka Shade and The Crystal Method

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of | 06/05/2010

The second annual Bisco Inferno kicked-off at 5 pm on May 29th at Red Rocks, in Morrison, Colorado. The Disco Biscuits were joined by Booka Shade, Aeroplane, The Glitch Mob, The Crystal Method, and The Pnuma Trio in providing 10 hours of dance music catering to fans of the DJ and jam scenes alike. The night was truly incredible. It’s encouraging to see so many different people coming together just to have a good time in one of the coolest venues in the world. I hope to see you there next year.
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Words and photography by Eli Becker
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The Beat Cartel Presents: Pnuma Trio & Big Gigantic

Event Production Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of | 04/11/2010

Beat_Cartel
This post will not just be a review of the stellar show I witnessed this past Tuesday, April 6th at Headliners Music Hall in Louisville, KY but will also serve as a plug for an amazing new company that I consider to be one the best damn things to happen to the Louisville music scene in quite some time! The Beat Cartel is a fresh new promotion company created and managed by Matt Westbrook and Derrik Mulcahy. Their focus is to bring quality electronic music, in all it’s various forms, back to Louisville, KY! They truly are trying to create a party with each event they have booked and trust me they are not messing around. Most companies would take baby steps and build up to bigger events, not these guys. Their first concert brought two of the biggest Livetronica acts together for one glorious night of dance music! They are also not wasting any time to book more fantastic shows. This coming Saturday April 17th, which is Thunder Over Louisville, will have a late night extravaganza of phenomenal DJ’s including the super dirty Eliot Lipp! Louisville you must come out and support The Beat Cartel, don’t procrastinate! These guys are doing something that no one else has the balls or passion to do and without your support the parties they keep bringing to town will stop coming, so get out and boogie your ass down now!
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The performance this past Tuesday in Louisville with The Pnuma Trio and Big Gigantic was nothing short of killer! The Pnuma Trio is a major staple on the jam scene and they create some of the best damn livetronica music around! For only being three guys their sound is massive and their performance is even bigger! I have said it before, Pnuma Trio have one of my favorite light shows for a touring act right now! Simply put for the club sized act they currently are, it is pretty hard to find any artist who can match the level of production these guys are putting on night after night! It is not just a concert but an over all sensory experience! The guys put on a non stop alien dance party for a solid two hours and then partied it up till the wee hours at the official Beat Cartel after party at my favorite Hideaway Saloon! If you still have not checked these guys out, you are really missing out. Also Alex B (Bass player) just released a new DJ album called “Moments” which became available the same day as the Headliners show. Check them and the new album out now!
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Big Gigantic was also phenomenal! This electronic duo was supposed to be the side project for The Motet saxophone player, Dominic Lalli (who is pretty much the golden child to anyone from Colorado), when he formed the group about a year ago. That is not the case anymore. Big Gigantic is not only his main project, with The Motet taking a side bar, but it has become a huge power house dance machine touring act! Together with Jeremy Salken on drums, Dominic is creating some of the dirtiest beats around. Big Gigantic is just so much fun to see live. They bring one of the funkiest party atmospheres when they hit the stage and rip it up like they did here in Louisville. Seriously it is just so refreshing to watch a group that creates such a unique style and plays with as much genuine passion that these guys do. They also are the nicest guys around and truly love/appreciate their fans, so much so I would honestly consider them friends now. I absolutely love these guys and if you have not heard them, it will only be a matter of time before you get your ear drums pounded by their rowdy take on EDM! Check them out now, because they tour all over and it will be one of the best damn nights you could ask for.
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It was a great night and was honestly a super special one for me to have the Colorado crew roll through my new neck of the woods. A real treat to see two of the sickest touring acts around on the same stage for one epic night of music! I truly want to give a big thank you to The Beat Cartel family. Louisville needs you!
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John “The Grizz” Grisanti


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Papadosio at The Hideaway Saloon in Louisville, KY

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of | 03/29/2010

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Walking into one of my favorite local bars on Saturday March 27th, I knew it was going to be a fun night as Lotus and STS9 were playing through the PA. It also seemed very fitting that in the same weekend that Miami would be hosting one of the largest Electronic Music festivals in the world, that Louisville, KY would be throwing its own private dance party with one of those bands, who’s name and reputation you will certainly be hearing a lot more of for a long time to come! It was my first time seeing Papadosio and it will be far from my last. In the past year I went from not even knowing who this band was, too hearing their name spoken every where and more importantly by everyone who’s musical opinions I truly respected. Let me say people the hype is very real, and honestly probably does not even do them enough justice! I truly believe these guys will be one of the next major Livetronica acts that sweeps the scene! The music has a darker rock sensibility mixed with a totally saturated and absolutely transcendent electronic twang. It engulfs you quickly, taking you on a ride through a barrage of completely unique and powerful motifs combined together to make some truly epic songs!
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The show at the Hideaway Saloon was as packed as the EOTO show I saw this past October, but to be honest I expected it to be. Papadosio has grown so big this year that in Ohio they are playing The Newport Music Hall which hosts about 1,500+ and these guys are turning out 750+! This is not a small accomplishment and should indicate where this band is heading. I was very unfamiliar with the majority of the band’s material, but within the first 10 minutes, I knew I was in for one serious dance marathon. Once again the Hideaway Saloon acted like a giant sweat box, packing people in like sardines! The crowd became more like one organism moving together than it did individual people dancing. Everyone thought they were in for the long hall and sure enough the guys took full advantage of Louisville’s lax 4am curfew! This of course came by a little bit of encouragement from the crowd, including one fan who politely said “Put that damn bass back on, this shit ain’t over.”
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Papadosio combines live instruments with computer processed and manipulated sounds so seamlessly. They are creating a textured sound scape as much as they are creating individuals songs. Their improv is also quite phenomenal and often hard to pick out, as they continuously seemed to push each song into new territories that flowed perfectly back and fourth between pre-arranged sections. With Mike Healy, who kept making hilarious facial expressions to the crowd while laying down some very fresh and funky beats on Drums and Rob McConnel, who was like wild beast dancing around while whaling on the bass, Papadosio had an absolutely nasty and engaging rhythm section. Add on top of that, the super sly guitar work and sample/loop manipulation of Anthony Thogmartin and the brilliant out of this world key/synth textures of Billy Brouse and you have a very powerful monster that can hold it’s own amongst much more established touring acts. Needless to say there was honestly never a dull moment in the two set show that Papadosio played in Louisville, KY.
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I think it is safe to say there was a certain energy in the crowd, almost as if something was going around. The band fed off that intensity all night long, laying down one of the most powerful performances I have seen this year! Standing on the sidewalk after the show it was obvious that people were left utterly speechless by the performance and were still wound up with the urge to boggie down! Watch out for Papadosio, it is the best decision you can make any night of the week and if they come around your area do not hesitate because next time they play you can bet the crowd will double in size. For being such a young band, I must say these guys carry themselves like veterans in the industry. Check them out now!
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SETLIST: 03/27/10 – The Hideaway Saloon, Louisville, KY
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Utopiate
Method Of Control
Neutral
Improv
You + Yourself
All I Knew
I’m Not Alone (DEADMAU5 Remix) [Calvin Harris cover]
Improbability Blotter
Snorkle
By The Light of the Stars
The Unparalyzer
StickFigure
Magreenery
Night Colors
Giving You Up
[untitled new song]
Frequence
Improv
Apache [the incredible bongo band cover]
Polygons
The Eyes Have Eyes
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John “The Grizz” Grisanti


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The New Deal’s NEW Record – “Live: Toronto 7.16.2009″

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of | 12/02/2009


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The New Deal are one of the founding fathers of the “Livetronica” movement and are with out question one of the genres most influential groups. For nearly 10 years these three Canadians have continued to not only push their sound to new extreme heights but has also expanded the minds of crowds from all over the world on what can and is being accepted at legitimate electronic music! They rely on the old time tested jazz trio ensemble with Jamie Shields on keys, Dan Kurtz on bass and Darren Shearer on drums. Yet don’t be discouraged these guys don’t use turntables. From the moment this live-electro band hits the stage to the moment they play their last note, they bring such a non-stop intense energy performance that it leaves the crowd completely drained and speechless! Their sound is beyond grandiose, bursting in your ears like a massive stadium rave on PCP! The bands evolution and out of this world sound have never been more evident than on their newest record “Live: Toronto 7.16.2009″ which is set to be released on December 17th 2009.
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The new album does not waste a single second of time to get the party moving and literally never gives you a moment to breathe in between songs. The record starts off with an epic keyboard riff that simply lets you know your about to be smacked right in the face, then with a brief build up the whole band kicks in and the party begins! As I said, you truly won’t hear another pause until the record is over. The band is perfect at creating a larger than life motif and then dropping out all but one instrument, only to create another beautiful build up that culminates into a completely new idea with even more ferocity than it’s predecessor. There is really not much you can say after listening to this record besides “Damn”! After 700 shows and nine records, it is obvious The New Deal has really taken their sound and performance to a whole a new level that is just absolutely insane. The record only has six tracks, but with five of the tracks stretching past the 10 minute mark, it is more the enough sonic bliss to take you on a musical adventure. The album is one hour and six minutes of a pure high octane dance party, and after several listens in two days I can tell you it has already become one of my new favorite albums!
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I highly recommend that anyone who is a fan of finding new electronic music go buy this album on December 17th. It will be a record you will play for years to come! The New Deal are becoming increasingly rare to catch live, so as a band who incorporates a great deal of improvisation and energy into every show they play, I would make a big attempt to go see them on their winter tour of the US this January.
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John “The Grizz” Grisanti


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Bear Creek Music Festival 2009 Recap

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of | 11/18/2009

Bear_Creek_PosterThis past weekend a friend and me made the 12+ hour drive from Louisville, KY to Live Oak, FL for the 3rd annual Bear Creek Music Festival. The festival was held in the amazing Spirit of Suwanee Music Park, which is actually designed to host music events with several permanent stages including one of the most enchanting amphitheaters around! The festival is still very young and because of that it offered a very intimate atmosphere with what I heard to be only around 5 thousands people in attendance. We had an absolutely stunning time to say the least.
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We ended up leaving Louisville at about 3am on Thursday morning, after taking all night to get our camping supplies ready and packed in the car. We finally arrived in Live Oaks at about 4pm that same day and found a prime camping spot right next to a beautiful lake located in the heart of the party. Needless to say we did not end up sleeping much the entire weekend :) . The festival was being primarily pushed as a funk festival, but what become quite undeniable from the first night was that Electronic Dance Music continues to re-invent itself and expand it’s reach far beyond the traditional club circuit outlets. This was apparent through various “Livetronica” bands/artist like: Alex B, The Pnuma Trio, Break Science, Telepath, and Lotus who all played a substantial role in keeping the party peeps moving over the weekend. Also late at night many tents kept the energy moving by throwing private dance parties in various areas of the campgrounds!
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The first night we caught a good deal of the The Pnuma Trio PA set which included DJ Alex B spinning his glitchy hip-hop tracks while Lane Shaw threw down on drums. Alex B truly has a lot of love for his fans and kept the energy up all night to the point of refusing to get off stage even one second early! The performance was jam packed with people getting down on the dance floor, yet it was not until Friday night that the party really got going!
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The first performance that blew me away was RV’s friends Telepath. I had seen these guys before at the Brown Theatre but their performance at Bear Creek was on a whole new level. First and foremost they played in the Purple Hat Tent which quickly became my favorite stage of the festival. Lets just say the budget for that tent must have been outrageous because they had some of the sickest lights that I have ever seen with a sound system that rumbled your chest and rattled your brain! (more…)


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Bear Creek Music Festival 2009

News and Events | From the mind of | 11/04/2009


In about one week Live Oak, Florida will be hosting an absolutely spectacular dance music event called the Bear Creek Music Festival. With only three years under it’s belt and the fact this camping festival takes place in Mid-November which is way past prime season, one might consider the event to be quite a diamond in the rough when compared to other festivals. Yet don’t be fooled as this event has one of of the most unique and amazing line-ups I have seen in a while. Being primarily a Jazz Funk festival, the event will be catering to a wide range of dance music styles and artist.
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In particular there will be several “Livetronica” acts that Resonant Vibes has covered in the past including: Lotus, The Pnuma Trio (also playing a DJ PA set), Telepath, and Break Science! I will be going down to the festival , so keep an eye on the RV Blog for some great exclusive content featuring videos, a picture gallery and full review! Some other highlights include Lettuce (an all-star group featuring members of Soulive and The John Scofield Band), Toubabe Krewe (a west African influenced group), The New Mastersound, Galactic, Ivan Neville and Carl Denson.
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If anyone is looking to get out of the cold and boogie down to some fantastic dance music in all sorts of styles/forms, I highly recommend making your way to the Bear Creek Music Festival in Live Oak, Florida on November 13-15th!
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John “The Grizz” Grisanti


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EOTO Live at Cosmic Charlie’s in Lexington, KY

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of | 10/29/2009


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Every now and then you get a chance to see an artist doing something so amazing it’s hard to believe, and sometimes you get a chance to see that artist playing at a venue that is just too good to be true. Two nights ago I had the pleasure of seeing that artist in such a venue.

I have mentioned EOTO numerous times now to the Resonant Vibes community (including my original Livetronica blog post), but after the concert they played in Lexington Kentucky on Tuesday October 27th, I feel it would be quite an injustice not to describe my experience. Michael Travis and Jason Hann appear to have consciously avoided mainstream media, sophisticated marketing strategies, and intense promotions in favor of the old fashion “Word of Mouth” method. This choice seems to be working quite well for the former members of The String Cheese Incident. It has also lead them to play what some might consider to be less desirable venues, such as Cosmic Charlie’s, which is tucked away in a small strip mall along side 4 or 5 other retail outlets in the middle of nowhere. Yet this intimate atmosphere is exactly what the band wants and what they thrive on!

An EOTO show can pretty much be described as an intense tribal gathering where the goal is an attempt to connect with a higher consciousness. The music reduces every single person to their utmost primitive behavior in which their is only one thing to do and that is DANCE! There is no structure and no method, just human expression through movement. The music never stops with smoothly orchestrated transitions from one motif to another that mirror the precision of the worlds best DJs. With thick bass lines, monster drums beats, thunderous synth melodies and a whole slew of syncopated glitch sounds, it is damn near impossible not to get lost in the 100% improvised performance that EOTO puts on night after night.

It is obvious that Michael Travis and Jason Hann don’t care about fame or fortune. They simply want to play good music their way and embrace their fans as much as they have embraced EOTO. This was evident when after a solid 3 hours of playing both members jumped off the stage into the crowd and talked to everyone who came up to them. I will say they are some of the nicest musicians I have ever met! The highlight of the show for me was when a fan was holding a glass of bourbon up to Jason Hann, and while still playing drums, he took the glass, shot it back and continued on as if nothing happened.

Simply put EOTO creates live electronic music that can only be described as brilliant. Check out Resonant Vibes Exclusive Audio Interview with Michael Travis to learn more about the band and how they create this form of music! I highly suggest you check them out on tour in a town near you!

John “The Grizz” Grisanti


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