The BonnaroOregon Trail: Day Three

We’ve by now reached a point of no return in our adventures through the Manchesterian wasteland. With another 24 hours of binging, sweating, starving, and rocking under our collective belt of the festival’s crowd, the scene at Bonnaroo now begins to more closely resemble that of dystopian, post-apocalyptic Fallout: New Vegas than the Oregon Trail.

This Tent: Smith Westerns (see above), 12:30p

Game: Deer
Result: 30lb

Smith Westerns are comprised of a group of kids not even old enough to drink. It was clever of the Bonnaroo masterminds to book them for the final day—nobody with a penchant for drinking should be able to last through the festival this long, and yet, still manage to rock this hard. The band’s summery vibe eased the crowd out of a collective hangover—well, whoever was up and active at this point. However, we did spy SpongeBob (see below) chilling out in the rafters.

Which Stage: G Love & Special Sauce (see above), 1:00p

Game: Birds
Result: 5lb

G Love always plays to the crowd: reaching into the audience, call and repeats, and witty stage banter all play an important part in his set. However, the group never has enough meat on the bone to keep a hungry BonnaroOregon Trail traveler full; there’s something lacking in their hip-hop/funk combination that makes watching the group perform on stage feel flat. If it were the background music at a sweaty house party, we’d be in; but, we’re not sure how G Love kept the crowd enthralled for his entire set.

What Stage: Mavis Staples, 2:15p

Game: Deer
Result: 60lb

All it takes is to nail a cover of a Band song (“The Weight,” in the case) to stay in our good favor. However, Mavis Staples didn’t need the extra credit points – the elder soul/gospel singer didn’t let the heat dampen her powerful pipes, which led a solid backing band through new material from her Jeff Tweedy-produced album, You Are Not Alone. Additionally, country greats Patty Griffin and Buddy Miller joined her on stage during the middle of her set. Though the BonnaroOregon Trail isn’t the best fit for a Sunday morning service, we could feel our hangovers lifting from the joy and awe emanating from Staples’ commanding voice and warm smile.

3:00p: Food Truck Oasis (see above)

Sure, leave it to post-apocalyptic society to first put kitchens into trucks, and then bundle the trucks together and immobilize them. One’s imagined fantasy of a desert oasis always seemed to be much more grounded in large pools of water and copious amounts of shade than mini school buses selling tacos—but then again, perhaps this is where the line between hallucination and reality lies.

3:45p: Wandering Tentland (see below)

We get out past the gates of Centaroo into the heart of tent city. Vendors are set up as far as the eye can see, and fellow travelers are walking in seemingly every direction. We begin the search for a snack.

4:00p: Tentland, Magic Grilled Cheese (see below)

Game: (Magic) Birds
Result: 10lb

Resolving to squander the last of our meager funds a bit more economically, we head back to tent city for a true diamond in the rough: $1 Magic, Garlic Grilled Cheeses. The economics ($1 for one, $3 for two) are still befuddling; perhaps math and heat (or in our case, math and history) simply don’t get along.

More wandering finds us in search of shade, though these people have already beat us to a sneaky rest spot (see above). Also, in case you were wondering what was sold at this food station (see below), it’s painfully obvious.

5:00p: Magic Mushroom Fountain, Centaroo (see below)
We brave Tentland and return to the festival core. Needing to cool down, we find the iconic Bonnaroo magic mushroom fountain, which is occupied at all times with overheated concert-goers trying too cool off (or trying to get clean, which was a continuous uphill battle). Call it a free shower, BonnaroOregon trail style.

5:15p: Bonnaroo Silent Auction Tent

If only we had budgeted some cash for the silent auction! In an effort to raise money for charity, artists of Bonnaroo current and past donated signed goods to bidding floor – ranging from signed posters and photos to guitars and a broken MIDI Trigger Finger from Bassnectar (see below).

5:45p: Booth area

On the BonnaroOregon trail, people are always tabling for causes – in this case, Colonel Sanders is cutting down forests (see below). We avoided signing any petitions, but learned a few things about green energy initiatives and environmental action. A+ for effort!

Which Stage: The Strokes, 6:45p

Game: Buffalo, err Manhattan (NY joke)
Result: New York hipsters at Bonnaroo

The times they are a-changin’. Who would have thought 2000′s favorite garage-rock, NY scenesters are now a fit for Bonnaroo? With a spirited performance, The Strokes pulled out all the stops and moved past the usual, ultra nonchalant attitude towards the crowd. Luckily, the band didn’t strictly stick to songs from Angles, and delved into their older material from Is This It and Room on Fire. The Strokes ended with the always classy “Under Control” and, of course, fast-paced final set closer “Take It or Leave It.” Also, how hot does it have to be for Julian Casablancas to ditch his leather jacket?

With the night setting in, we made it to the end of the BonnaroOregon trail. The trek wasn’t an easy one, and it pushed the limits of our endurance and perseverance to say we finished the journey. We can return to St. Louis triumphantly this time, and know that that a whole new adventure waits on next summer’s hike along the BonnaroOregon trail.

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1. Eleven Magazine’s Urban Exploration Pub Crawl: Downtown

-Where: Olive and Washington Ave., Downtown
-When: Thursday, June 16th @ 7:00 PM
-How Much: FREE (21+), email urbex@elevenmusicmag.com to RSVP
-Why: How well do you know Downtown? What better way to explore an area of our city than by a progressive bar hop. And with $2 drink specials and other unique cocktails, who knows what surprises are in store for this excursion! The tour embarks from the Thaxton Speakeasy (1009 Olive) at 7 PM, and then travels to the Crack Fox (8 PM), Dubliner (9 PM), Hair of the Dog (10 PM), and ends at Lola (11 PM). If you can’t wait to get started, there is a pre-crawl bowling event at Flamingo Bowl from 5 to 7 PM. Also, check out our Facebook event for more details. See you there, you won’t want to miss this!

2. Saint Louis Arts Project Conference
-Where: Contemporary Art Museum, Regional Arts Council, and Cherokee Street
-How Much: Thursday and Friday – Free / $10 2-day ticket for Saturday and Sunday
-When: Thursday, June 16th to Sunday, June 19th
-Why: Come be a part of our city’s burgeoning music and arts scenes. Live performances, panels, breakout sessions, and open-galleries are all part of this four day extravaganza, and half of it is free! See yesterday’s post for a complete schedule, and come learn about the goings on in St. Louis!

3. Samantha Crain
-Where: The Gramophone
-When: Tuesday, June 21st @ 10 PM (after the Shed Open Mic)
-How Much: $5 (21+) / $7 (18+)
-Why: Samantha Crain’s powerful voice gives a refreshing punch to her quirky, welcoming indie-rock melodies. And, come early to catch The Shed – an excellent open mic session.

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Finally, it’s almost here! Thursday, June 16th through Sunday, June 19th will host the premier Saint Louis Arts Project Conference, which will have elements both at the Contemporary Art Museum in Grand Center, the Regional Arts Commission in the Loop, and a nighttime open-studios on Cherokee Street. If you’re interested in the arts and music scenes in St. Louis, you shouldn’t miss out on a weekend of great panel discussions, concerts, breakout sessions, and the chance to further immerse yourself in our city’s burgeoning arts community. Check out SLAP’s website (www.stlartproject.org), and follow their social media for up-to-date info during the event. And: Thursday and Friday are free, and it’s a measly ten bucks total for Saturday and Sunday.

See the official schedule taken from SLAP’s website after the jump, and come see us at the Resource Fair on Saturday!

Thursday, June 16 at Contemporary Art Museum
Free to attend, open to the public and presented in partnership with KDHX and Eleven Magazine.

7:00 PM St. Louis Complaints Choir
The St. Louis Complaint Choir will perform their music compilation of over 200 complaints submitted by local St. Louisans.

8:00 PM  Secret Show by Secret Sound Society
In conjunction with Contemporary Art Museum’s Annual Concerts in the Courtyard, Secret Sound Society will present one of their reoccurring “secret shows”. The performers will be kept secret until the night of the show when they step foot on stage.

Friday, June 17 at Regional Arts Commission
Free to attend and open to the public.

7:00 PM Electronic St. Louis
A group of 12 electronic musicians from varying backgrounds will converge in a round-robin for a night of discussion and demonstration. Individual or pairs of artists will have small versions of their studio or live set-up – complete with instruments and gear – at stations that together form a circle formation. Attendees are invited to talk with artists one-on-one and get to know more about their work, gear, technical knowledge, inspiration, style etc.

7:00 PM DIY Art Workshop
A six step informational print demonstration will be set-up to give attendees a comprehensive overview of the screen printing process. Attendees can learn how to make a SLAP notebook that can be used in the following days of the conference for note taking. There will also be several print shops in attendance as informational resources with opportunities to sign-up for print, letterpress and design classes.

9:15 PM Current: Collaborative Electronic Music Performances
All participants from Electronic St. Louis will perform dynamic, collaborative pieces that will showcase today’s musical skill and innovation in a city known for its vibrant musical tradition. Performances will feature: 18andCounting, Jay Fay, Kevin Harris, members of So Many Dynamos, Syna So Pro, Loose Screwz, Eric Hall, Black Spade and Ben Stein from The Loud Outfit.

Saturday, June 18 at Regional Arts Commission
There is a $10 registration fee to attend both Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19.

10:00 AM DIY Pioneers
Moderator: Diana Benanti
Panelists: David Wolk, Kevin Harris, David Early, Galen Gondolfi
A look at the stories, inspiration and people behind influential independent venues that exhibit local, regional and national artists. Also, the panel will discuss what role these venues play on a local and national level in the community.

10:00 AM Found Art/ Re-worked STL
Moderator: Amy VanDonsel
Panelists: Michael Allen, Jenny Murph, Nita Turnage
Inspired by the St. Louis urban landscape, these artists incorporate elements of the city into their work – both literally and figuratively. The discussion will focus on their unique relationship with the city and how it shapes and influences creative endeavors.

11:15 AM A How To Guide: Advice for Planning DIY Events
Moderator: James McAnally
Panelists: Jason Deem, Josh Levi, Jessie Cerutti
Three experienced event planners will share an overview of their knowledge, experience and the most helpful tips they’ve learned planning a variety of DIY events – concerts, festivals, art exhibitions, fundraisers, etc. Topics will focus on the mechanics of executing DIY events and empower audience members with practical insight and advice.

11: 15 AM Creative Community Engagement
Moderator: Claire Wolff
Panelists: Emily Hemeyer, Regina Martine, Ruby Streate
A look at how individuals and groups actively contribute to the social and cultural fabric of St. Louis through innovative community engagement practices. This will be a convening of a broad range of panelists discussing their own explorations of the work they are doing within communities and local institutions. The conversation will reflect upon the social relevance of art, and how it can be used as a tool for social inclusion and cohesion, cultural community building and civic engagement.

11: 15 AM Musician Artist Talk with Rich O’ Donnell
Mr. O’Donnell will lead a conversation on “Rhythms Seldom Heard”: Polymetrics, Moire Patterns, Swarming and Conversational Rhythms” with live music demonstrations.

12:15 PM Lunch and Resource Fair
The Resource Fair will connect conference attendees with art organizations that offer volunteer opportunities, continuing arts education and developmental resources. Participants include: KDHX, KETC’s Ninevoices, Art St. Louis, VLAA, Studio STL, Eleven Magazine, Openly Disruptive, Art St. Louis, ArtWorks, etc.

2:15 PM A How To Guide: Advice for Local Bands
Moderator: Liz Deichmann
Panelists: Mike Cracchiolo, Aaron Stovall
With only a handful of local music resources to turn to how can bands learn to effectively book tours, publicize, promote and distribute their work? Experienced professionals will share their experience and advice working with local and national musicians on these points. National touring musicians will also share their experience and advice on what they have learned after years of recording, performing  and touring in the constantly changing music industry.

2:15 PM Open Forum: _Community Service_
Kaveh Razani and Stan Chisholm (18andCounting) of Lane 4 will lead an open discussion on the issues and challenges that face artists, community builders and audiences in St. Louis. Please come prepared to participate in the discussion.

2:15 PM Visual Artist Talk with Sarah Paulsen

7:00 PM – 10:00 PM Open Studios on Cherokee Street
A night of open galleries, art spaces, live music, fun and so much more in the vibrant Cherokee Street neighborhood.

Sunday, June 19 at Contemporary Art Museum
There is a $10 registration fee to attend both Saturday, June 18 and Sunday, June 19.

12:00 PM Visual Artist Talk with Keith Buchholz

2:45 PM Multi-media Artist Talk with Sleepy Kitty

1:30 PM Community Discussion
An open discussion lead by Roseann Weiss to reflect on concepts and themes of the conference, as well as, how to implement these ideas through community engagement.

2:30 PM Closing Reception

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It seems we caught a lucky stroke (as opposed to Bonnaroo’s ever-looming heat stroke) as we groggily rise on Day Two of the BonnaroOregon trail: Not only did we manage to properly arrange our tent after last night’s stumble home, but fortuitously anchored it to the West of our car (er, wagon). In doing so, we’re able to stave off Manchester, Tennessee’s brutal 7:00am sunlight alarm clock with some well placed shade.

We start out at the Press Outpost (read: tent), where a conference is underway (see above). Eugene Hutz, the fearless leader of Gogol Bordello, shares his wisdom but refuses to trade with us.

Comedy Tent: Donald Glover, 2:30p
Game: Buffalo
Results: 486lb (but we were only able to carry 200lb back)

The above said, here’s one of the BonnaroOregon Trail’s greatest curiosities: The Comedy Tent. Granted, as with their musical lineup, the festival pulls world-class talent year after year, with this spring’s headliners of Lewis Black and Donald Glover being no exception. Strange, however, that herds of festival-goers are happy to wait—like the game’s slow, lumbering, much sought-after buffalo—in near-standstill lines for hours on end in the open sunlight just for the opportunity to get inside.

Fittingly, Glover’s performance was a buffalo-level knockout. Glover’s tales of meeting Reggie Bush and pooping in Home Depot (wildly separate incidents) were side-splitting enough to keep even the exhausted and sun-soaked Bonnaroo audience attentive. And a hat (1860’s style) tip to opener Bill Bailey (see above), who called out the festival’s bizarre and perplexing theme for stage names—and honestly, between Which Stage and That Other Tent, it’s a wonder we were sitting in the Comedy Tent and not the Who Knows I Give Up Arena. Bailey astutely likens the whole experience to an Abbott & Costello affair.

Press Tent: Conference (above and below), 4p
Game: Buffalo, Height 7’2”
Results: 225lb

It’d appear we’d struck gold before coming even remotely close to the end of our journey, as upon our return to the Press Outpost, we found legends Jerry (of Ben & Jerry’s) Greenfield and Kareem (of basketball) Abdul-Jabbar fielding questions from a moderator in a group discussion. We snagged a pic with half of the Kings of Ice Cream, and treated ourselves to an ample supply of the festival’s namesake snack: Ben & Jerry’s Bonnaroo Buzz. Yes, it’s FDA approved.

Even the incredible high from full bellies and celebrity hobnobbing couldn’t prevent the BonnaroOregon Trail’s onslaught of namesake disasters. Deserts, dust storms, obstructed paths, and thirst all posed threats. We knew we’d need to hunt for live music again—and fast.

That Tent: Portugal. The Man (above), 5p
Game: Deer
Results: 50lb

Funny punctuation aside (perhaps its the grammar of a native tribe), Portugal. The Man played an animated, solid set. The band’s psychedelic tinged poppy hooks helped shield us from the Tennessee heat (being under the massive That Tent helped, too), and singer John Gourley’s voice was as light and airy as ever. The band played some new material off upcoming In The Mountain, In The Cloud, previewing what looks to be an awesome record.

This Tent: Man Man (above and below), 5:15p
Game: Deer (neon colored)
Results: 50 lb

Our expedition split up in an attempt to cover more area during the musical hunt. While some were left at Portugal. The Man, a brave few trekked farther along the trail to sneak up on Man Man at This Tent. With one of the most amusing stage set-ups of the festival – instruments, lights, and anything else the band could get their hands on – the absurd quintet (all rocking warpaint) blasted through tracks from their eclectic, recent record Life Fantastic. Ranting and raving frontman Honus Honus jumped from his keyboard to a variety of different mics placed around the stage – but with so much going on during the set, it was easy to get distracted by any given bandmember’s antics.

What Stage: Wiz Khalifa, 5:50p
Game: Elk
Results: 45 lb

Considering the lung capacity of Wiz Khalifa (from, you know, smoking too many cigarettes) and the late afternoon sun, it was surprising the young MC didn’t die of exhaustion. But, as one rises to the occasion on the BonnaroOregon Trail, Wiz and his hypeman controlled the stage, hyping the crowd through head nodding beats from his past catalog of albums and mixtapes. But, the results weren’t as strong due to the presence of a backing vocal track, which we thought added an unfortunate karaoke element to the set. But all’s well that end’s well – closer “Black and Yellow” brought us all to a frenzy. You know what it is.

We left Wiz’s set and headed back to base to exchange some inventory, and embark on an Eleven / Bonnaroo time-honored tradition: boxed wine night. Well, not before we found Ron Jeremy (see below) and some girl who is making an impulsive decision.

9:30p Buffalo Springfield, Which Stage
Game: Buffalo (duh)
Results: 45 lb

Though it’s impossible to deny the allure of seeing the legendary Neil Young play live, Buffalo Springfield’s set left much to be desired. Specifically: it was really, really quiet. Perhaps Young & co. hoped not to disturb nearby wildlife. The pervasive “turn it up!” chants between each song from throughout the crowd had no effect. We’ll assume instead that the sound guy had recently become afflicted with a case of gangrene, and was temporarily incapacitated.

What Stage: Eminem, 11p
Game: Deer
Results: 50 lb

Yeah, Eminem’s set was a huge production: instrumentalists, back-up vocalists, blinding lights, and a well utilized LED screen. Mr. Mathers still hasn’t lost his intensity, but made a point to be the Eminem of recent years instead of the shit talking, violent MC of the past. Being a part of a sprawling crowd of 100,000 throwing their hands up to “Lose Yourself,” thought, was unbeatable – even if Eminem did gloss over some of his earlier, raunchier hits. Next time, we hope he rocks his Jason mask – if he still has it.

VIP Lounge, 1a

Game: Fried Chicken and craft beer, ∞ lbs (but we were only able to carry 200lb with us)

A huge score for the inventory-strapped crew of the Eleven caravan, as the VIP area opened up and provided a generous bounty of greasy, salty, filling food.  We also finally managed to make (somewhat) good use of our point & click camera ammunition, and snapped a shot of Neil Young hanging out in a beat up ‘80’s-era Cadillac (What?! What is this sorcery??), which we candidly caught in a photo below.

2:30a: Gogol Bordello, The Other Tent
Game: Buffalo
Results: 430lb (but we were only able to carry 200lb with us)

Gogol frontman, Eugene Hutz had been curating The Other Tent all day, and he certainly saved the best act for last. With the effects of our boxed wine now in full-swing—heck, if not multiplied by the band’s wino & gypsy bravado—we headed straight for the center of the tent’s swaying, sweaty crowd. Crowd surfers streamed overhead as the band quickly delved into favorites like “Tribal Connection” and “Wonderlust King.” The grit of the sand beneath us, the stinging sweat in our eyes, and the musk of dirt and drugs in the air made for an altogether truly unforgettable set—level of intoxication to be damned.

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Playing to a packed house, the eight Red Bull Thre3sytle competitors threw down as many dance floor jams as they could fit into fifteen minutes (DJ Kue, above). DJ Deception took the crown (followed by DJ Who and DJ Uptown), and will be repping the Lou in the national championships this fall in Vegas. Road trip, anyone?

DJ A-Flex (above)

DJ Uptown (above)

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“You guys should cover Bonnaroo this year like it’s the Oregon Trail.” It’s a few days before zero hour for the festival, and Eleven fan and compatriot, Peter, has raised a good point. Bonnaroo is a weekend tour through all of the same trials, tests, and dreams faced by the American California-hopefuls of yesteryear. We’ll stave off blistering heat without cover, and battle sickness and dehydration. We’ll manage limited supplies, and frequently be forced to decide between foraging, bartering, and starving (if only for a few hours). There will be Natives, and they will be wild. Though I suppose instead of hunting for food, we’ll be shooting bands and on the pursuit for live music (and we’ll score each band’s set accordingly).

This analogy seems close enough for us. We’ll run with it until it becomes even more infuriating to write than it invariably will be to read.

Family Name: ELEVEN
Party Member 1: Josh
Profession: Journalist, Wizard
Party Member 2: Fritz
Profession: Photographer, Journalist
Money: $70
Inventory: Tent, SLR Digital Camera (infinite ammo), Point & Click Lego Camera (50 bullets), Backpack, Spare Axles (none), Spare Wagon Wheels (none), Notepads (2), pens (2), cell phones (2), sunblock (1)

Our journey starts true enough to form: Our trip from St. Louis to Manchester, Tennessee is at grueling pace. We depart from St Louis shortly after dawn on Friday, and our caravan arrives at our first trading outpost in Nashville in around 5 hours, game time. True to the Oregon Trail spirit, we eat…uh…sushi…for lunch (Sam’s Sushi’s $5 special is unbeatable, regardless of the era), and pick up some supplies for the rest of our journey:

Bread, Peanut Butter, Jelly, Whiskey, Beer (x12), Boxed Wine, Fruit (x6), Water (3 Gallons), Money (-$35)

In another hour, we’ve arrived on festival grounds. Admission is lightning-quick this year, compared to last year’s 7-hour…uh…loading time (okay, bear with me) in bumper-to-bumper traffic around the town. We find our campsite, arm our weaponry, and head off into the wild.

What Stage: The Decemberists (above), 5:30p
Game: Deer
Results: 70lb

Opening with a rousing rendition of “July, July!” we knew our favorite verbose indie-folkers would be playing a solid yet theatrical set. Within the first three songs, frontman/perennial jokester Colin Meloy was already calling out the lounging festival-goers in the VIP section of the audience. “When the revolution comes, you’ll be the first ones up against the wall.”

Continuing foraging, we end up at the Wheat Thins Crunch lounge (see above), where the beautiful and talented Grace Potter (see below for a super-candid shot) will be playing a private show. We catch a song, and continue on the trail to This Tent.

This Tent: Florence + The Machine (above), 6:45p
Game: Elk
Results: 80lb

Florence + The Machine’s Bonnaroo debut was met by a tent full of rabid fans, waiting to be annihilated by the UK singer’s wailing, bluesy vocals. Still riding the success of her debut LP, Lungs, the band blasted through their singles, and made sure to replicate the intricate instrumental backings for Florence Welch’s voice. Extra points to the roadie responsible for carrying a full size harp around in the relentless heat.

That Tent: NOFX, 7p
Game: Deer
Results: 70lb

After hearing stories of frontman Fat Mike’s Cokey the Clown fiasco at last year’s South by Southwest, this NOFX set was a must-see. And the band knocked it out of the park with trademark obscene banter  between Fat Mike and his cohorts on stage, as well as members of the crowd. “That American Flag is weird,” he remarks, “we’ve never played to someone holding an American Flag before. That’s weird.”

Sonic Stage: Walk the Moon, 7:15p
Game: Rabbits, Birds
Results: 25lb

We took a brief detour in the middle of NOFX’s set to the Sonic Stage, to check in on some of the smaller festival acts. For a little-known, up-and-coming band, Walk the Moon sure packed a punch. The mostly-female crowd swooned to the band’s poppy tunes, punctuated by set-closer “Anna Sun.” This may be a band to keep an eye on.

What Stage: My Morning Jacket (above), 8p
Game: 100lb
Results: Buffalo

My Morning Jacket are the perfect fit for the main stage for any rock ‘n’ roll festival. Not only do their songs lend well to expansive festival audiences, but the sound really good really loud. And, they brought guests: friends from the Preservation Hall Jazz Band provided horns and extra percussion, which brought the chorus of “Holdin’ On To Black Metal” to new heights. And you bet their energetic riffage on their encore, “One Big Holiday,” completely brought the house down.

What Stage: Arcade Fire (above), 11p
Game: Buffalo
Results: 75lb

Our battle with the elements finally starts to take a turn for the worse. The caravan’s grueling pace leads to both Fritz and Josh succumbing to exhaustion and dehydration. Fritz’s cell phone battery has died (of cholera, probably). We manage to scrape together a few shots of Arcade Fire up-close, then withdraw to calmer grounds to rest, heal up, and prepare for the game later on.

Which Stage: Lil’ Wayne, 1:30a
Game: Birds
Results: 50lb

No, this isn’t a Birdman reference. In Weezy’s defense, it’s hard to make a hip-hop show super interesting to those who aren’t within 20 feet of the stage. His performance was energetic, and he gunned through his verses which are ubiquitous in the current rap scene. However, the set wasn’t totally engaging – certain hits brought us back in (like “Go DJ,” etc.), but at times, we just felt too far away from the action.

The Other Tent: Ratatat, 3:00a
Game: Deer
Results: 55lb

This was a strange nightcap – instead of toning things down, they were completely ramped up. By the time we arrived at Ratatat, we we’re lost in the masses at the back of the tent, and had trouble seeing the action up on stage. However, it almost didn’t matter – Ratatat’s signature, 80s synthy-guitar and dance floor beats kept us all moving, and the audio quality at The Other Tent was top notch. But, even Ratatat’s high-octane guitar effects wizardry couldn’t drive away the onset of exhaustion. Centaroo (the festival grounds) and the surrounding Tent City were still alive with activity, but we choose to find a tree and take a nap before making our way back to camp.

Also, we found this guy, who is really taking it easy:

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Tonight, we’re proud to welcome always funky Diplomats of Solid Sound to St. Louis – specifically, the Gramophone. Come get down: the show starts at 9 with Hazard to Ya Booty, but save some energy for when the Diplomats take the stage. If you miss this one, you’ll not only be passing up a great show, but also starting your well earned weekend on the wrong foot. Don’t mess this one up!

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Where: Friday, June 10th @ The Gramophone (9 pm) – $7 (21+) / $10 (18+)

The Diplomats of Solid Sound are straight-up ambassadors of soul. Since 2001, this funky crew has been shakin’ up dance floors in venues around the world, paying tribute to the genre’s greats, yet adding their own personal style to the mix. Check out the track posted below, and remember to wear your dancing shoes.

The Diplomats of Solid Sound – “Stoned Preacher”
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]

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If you missed last year’s Red Bull Thre3style competition at the Old Rock House, you’ll have a second chance to experience eight of St. Louis’ best DJs fight to win the “party rock” crown: DJ Who, DJ Deception, DJ D-Mega, DJ Needles, DJ A-Flex, DJ Kue, DJ Uptown, and DJ Lonnie Bee. The rules are simple: fifteen minute sets, live mixing, and at least three genres. The rest is in each contestant’s hands (or timecode vinyl and Serato, to be more specific). And the stakes are high: the winner get’s to rep St. Louis at the national championships, and possibly the entire USA in the final, world event in Vancouver.

Although crowd participation is one of the scoring categories, choosing the winner of Red Bull Thre3style is left up to a seasoned set of judges with an intimate knowledge of DJing and the proper technique to truly rock a dance floor. Although 2011′s event is a global series, the original concept was born out of a Tuesday night event at a small Canadian club. Seeing it’s potential beyond entertaining a few Canucks and with some backing from Red Bull, the competition grew to incorporate many Canadian cities, and in 2010, the whole world.

As with last year’s St. Louis qualifier, Red Bull Thre3style is a quasi-summit for St. Louis club and DJ culture. With eight different DJs hailing from eight different musical backgrounds, each set will fall into a distinct style, and showcase different elements of the scene. Plus, quickly mixing three genres together seamless in one set isn’t trivial, either. But, considering the goal of each set is to best energize the crowd, be ready for a healthy dose of club bangers and hopefully some obscure, out-of-left-field drops.

Last year, the powers that be chose the ultra-talented DJ Mahf to represent the Lou in the US finals in Denver. Who will it be this time around? Be at the Old Rock House on Thursday, July 9th to find out!

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1. Del The Funkee Homosapien w/ Bukue One, Zac Hendrix, DJ Chilly C, P.R.E.A.C.H., and The 12 to 6 Movement

-Where: The Firebird
-When: Saturday, June 4th @  8:30 PM
-How Much: $15
-Why: A hip-hop legend and the rapper on the original Gorillaz album, Del won’t disappoint with his clever verses.

2. Bright Eyes w/ Dawes
-Where: The Pageant
-How Much: $27.50 adv / $30 dos ($2 minor surcharge)
-When: Monday, June 6th @ 8 PM
-Why: Conor Oberst always performs an emotional set, but opener Dawes’ country tinged hooks may steal the show.

3. Neon Indian w/ Asobi Seksu
-Where: The Firebird
-When: Wednesday, June 8th @ 9:00 PM
-How Much: $12
-Why: Still don’t know what Chillwave is? Come see Neon Indian – who made the genre well known – to get a grasp on relaxing summer grooves.

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