Some brief notes. Good festival overall, Rob hood was better than i expected, pretty much the best closing set that i have heard at any of the festivals many nights over the years. Fred G. kooky scientist dropped a great set and was funny as hell that he played the steven colbert bush roast at the beginning of his set. Minimal artists like dandy jack and pantytech did not work on the main stage, i always had a good time at beatport stage. Sunday was a terrible day with them shutting off the cold water in the mens`rooms and turning the water fountains off and not allowing people to bring in water. That is straight up ghetto unfabulous, shame on them for that. Charge extra at the door if you have to, but don<t try to milk people by denying them something they need to stay alive on 85 degree + weather. Monday was pretty good all in all, Richie schooled me on why minimal is the new trance, ie breaks (minimize) and emotive builds (maximize), which was funny for me to see it so displayed. Overall t he festival was the most homogenious crowd wise, and the whitest that I can remember.
Afterparites...Untitled was fun and had a great underground space, with good sound. I got dragged to the minus party on saturday and had a good time, the sound system was awesome, the bass made my organs shake and whoever played before hawtin was really good then Richie was good for an hour then he just got too tweaky, but gaiser saved the day in the 2nd room. Sunday night perlon was fantastic, Sammy Dee played a great set better than dan bell for that type of thing, lots of dubbed out vocals and throbbing basslines. Again there was some minimal wankiness, but dandy jack was much better at 4am than during the daytime at the festival. Also hit dirty detroit that night and heard traxx play a crazy set. Monday night was great if you missed the electo mechanics party you missed the best detroit party of the weekend. Aaron Carl and Benji hayes rip it up with the booty and cybonix from die did an absolutely excellent live pa, with gear. But alas the sound was too loud, even with e ar plugs, and we left early so that our drive to mutek the next day would be without ringing. mutek review next week.... tom
