By: McKenzie Ingram
The poster read, “Miss this, and be forever bummed.”
If you were one of the many people who arrived fashionably late to Agate Alley on Thursday night and were denied at the door, this is what you missed and will forever be bummed about. From the outside of the building you may have seen the shaking walls and felt the vibrating floor.
What you didn’t catch was the ceiling dripping with condensation, the hundreds of hands waving in the air, and the blur of red and green lights streaking across the dance floor. The good vibes were so strong they were visible. You could touch them, hear them, taste them.
What started in the fall of 2009 as a biweekly enjoyment of good music, has turned into somewhat of an electronic haven, where fans of this robotic form of musical expression can jump, jive and boogie away from the mainstream music scene.
“I was happy to find a place where friends would show up to party and nobody would end up with a noise complaint. It was a bonus that I could play whatever music I wanted,” said Liam Grist AKA DJ Wiki, “people wouldn’t tell me to play more rap, like they do at Taylors.”
DJ Wiki alternated sets Thursday night with fellow University of Oregon student Ryan Lassi (DJ Lassi). Together the two DJs spun techno, electro, and house music with influences of hip-hop and reggae.
“I always play what I want to hear and what I feel,” said DJ Lassi about the music he chose for Thursday night, “I like to build it up so that the crowd has something to look forward to.”
Along with electronic music, Tactics and Mt. Bachelor came armed with a plethora of giveaways and offers. A drink wheel sat next to the bar, offering cheap drinks to those who worked up a thirst on the dance floor.
The bar was packed, and only those with intense perseverance (or intense thirst) waited long enough to get a drink. The only person I saw successfully conquering the crowds was my beautiful friend Maya, who stands 5’0 feet in stature, and a whole lot taller in character. She slithered underneath people’s shoulders and through the long lines, and always seemed to be holding a freshly made drink.
We both agreed that her usual tactic of looking genuinely frightened and screaming “MOM! MOM!” wouldn’t work in this 21+ venue. Oh to be small, and hilarious.
Part of what made Thursday night so special was the energy that came from the musicians. The two DJs perfectly complimented each other, playing similar and contrasting songs, remixing and redesigning what it means to be an electronic musician.
High fives were flying, and hugs were exchanged. As the music built up and prepared for the kick, they would crouch down and jump up anticipating a reaction from the crowd, which always came shortly thereafter. I have so much appreciation for electronic musicians because they are constantly creating and reinventing new sounds. Whatever restraints and walls that other musicians are bound by don’t exist in this realm of music.
If you can imagine it, it’s possible.