5 reasons to never miss a Bassnectar curated event [Event Review]

5 reasons to never miss a Bassnectar curated event

BassCenter has cemented itself Bassnectar‘s most-anticipated event among his cult following. The event offered top-notch “underground” bass music curation alongside a plethora of interactive community building activities. Every detail is finely tuned to it’s tiniest parts by Lorin Ashton himself, according to Reddit. For such a prolific affair, topping it every year is no easy feat. In 2016, BassCenter pulled 25,000 fans to Colorado, which led the hair-thrashing visionary to reign it in for his brainchild’s 10th iteration. Ashton’s aim was to make BCX a smaller, more intimate affair. Intimate is what unfolded at Hampton’s sold-out 10K limited capacity venue, a space dubbed “the Mothership” by bass heads, dead heads, and Phish heads alike.

1. An abundance of impressive bass music

At each and every Bassnectar event, there is a slew of opening talent that Ashton hand picks with specific purpose. Yet, since BassCenter is the premier event of Bassnectar’s year, both creatively and communally, artists seem to really bring their A-game. Bleep Bloop came to impress with his usual brand of weird space bass. Clozee is becoming a mainstay at Bassnectar events, making her second appearance in just two months, with her organic Eastern-influenced line of bass music. Direct openers for Bassnectar were Mr. Carmack and Cashmere Cat, who each brought something different to the table, while delivering heavy sub bass to get the crowd in the right space for Bassnectar.

2. Live roaming performers, pop-up acts, and vendors around every turn

From official vendors lined up along the outside of the venue to the more organic sales of homemade goods by passionate, artistic festival-goers, one should bring their pocket book armed to any Bassnectar event. Even the hotel lobby turns itself into a market place for selling shirts, pins and gifts, and all kinds of merchandise. Those who also chanced upon The Lot’s musical musings were also fortunate enough to discover a hoop squad grooving and spinning to heart thumping bass music from The Librarian, Dorfex Bos, and The Fungineers.

3. The production quality is second to none

Cutting-edge technology is what makes Bassnectar events so special. The sound itself is a physical, visceral rollercoaster. Paired with the visuals, the event becomes a psychedelic and communal experience. It is sound you can see. At one point, rose petals fell from the ceiling; at another, large inflatable animals were released into the arena as bass heads crowd surfed across the floor. The themes for each night’s performance were Space, Earth, and Ether. During his Earth set, Bassnectar brought out a spokesman for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Chase Iron Eyes. The Indigenous-American activist gave a conscientious speech about the continued protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline, ending with a resonating chant, “Water is Life!”

4. Activities and art at every corner

BassCenter provided an endless amount of options to pass one’s time outside of just the music. From games and booths to massages and a gift alter in The Haven, every corner of the Mothership seemed to provide a new adventure. The Lots, an enhanced gathering space outside the venue, was complete with renegade sound systems, pop-up arts & crafts fair, and guest performances. The Center itself was akin to a teeming bazaar of art, with painters showcasing their work live to a backdrop of curious spectators buzzing about.

5. The passionate family of bass heads is one-of-a-kind

BassCenter is not a typical large-scale electronic music event. For one, it boasts an exceptional amount of love for community. Across all three days, you’ll see selfless bass heads practicing random acts of kindness and treating others with respect, gratitude and equality. Gifts from random strangers are a regular occurrence. Meeting your newest friend in the host hotel’s elevators is not unlikely. Trading kandi, smiles, and hugs with police officers is routine social practice. Any given show feels like Ashton’s very own pop-up hippie commune. These unified ravers are not only committed to chasing Lorin’s music all over the country, but to spreading his message of love and acceptance.

There’s Bassnectar festival sets, and then there’s Bassnectar curated events. The proof is in the pudding with BassCenter X, and seeing is believing if one wants to know – truly know – what this immersive community is really about. The next chance to commune with the progressive, fun-loving and wildly ostentatious Bassnectar community is New Years Eve in Atlanta, Georgia!

Photos courtesy of Reston Campbell Photography

Featured photo courtesy of aLive Coverage