We REALLY Need This.. GCSSS (Please Read!)

[mareluna]

Hey everyone!

I know this isn't the London board, but i just had to post something about Gatecrasher Summer Sound System. I'm sure alot of you have heard of it already, but just for those that haven't, here's the basic rundown...

Gatecrasher is almost like a travelling circus-- they host parties at different clubs around the world from Sheffield, England to Australia and all the places in between. They did start up parties @ Limelight back in the day but (I'm sure they're working on something for Gatecrasher NYC parties soon tho! I work for a nightlife co. in London, so i'll def. try to get some exclusive updates on that!)

They also host an annual festival in England and it's like the Woodstock of electronic dance music. I went to my first UK music festival this Saturday thru Sunday. it was 20 HOURS OF MUSIC NONSTOP and almost 60,000 people in attendance. It was quite arguably the best night of my life. But it's not Just music-- they have carnival rides, shops, food... from ferris wheels and Round-Ups, to vegan restaurants and hemp shops... The place was so huge that if it wasn't for the different colored tents to use as landmarks to orient myself, i think i'd still be there trying to find my way out. Over 100 DJs from Everywhere and their Mothers! (DT was there too!!!) Here's the rundown of all the arenas (that's right, 10 Arenas for every different genre of music you could think of!!!) I would seriously recommend coming to England JUST for the clubs and music festivals... if you book a ticket early (3-4 months earlier) you can get tickets as cheap at $150.. and the festivals themselves don’t cost more than £50 (about $75) Here's the roster just so you can get a feel for what insanity went on… (i got to see about 15 DJs, there just wasn't enough time!!!! but everything i felt and witnessed was like an out-of-body experience... completely sober too )

I was in the Gatecrasher Arena for most of the day and nite… I’m a trance fiend, so I just couldn’t get enough…

Gatecrasher Main Arena (this tent was so huge that i couldn't see from one side to the other...

Matt Hardwick

Scott Bond

Paul Oakenfold

DJ Tiesto

Paul van Dyk

Mauro Picotto w/ Ricky Effe live

Judge Jules

Armin van Burren

Fergie (who is fuckin Awesome!! Even harder and crazier than Mauro!!)

Chemical Generation Live supported by Jockey Slut (mag)

Chemical Brothers Live

Groove Armada Live

Sasha

Dave Clarke

Darren Emerson

Stanton Warriors

Justin Robertson

James Holroyd

Daddy Ad

Bedroom 01: 'Be Yourself'

Danny Tenaglia

Pete Tong

Lottie

Tom Stephan

Mutiny

Dygas

Other special guests (ack, I forgot who else!)

Bedroom 02: Dance Ritual

'Little' Louie Vega (Masters at Work)

Danny Rampling

Guests of Louie Vega

Carl Cox Global

Carl Cox

Green Velvet (live)

Cajmere

Trevor Rockcliffe

C1

Misstress Barbara

Bedrock

Sasha & John Digweed (back to back)

Nick Warren

Sander Kleinenberg

Phil Thompson

James Zabiela

Chris Fortier

Lucien Foort

Tidy Trax supported by M8 Magazine

Tidy Boys

Lisa Lashes

Andy Farley

Anne Savage

BK

Rob Tissera

Nick Sentience

Eddie Halliwell

Paul Glazby

Lee Haslam

Jon Bishop

The Freek

Trophy Twins

Drum & Bass Arena, featuring The Valve Soundsystem

Roni Size & Dynamite

Dillinja & Lemon D

Craze & Plus One

Fabio

DJ Hype

Andy C

DJ Marky & Patife

Stamina

Nicky Blackmarket & The Jungle Drummer

Zinc

Ray Keith

DJ SS

Frenzic

TK & Stav

Transit Mafia

MCs: Skidabee, Fearless, GQ, Warren G, Shabba, Trip, Power.

Twice as Nice

DJ Spoony

Mikee B

DJ Luck & MC Neat

Pied Piper & MC Unknown

Matt Jam Lamont

Karl Tuff Enuff Brown

DJ Omar

Steve Smooth Sutherland

Mike Ruff Cut Lloyd

Ed Case

Lisa Unique & MC Foxy

Masterstepz

MCs: PSG, Creed, DT, Unknown.

Outdoor Bud Bus

David Holmes

Howie B

Rob da Bank

i went alone to this festival and wasn't one bit intimidated or afraid at all—the atmosphere in the clubscene here is So friendly and totally welcoming.. it totally astounded me, when in reality, that’s the way it should be all the time… people would be dancing next to you and grab your hand and raise it up on a good buildup and just smile at you! the vibe is just so good, it really reminded me of twilo come to think about it (people here always compare Turnmills to Twilo.. it's funny, they still think twilo is open.. i get sad when i start to talk about it, can't help it!.. ) straight guys dance with straight guys, girls talk to other girls w/o trying to get with each other.. now, I love NY and I love the scene we got going, but you would never see 2 guys dancing with each other unless they were gay.. and girls don’t give other girls the time of day in NY clubs for fear of being hit on by other guys or girls mostly.. (at least, that’s why perspective from my 4-5 years of clubbing in NY).. I made so many friends at GCSSS and every weekend, just from hitting up clubs.. it’s really inspiring.. everyone’s out there firstly for the music.. plus, it was awesome to see how everyone went all out.. I’m sure some of you have heard of Gatecrasher Kids? They’re the crazy kids that dress up in cyber-gear, color their hair all crazy, wear furry boots, plastic shirts, (girls with rainbow brite-lookin outfits) etc.. not candy ravers.. check out www.cyberdog.com. The whole "gatecrasher kid" phenomenon was insane around 98-99, not so much anymore, but there were plenty at the festival. it was so kewl to see how much they prepared for it...

But anyways, it just made me think of how much we need something like this going on in the States.. people I talked to from the UK just couldn’t believe that the US didn’t have any festivals like this… I just wanted to post this cuz I think we REALLY need something like this here… the Boo festivals don’t even compare (with all due respect to those raves) GCSSS just blew my mind and opened my eyes at the same time… and i felt like i had really lived....

-daniela

pics to come...all i can say now is... i can't Wait for God's Kitchen Global Gathering!!!

[howardstone]

I can not believe you just posted that.

[bigpoppanils]

ive said it before and ill say it again....i miss london

one more month....

[hotcheme]

i hear what you are saying. i had to convince myself out of buying a last minute ticket but i will be going next year.

it's cool that you are over there so you can check out GKGG as well. i am jealous.

[Xpander]

That'll be the day...

[mareluna]

Originally posted by howardstone

I can not believe you just posted that.

why not?

poppa: 2 def. free tickets, i *may* get 2 more... i'll pm you in a sec

[mareluna]

Originally posted by xpander

That'll be the day...

xpander... no offense at all, but it's that kinda attitude that prohibits this stuff from happening... there's alot of negativity in ny.. too much i think.. and in the words of wayne's world, "if you invite them, they will come" (i think?)

-daniela

[bigpoppanils]

i would love to see an event like that in the northeast, but with the current lawmaker hysteria over "raves" and the irrational price gouging of dj fees by european dj's (when they come here), an event like this is a few years off over here (especially in the northeast; events like this can be pulled off in the west thanks to indian reservations). I guess we'll have to make due with Area 2 and Boo for now.

[mareluna]

Originally posted by bigpoppanils

i would love to see an event like that in the US, but with the current lawmaker hysteria over "raves" and the irrational price gouging of dj fees by european dj's (when they come here), an event like this is a few years off over here (especially in the northeast; events like this can be pulled off in the west thanks to indian reservations). I guess we'll have to make due with Area 2 and Boo for now.

speaking of which... everyone always blamed giuliani for the closing clubs, etc... and tru, he did have this war on drugs and nitelife, but i wonder if people kno the story about Happyland Disco (i'm pretty sure that's the name of the place) well anyways, that was a primarily latino club in the bronx in the 80s.. and one nite, the owner got into a fight with his gf and lit the front entrance hallway on fire... he killed about 90 people that nite..

that was the very beginning of the still on-going war on clubs in ny.. and believe it or not, it's still one of the main causes of aversity to nite life in nyc... (of course, there is Sooo much more that goes into it than that, but there's the origin back in the day) just a lil lesson for the day

[joeg]

i'm with nathan on this one...

i'll believe it, when I see it in this city... but I think that day is a long way off...

[Xpander]

Originally posted by mareluna

xpander... no offense at all, but it's that kinda attitude that prohibits this stuff from happening... there's alot of negativity in ny.. too much i think.. and in the words of wayne's world, "if you invite them, they will come" (i think?)

-daniela

With your eagerness, I figured that was coming sooner or later

The truth is, the American dance music market is VERY different from the UK dance music market. The Gatecrasher stuff is practically pop music in the UK. Our dance music market (despite its popularity gain in recent years), is STILL a fringe music market compared to rock, hip hop, country, so forth. And that very fact alone makes it difficult to accomplish the task of gather 60,000 like minded dance music lovers people in a field, and whatnot.

Consider also the fact that it's a great capital commitment for an UK organization to throw such a massive party here in the states. Big US festivals ARE thrown out west (way out west ), but I don't have that much information on them.

And if you invite them, they will NOT come. That's what happened with Creamfields, when Cream made the ABSOLUTELY MORONIC decision to work with Clear Channel here in the states. And to do such a massive scale party for an underground scene, the marketing approach HAS to be unique and catered to the fringe. Clear Channel is NOT the right people to be talking to.

So when you get the big guys over in the UK to talk to some people who ACTUALLY knows how to throw DANCE festivals here, then maybe we can talk. There's alot of details in there, and it's not the easiest thing to do. That's why I'm skeptical.

[hoke]

Nathan, you're right to an extent, but I don't think it's entirely out of the question here.

Atlantis in San Francisco filled 3Com park to capacity -- nearly 40,000 people.

It's a question of marketing above all, I think... I don't remember how I heard about Atlantis, but they did a very good job of convincing me that I wanted to go.

Maybe promotions/bookings, etc. on the East Coast is just a bigger mess than on the West Coast... I dunno. <shrug>

[kidnyce]

the closest i've witnessed was WMF. As for Creamsfield dealing with Clear Channel...as stated above, the most moronic choice I have ever seen. Mecca Tour seemed possible but the same with no avail. Media attention and amongst society clearly makes an obvious association with the electronic music scene; drug use. what makes uk distinguished to the usa is the quality of life. society has a higher standard of living, quality of life seems to be on a higher priority focused on living as long as you possibly can. out in europe, the quality of life isnt so high, they arent as "health conscious" as america.

i think it will never be possible for any such event in the usa unless society begins to accept AND recognize this culture without the association of drug use. don't get me wrong, im would love to see this happen. maybe in another time in the future this would be evident.

...such is life...

keep party people =)

[Randy]

detroit electronic music festival

1.5 million people over memorial day w/e

[mareluna]

Originally posted by Randy

detroit electronic music festival

1.5 million people over memorial day w/e

there ya go! i never said it could happen, but i just think we need something like gcsss hehe

[DETROIT]

Uhhhh,

These things do go on in the states all the time, WEMF in Detroit, Atlantis in Cali and Ultra 4 at WMC drew just as many people as GCSS and arguably have talent just as nice. These parties happen every year in the states, and there is also the WEMF in Toronto every year as well. If you are waiting for some party to pop up in Central Park or Nassau or Westchester, dont hold your breath, but if you are willing to put down some money on transport, you can find parties just as good here stateside.

It's one of the disadvantages of living in such a large country, but then again would you wanna live in a country the size of Louisiana?

[Xpander]

I've gripes with listing Ultra and the DEMF. First off, Ultra has industry backing (WMC, anyone?) And second, DEMF is less a festival than a cultural gathering. Let's face it, Techno fans have alot more HARDCORE following than most of the other electronic music sub-genres. Compound this with the fact that Detroit is generally considered to be the cultural mecca of techno, and you end up with a very unique situation.

Bottom line is, you can't put those two events in the same league as something like GCSS.

[joeg]

Starscape was sweet... but nothing the caliber of gcsss...

[mareluna]

Originally posted by fwilso01

Uhhhh,

These things do go on in the states all the time, WEMF in Detroit, Atlantis in Cali and Ultra 4 at WMC drew just as many people as GCSS and arguably have talent just as nice. These parties happen every year in the states, and there is also the WEMF in Toronto every year as well. If you are waiting for some party to pop up in Central Park or Nassau or Westchester, dont hold your breath, but if you are willing to put down some money on transport, you can find parties just as good here stateside.

It's one of the disadvantages of living in such a large country, but then again would you wanna live in a country the size of Louisiana?

in size they compare, not in genres... gcsss covered pretty much all the genres and had an amazing lineup.. that's pretty much the beauty of it, next to the vibes of course... which was the point of my original post (i don't think i made it clear enough) i just thought it was amazing how so many people that like so many different genres of electronic music can get together and have such a fantastic/peaceful time.. ah, i'm tired..

[DETROIT]

Originally posted by mareluna

in size they compare, not in genres... gcsss covered pretty much all the genres and had an amazing lineup.. that's pretty much the beauty of it, next to the vibes of course... which was the point of my original post (i don't think i made it clear enough) i just thought it was amazing how so many people that like so many different genres of electronic music can get together and have such a fantastic/peaceful time.. ah, i'm tired..

Your point was loud and clear, and ULTRA 4was without a doubt equal to if not better than GCSS genre-wise. You had the best DNB, House, and Trance acts in the world there, just like GCSS - if not better. It seems like people here are still afraid to look within our own borders, and are still waiting for the newest sh*t to drool over from the UK. Remember everyone....it all started here.....

[hoke]

Originally posted by fwilso01

Remember everyone....it all started here.....

The music started here, but we do tend to be behind on the culture... and the UK picks up on new sounds much quicker than the US.

[highmay]

muthafucka

[Taub]

Fergie isnt not at all better than MAURO....mauro is techno and fergie is hard house carp....just watch fegie will be starting to play Dariush - Ira soon...but picotto has been hammering it for ages...dude got it as promo and signed it on to MEdia recs sub label ANIMA..

FERGIE SUCKS ASS WITH HIS HARD HOUSE

[FlipsSOE]

doing big festivals like they do out in the UK would be very difficult to do here in the US, particularly in the Northeast. You'd have a better chance to do it in the South east or out west before you see it around here. When dealing with int'l talent, these guys demand very high salaries for they're gigs. You multiply that by various artists on the bill who are from over seas, along with first class flights for one, coach flights for 2-3 more people as part of they're riders. you add on a 4-5 star hotel room. again, add another 2-3 rooms. you multiply this by every single int'l artist your talking about lots and lots of $$$. Yes, Ultra does have that advantage in that they have the WMC as industry backing, so therefore a lot easier. OUt west, they have atlantis, electric daisy carnival, the coachella etc. seems like they have one event that draws 20,000+ every month.....let's face it, our scene is different than those of your pop culture. Where as most of America is accustomed to buying they're concert tickets far in advance, electronic music fans buy them 1-2 days before or even at the door. Clear channel and cream would have done great with creamfields out in suffolk county I feel. I have heard rumours that they were at somewhere around 3500 presales 3 weeks prior to the event when they pulled the plug. Do you realize how phenomenal that is?? For Boo, we didn't reach 3500 presales till about that Tuesday( 4 days prior) and we still managed to do nearly 11,000 people which proves my statement. That creamfields event would've done somewhere around 20-25,000 and would've certainly kick-started the mega festival scene here in the Northeast. Unfortunately, clearchannel; used to dealing with metallica and nsync concerts which sell out in a matter of minutes paniced. If creamfields came back to the states and tried to conjure something up, I'm all for it. I think there's definitely an outlet for electronic music here in the states, not to the point where I would say it's commercialized. I guess we'll just have to wait and be patient, in the meantime- remember Boo 7- October 12th, 2002 @ Randalls's Island- headlining talent to be announced within 3 weeks.