I was a big fan of Lenny Kravitz back in middle school. And what I mean is I listened to Fly Away on repeat while playing Beetle Adventure Racing on the N64, and I played that shit often. That’s a fan when you’re 13.
When I saw him on the lineup for Kaaboo, I was pretty set on going, but Jimmy Buffett sold me… My Uncle is one of the biggest Parrotheads on the planet, or at least Minnesota, so I had to see what Jimmy was all about.
Lenny Kravitz and Jimmy Buffett weren’t the only two the lineup had to offer. Kaaboo 2016’s long list of talent stretches from Hall & Oates and Macy Gray to Aerosmith and Ludacris, none of which played together.
The comedy was right up there too, but there was one thing missing for me. The electronic acts. My almost perfect lineup was about 20 miles South of Kaaboo, one year ago in San Diego at CRSSD fest, and this electronic lineup looked nothing like it.
There was one producer I wanted to see. Even though he produces a lot of pop vocals that aren’t for me, with over three hundred tracks on SoundCloud, RAC had a handful that I liked, especially that Zee Avi remix. Beautiful voice.
Going to a festival alone
Usually I get a ticket to a festival and figure out the logistics later. But there’s one thing I wish I planned for more, who I’m going with. Friends can’t always take the time to travel and sometimes the lineup is too good to pass up.
Going to a festival alone can be more of a challenge to have a good time. The key is to be open with people. Looking for moments when you can help someone out, particularly with the small things. It doesn’t always pan out, but enjoying the moment even if it’s alone in a crowd of thousands can still be a good time.
Festivals aren’t usually set up with the more intimate areas, unless it’s VIP, but is crucial for the dynamics of any relationship, including one with yourself. Everyone needs a break from the crowd and is something every festival should have on its highest priority.
What is a musician?
I met a local dj for San Diego’s classic rock station, so of course I had to get his opinion on edm, and of course he didn’t like it. Though he did admit liking techno back in the day. What surprised me wasn’t that he didn’t like edm, but that he didn’t consider those producers musicians.
To me a musician is someone who produces or performs music. He had an issue with musicians that sample calling themselves musicians, which I understand, but there are varying degrees of being a musician. I would even go as far as calling dj’s who only mix music musicians. Combining two sounds can make a whole new one. It’s only when you get out of any type of sound manipulation in music, such as music curator like myself, where I’d stop calling someone a musician.
RAC tracklist
Let Go (ft. Kele & MNDR)
Hollywood (ft. Penguin Prison)
Concrete Wall (Remix of Zee Avi)
No Strings (Remix of Mayer Hawthorne)
Houdini (Remix of Foster The People)
Something Good Can Work (Remix of Two Door Cinema Club)
The Coast ft. Jvzel (with Coolwater Set)
HISTORY – History
HOLYCHILD – Power Play
Too Darn Hot (Remix of Ella Fitzgerald)
Think Of You (Remix of MS MR)
Cool Kids (Remix of Echosmith)
Blue Jeans (Remix of Lana Del Rey)
Walking On A Dream (Remix of Empire Of The Sun)
Werewolf Bar Mitzvah (Remix of Tracy Jordan)
