Art of Revolution: The Sounds of Social Change at Bassnectar’s Spring Gathering
Feature Photo by Reston Campbell Photography
Last week, thousands of souls gathered together in Chicago to celebrate life, music, and friendship in full bloom. But more specifically, they came together because of their love for one human: Bassnectar, given name Lorin Ashton. Plenty of people know about the omnitempo, bass shattering, floor moving grooves that drive the cult of “bassheads” to follow the king of the sound around the country. However, if you have only seen Bassnectar at a music festival, you have missed out on the truly unique spectacle that occurs when he takes over a venue, and transforms it into a sanctuary for music and magic. Called “family gatherings”, these multiple day events are meant to be far more than just a concert. They’re designed to bring people from all different backgrounds and geographic locations together and inspire one another to create real change, both in their local and national communities, as well as in their own personal lives. The Spring Gathering was a gleaming example of this effort, represented in the organizations with booths in the venue, as well as the messages spread in the actual musical sets themselves.
Entering into the central area of the venue, you may have been greeted by an enthusiastic person wearing a white jersey with a black bassdrop on it. As the night continued, and you found yourself immersed in a 2 hour extended Bassnectar set, you may have found this same person pouring water into your mouth, then disappearing to spread hydration throughout the crowd. You had the privilege of encountering an amBASSador, one of the many volunteers that have applied for the position of reinforcing the values passed down from Lorin to the family. These beautiful souls do much more than pass out water; they are expected to be examples to everyone of compassionate, community driven, empathetic individuals. They also are expected to create their own community outreach projects, and enact tangible change around them.
One such project at the Gathering was called “Strength In Numbers”. It was started after an ambassador named Shaelyn West experienced an unwanted physical interaction at a concert. She realized that she was absolutely not the only one to experience this, and wanted to make others like her feel safe at their favorite events. In the context of the Gathering, a booth was set up within the venue where anyone (male, female, or otherwise) who felt unsafe, uncomfortable, or even just lonely could come and be greeted by a welcoming and friendly face. They had chairs and water set up, and would pair you up with someone else to return to the crowd, or just encourage you to stay and feel secure with new friends. I spoke with Shaelyn after the event, and she told me that they had no significant issues, but that many people came up and told them that their presence made them much more safe and comfortable. She is planning on expanding the project, and hopefully will be represented at more events as time goes on.
If you were at Electric Forest, there were a few other installations that may have been familiar to you. The first was a project Lorin participated in at the Forest, known as “To Write Love on Her Arms”. It is a nonprofit dedicated to helping those who struggle with depression, addiction, or suicidal thoughts, through social outreach and recovery initiatives. They have responded to over 200,000 people from 100 countries around the world that have messaged them about their struggles. They also have donated millions towards recovery programs, as well as individual practices and other organizations, and traveled millions of miles to reach out and connect directly to those in need. Their booth was appropriately set up next to the Night Lily, a second Forest installation. It was a large kinetic flower sculpture that bloomed and wilted and projected constantly changing images; appropriate for a gathering inspired by the cyclical nature of life and springtime. Located below the lily was another Bassnectar event staple: the gift altar. This was a ring of tables where people could place hand painted hats, hand written cards, or anything in between, and leave it for someone to exchange with something of equivalent value. Adjacent to the altar was the Haven, which was a closed off area with air couches and live painters. If anyone was feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or just needed a break from the music, this was a quiet place to escape and decompress.
With all of the organizations and installations, it was clear that Lorin cared just as much about the message as the music. However, this event was absolutely not lacking in fantastic sounds and production. With support from amazing artists such as Danny Corn, TOKiMONSTA, Rezz, Andreillien, Ivy Lab, and Troyboi, the energy levels were through the roof out of the gates each night. Artists tend to put their best foot forward when opening for Nectar, and this lineup was no exception. Rezz took everyone through a terrifying yet enthralling musical journey, complete with slaughterhouse visuals and bone shattering bass. It was her first time providing direct support for Bassnectar, and she proved that she has earned the title of “Space Mom”. TOKiMONSTA blessed the crowd with her collection of eclectic beats and hard trap. Many people didn’t know that she had a year and a half prior been diagnosed with a rare brain disease, and after surgery was left without the ability to speak or write music. After working for months, she was able to regain her functionality, and even go on tour. She was followed by Troyboi, who spiced the evening up with a remix of Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot”, and some of his own unreleased tunes.
After the incredible opening support, it was time for the main event. Bassnectar saves the best for the gatherings, and this was no exception. Musically, both sets contained a diverse blend of genres. From Stevie Wonder to MONXX, there was something for just about everyone, with plenty of originals from a collection spanning over a decade. But what sets Lorin apart from other artists isn’t just his ability to seamlessly blend heavy and melodic tracks in a constantly morphing matrix. It is that he uses his platform to spread awareness of real world events and ideologies he feels are important for people to understand. Night 1, he spoke to the crowd about being more active in their local communities, and voting for legislators who would support their beliefs on issue such as gun control and social rights. He included on the screen a number to text to send a letter to your state representative. On the second night, he really showed everyone what he meant by “experiencing life in full bloom”. He played a few minute clip from the Duncan Trussell Family Hour podcast. Duncan tells a story about watering a tiny patch of nothing in his back yard, which blooms into a sea of grass and an orchard of trees. He talks about how this is a metaphor for life, and no matter how bleak and dark a place one might be in, inspiration and love will bloom again. The full clip is included at the end of this article, and I highly suggest taking a couple minutes to watch it. Towards the end of the set, he played a quote from Stephen Hawking, talking about no matter how difficult life may seem, there is something in life that you can succeed at. He reminds us to be curious, and to look up at the stars and not down at our feet.
I recommend everyone go to at least one curated Bassnectar event in their lifetime. It’s about more than the music; it’s about appreciating life and giving back to everyone around you in every way that you can. This event was designed to inspire the empathetic, and in that regard I have seen many people come from Chicago with fresh energy, and the real desire to make a difference both in their own lives, and the lives of others.
Links
To Write Love On Her Arms
The Night Lily