My second musical event in Seattle was the Dynamo Threedee "last party of the summer" at the NAF Studios. My main reason for going to this event was to see Sir Mix-A-Lot live.
At the last event I attended, the 2001 Unite Mekka Festival, I remarked how concert going had been remarkably transformed by electronica, changing a passive experience to a more active one. The comments I made there also apply to the Dynamo Threedee party, but this event showcases how an energetic live show can complement a DJ's spinning extremely well.
Sir Mix-A-Lot and Da Posse opened to a crowded dance floor that was pumped up on some amazing techno/trance music. This was the first time I was seeing a rap act that I liked live and it was really awesome. I was jumping and bouncing and dancing more than banging my head or just enjoying virtuoso musicians at work (and I'm not putting down one experience or the other, just saying that I do a lot more of the latter).
Sir Mix-A-Lot played his classic hits like Posse on Broadway and Baby Got Back and some new tunes (I'd have liked to see him play Monsta Mack from The Beavis and Butt-head Experience album but he didn't). He was also the judge (aided by the crowd) of a set of girls he pulled up on stage to decide who has the best arse. As I said before, the electronica acts were all excellent and really had the crowd moving. Sir Mix-A-Lot's rapping was the icing on the cake, making the party more fun and outrageous.
There were three stages at the event: The 3D Mainstage featuring Sir Mix-A-Lot, Charlotte Birch, DJ Irene, Mike and Nick's Big Adventure, Tyler Johnson, Soren, DJXL, and DJ Federal; the Electric Groove Stage featuring DJ Mea, Alain Octavo, Austin Pain, Non-Paralyx, Jimmy Hoffa Hender, Lil Mz Booty, Roman, Sandman, and DJ Ryle and the Bass Tent that featured Zacharia, Eva, Wyle, DJ Syze, Nori, and Big Teej.
The venue, NAF Studios, located south of Seattle was quirky, especially since the organisation of the stages was anything but even (besides there were all kinds of ways to get from one stage to another). This, coupled with its small size, lent a particular unique and cozy atmosphere to the event. The sound was excellent. Many of the people there were dressed in cool costumes and people appreciated my Buddhist Tibetan Monk + Thai Sarong outfit (four pictures, for the record).