Halloween is a crazy and fun celebration, and as the day got closer I asked myself, “What am I going to do?” There were the usual house parties and downtown Santa Cruz was always a spectacle, but I didn’t want to do the “norm.” I also wasn’t going to be done with my school day until 10pm, so I knew my plans had to be later in the night as well. I soon learned that I won a ticket to Raindance’s Monster Bash on Halloween night at the Cocoanut Grove in Santa Cruz, so my plans were made and I was ready to dance all night to some amazing music.
Since I got to the Monster Bash half-way through, I sadly missed Little John and JPOD, but made it just in time to catch some Liberation Movement, Vibesquad, and Opiuo. Walking into the Cocoanut Grove, I could tell right away that this party was going to be a great time. Everyone was dressed in their best Halloween costumes, a few girls were hooping, and there was a small collection of art lining the walls; not to mention the majority of the crowd was going hard on the dance floor. Liberation Movement’s ancient sounds had me swaying my body back and forth, and set my mind into the perfect space for a great night. The neighboring bodies around me were on the same level, and Liberation Movement’s “sonic shamanic alchemy” was my ideal way to start the night.
After I got a whiskey and coke, mingled with a few friends, and enjoyed the decor that Raindance adorned the venue with, I went to the dance floor to feel the glitchy-ness of the music that is Vibesquad. The energy on the floor was perfect, and everyone was bouncing to the bass while crazy, fun-house looking clowns were twerking to the tunes. Vibesquad is one of my personal favorites, and enjoying the electronic magic while feeling like I was in a Tim Burton movie made it that much better. Because this event was so close to downtown Santa Cruz, a few overly drunk and touchy-feely people were wandering around, but b*tch, my vibe wasn’t killed.
Next was Opiuo, and I was so excited to see the New Zealand native throw down some funky-cool glitch. As he was about to go on, everyone scurried to the dance floor, and a nun-dressed Opiuo appeared. Just like during Vibesquad, clowns and people covered in LED-lit balloons danced on stage, people on stilts were towering over the audience, and my eardrums were covered in “bass sauce,” as Opiuo describes on his Facebook page. Each sound I was hearing was better than the last, and I couldn’t fight the bass Gods as I let my body go wild to funkadelic craziness; it really is no wonder that Opiuo is an international artist.
As he finished up, I was sad to know that the night was ending soon, but I knew I had just spent my Halloween night the perfect way. As always, Raindance threw a killer party, the Cocoanut Grove was hospitable to us all, and my ears could hit my pillow satisfied and happy. If you’ve had the privilege of seeing Opiuo on any leg of his fall 2013 tour, you know what I mean when I say he really brings the good vibes and great tunes.
Connect with Raindance Presents
Connect with Opiuo
Official Website | Facebook | Soundcloud
Original article: *Event Review* Raindance Presents: Monster Bash 6 with Opiuo | Santa Cruz | October 31 | 2013
©2013 Music You Need | The Premier Electronic Dance Music Blog. All Rights Reserved.
The post *Event Review* Raindance Presents: Monster Bash 6 with Opiuo | Santa Cruz | October 31 | 2013 appeared first on Music You Need | The Premier Electronic Dance Music Blog.