GAIAN
MIND SUMMER FESTIVAL 2006
June 22nd-25th, Four Quarters,
Central PA, USA
REVIEWS
GMSF2K6:
Pictures and videos -
http://flickr.com/photos/28354417@N00/sets/72157594180161704
http://ilyagulko.com/photos/gmsf2006
http://flickr.com/photos/serena-n-gosha-pix/sets/72157594191296376
http://n0rp.chemlab.org/photos/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=1351
http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b201/lauryn604/Gaian%20Mind%20Festival%202K6%20Four%20Quarters%20PA
http://s26.photobucket.com/albums/c111/glowingdragon/Gaian%20Mind%2006-Pennsylvania
http://tekgnome.com:70/gallery/v/Parties/GaianMind06
http://touchsamadhi.com/index.php?q=gallery&g2_itemId=22967
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1309559320890561351&hl=en
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2740901335622195374&hl=en
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4635334114073010344&hl=en
http://www.flickr.com/photos/56664512@N00/sets/72157594178605036
http://www.flickr.com/photos/justmajors
http://www.ganesha.ca/Media/photos/Gaian%20Mind%2006
http://www.lightomatic.com/images/gmsf2006
http://www.mumstudents.org/~rschreiber/goaspirit_com/2006_06_23-25_gaian_mind/page_01.htm
www.digivill.net/~binary/p...page.shtml
www.flickr.com/photos/72108301@N00
www.flickr.com/photos/ser...4188835929
www.funkyclouds.com/gallery/music/gm06
GMSF2K5:
06/27/05 – many thanks…
Amanda and I both greatly needed this break and it delivered all we hoped for and more... Even with the large number of people and warmer weather this was our best year of the 4... The music, the dancing, the camping, the crowds... I heard the same echoed from others as well... 'this was the first time in a long while we've had fun at a party' and 'this makes me want to listen to psytrance again'
I've been waiting for 6 years to see Jaia. Thanks for helping make that happen.
Sorry we had to scoot without saying goodbye.. Manders had to get back in time to leave for a concert Sunday night. Your son is delightful.
-g
- - -
06/27/05 - Gaian Mind Photos from light-o-matic
My photos of the festival...
http://lightomatic.com/images/gmsf2005
-Ben <light-o-matic>
- - -
06/27/05 – For What It’s Worth
Hey
Guys,
Just wanted to say what an awesome job you did with the festival. It certainly
appeared to be the best one yet from my perspective. I had a great time
and I'm sure that 99% of those who attended did as well. It's an extremely
difficult thing to do, but each year it seems that more of the kinks get
worked out. You should all be proud of what you have accomplished. Now
stop being grumpy and get some rest for like the next two weeks.
Retired in Glenside,
Randy
- - -
06/27/05 – The demigods of Four Quarters
Hey Guys.
Great
party!
Everything about it!
Regards,
and thanks again for a great event!
Nick
- - -
06/27/05 – fuzzikitten
Paradise.
There were more people than I've ever seen at GMSF in years past and the vibe was GOOD. Lots of smiling, happy, friendly people relaxing about the land.
We even sucked in at least one person from Four Quarters - I saw him getting his stomp on in the early morning.
Good times.
- - -
06/27/05 – Cyzum
All I have to say is this.
Deviant Species fucking owns my ass now. That shit ROCKED.
What an incredible party - my body is still buzzing from the weekend.
Allen & the entire GM crew - all I have to say is wow.
- - -
06/27/05
– YoMy
I'm just getting into the scene and this event rocked my summer. Thank
you gaian mind for the spiritual playground you created for us. Who knew
there were so many fairies in Central PA? (whoever gave out those wreaths
deserves a tiara)
seriously, the psytrance scene is so lucky to have so many beautiful devoted
people.
mad props to antix, gavin, jaia & edoardo. damn boyz.
I danced it out so long i can't quite walk. i sort of waddle. i just couldn't
stop movin, you guys were just sending out sooo much NRG. the floor resonated
with magic it felt like one massive brain. we danced as
the distinct parts and the greater whole all at once
and
thanks for all the exposed ballsacs down at the sweat lodge.
spasibo za vsyo.
stellar deco (mimi you're a phosphorescent sparkle)
- - -
06/27/05 - mandelbrot
This
was a truly magical event. I am really amazed with the place. You can
just walk around and keep discovering more and more places with all these
small details. I felt like a guest in the elf’s and fairy’s
world or something. Great organization, you could tell that everything
was done with lots of care to make the event pleasant for everyone. I
was so much involved in wondering around exploring and meeting people
that I missed most of the last night’s sets, but the morning was
a great sum up to the whole experience. Although I prefer a bit different
music, it was still really great. People were dancing till around 2pm.
No need to say about the good vibes on the floor.
Thank you very very much whoever was organizing this. I suggest everyone
who’ve never been to Gaian Mind to check it out next time. And is
it true that the place is going to change?
- - -
06/27/05 - light_trance
Here is few pics (you can skip few of the initial pics) http://community.webshots.com/user/psypics
GaianMind was my first festival and I am really amazed and dont have words to write about my experience. Thanks to all.
Boom
Shankar,
Sahil
- - -
06/27/05 - BrianH
This was definitely the best party I went to all year. I have a ton of friends who missed it this year and really want to go to the next one... it will continue to grow.
I also heard that this will be the last time they are using that venue... hopefully they will find a suitable replacement. I'm sure they will since the party was made by the decor, the DJs and the diversity of the crowd.
- - -
06/27/05 - gatsby
This was my first full weekend psy festival.
I cannot say enough about how powerful this event was for me.
Lost Baba and the Bastards did one of the most powerful dance sets I have ever experienced. Go touch samadhi!
So much of the event is 4QF, I hope that it is not true that GMSF has to find a new home.
G
- - -
06/27/05 - gatsby
Hate to mess with the good vibes but I have a comment about poor GMSF attendee behavior:
I saw trash bags all over the place. Rather than follow the rules, I saw
very few people purchasing the yellow bags from 4QF and dropping their
trash off. Many people were dropping bags near the Coffee Dragon, far
from the farmhouse where they were supposed to be dropped off. I also
saw piles of trash bags at campsites.
And the garbage, if left, was supposed to be in the yellow bag which cost only $4.
So from the standpoint of garbage, a substantial group of GMSF attendees were doing a lousy job of following the 4QF rules and respecting their land.
- - -
06/27/05 - john_c
DEVIANT
SPECIES OWNED US.
Antix's DJ set was dope as hell too.
- - -
06/27/05
- Yay 2005
Gaian Mind another -YAY 2005! - moment.
Great time had by all.
Lots of photos coming your way.
But I vote for this photo as the Gaian Mind 2006 flyer.
Lisa Spudic
- - -
06/28/05 – pix
thought
I took more....
got some good ones though!
http://whereissteve-o.com/GM2K5
- - -
06/28/05 – Thank YOU!
Hi
Allen
Just a quick mail to tell u a big THANK YOU for the party, was such a
beautiful experience... long time i didn't enjoy a party as I enjoyed
the
Gaian Mind...
Please send me your actual address so i can send u some cds, I'm sorry
i
didn't have anything there at the party, but i will send u some music
this
week...
Thanx again, I send u a big hug and I hope to have the chance to play
again
one time in your beautiful party...
Ciao!
Regards,
Edoardo
- - -
06/28/05 – Sounds Good
thanks, I had a great (but pretty exausting) time.
all and all I think it was the best one yet, untill next year that is.
someone
is always going to complain about something. I was supprised by
the number of positive comments as my goal was to make the sound loud
enough to be passable, and I think it went a little beyond that in voulme.
well off to VT.
cheers,
- nick
- - -
06/28/05 – Many Thanks
Hey Allen and Sharon!
I
was just about to email you guys... My deepest thanks for an event that
surpassed my expectations... really.
I
felt such a welcoming feeling to the east coast family, my experience
at
Gaian Mind was just amazing and encouraging. Its those experiences that
make
artists keep going. So, thank you.
I
totally realize how much time and effort it takes to put on a production,
so congratulations on this year's success. You guys did a real professional
job. I have already gotten a few emails of people expressing their thanks
and appreciation for my set. At the festival, the positive response to
both
my sets was continuous the whole time I was there. Many people said they
cried during the Worldspirit showing... A lot of people saying they had
never seen or heard anything like my dance set.
So,
thanks for giving me this opportunity... you guys feel like family, and
I would love to work together in the future.
all
the best,
-Kenji
- - -
06/28/05 – US-based mail-order?
i'm
sure it's been several months since this question was last asked, so
here goes: anyone know if there is a US-based service for ordering
psytrance CDs? i know about psyshop, psychosounds, chaishop, etc, just
wondering if there is any way of saving on shipping (although import prices
will probably eat up the difference)
need
to get the new jaia. still on a high from this past weekend's gaian
mind festie. t'was unbelievable. best one yet. no other festival
compares, in my (little) mind... details/review/musings forthcoming, at
some point.
'drei
- - -
06/28/05 – more gaian mind pics
http://touchsamadhi.com/gallery/GaianMind2005
~~<{~: 3ö :~}>~~
Kri
- - -
06/28/05 - Thank you, Gaian Mind!
For putting on such a great festival! I've never had so many strangers smile at me. If there was such a thing as a "stranger" over the weekend. It was truly liberating for me. Hello again to all the great people I met! I can't imagine how many days of work went into it. Rest assured that I will be making hte trip to this magickal place from wherever I will be living at the time. That was AMAZING, and just what I needed!
Psychedelically
Yours,
Jason Miller
AKA
Axis Mundi
- - -
06/28/05 - Re: Thank you, Gaian Mind!
Yes,
thank you very much Gaian Mind and all those 4Q that
work so hard every year so that we can be so spoiled.
It's amazing to see all of the pictures and all of the people
who I don't know by name, but still made a connection with
on the dance floor and in conversation. It so nice when the
world becomes a little smaller. Thank you!
Peace
and Blessings,
Luke Malachi
06/28/05
Vlad
Moskovski wrote:
Hey Alan, its Vlad. Remmember I asked about getting a copy of your awsome
5 hour dj
set at the festival, do you think you could send me a copy? Please!!!
I could pay for shipping and the cost of the cd.
Send
me an e-mail, and we can talk some more, I'd love to hear more about Costa
Rica
and permaculture.
-Vlad
- - -
06/28/05 - miEtek
thank
you Gaian Mind for full on magical event.
Recovery might take longer than usual
- - -
06/28/05 - facehead
yes
an amazing experience thanks to gaian mind and all others for bringing
everyone together i met some very amazing people and shared some very
special moments another life changing weekend thanks vladimir, paula and
others such an inspiring segment of time and as far as the music goes
friday was great but saturday was fucking nuts..
cant wait for the next fest
-facehead-
- - -
06/28/05 – Edoardo
What a beautiful party, one of the best of my life... beautiful people and location, thanx 1000 Allen and Sharon... and all the people who were there, I will not forget this one.
Love Edo
Edoardo @ Neurobiotic Records
- - -
06/28/05 - datadrift
>I also heard that this will be the last time they are using that venue...
>> So much of the event is 4QF, I hope that it is not true that GMSF has to find a new home.
i fell for this rumor, too, when i read about it here. i posted about it on the 4qf.org forum, and so very thankfully (although we always need to continue taking better care of the land), the rumor is not true!! that was a real scare for me!
a
snippet from the 4qf.org forum:
" "
One rumor that did mysteriously surface during the event is that
"Gaian Mind would not be held at Four Quarters next year". As
one of
the Four Quarters office staff who has been in contact with the Gaian
Mind organizers, I can state that there is no intention to end what
has been a very beneficial relationship. In fact, you can mark your
calendars: Gaian Mind will be held at Four Quarters June 22nd through
the 25th, 2006.
- - -
06/28/05 - light-o-matic
YoMy: that's my site! Hope you like the pics. Check out some of the other event pictures I have there...
Eduardo: Nice morning set, thanks!
Gatsby: Yes.. and cigarette butts, which are inexcuseable (so easy to just put it in your pocket or bag). But we were never told about the yellow garbage bags, or we would have used them. We hauled our garbage home with us. Been to burning man, that's what we're used to I would have been glad to give 4q the money to take the garbage away. When we got to the gate on the way home, we saw the yellow bags.. but by then everything was packed so we just went on our way. Next time I suggest to 4q that they make a bigger thing out of the bags, offering them to each group as they sign in.
- - -
06/29/05 - Giand mind 2005
Hello
everybody..
I hope that everything in great with you.
I am sending you the link with Pict's from festival.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/95994248@N00
if anybody want some of them bigger - just email me.
All "art photos" I will be submitting later, when they will be done.
piece
to everybody
D.Bambuk.
By
the way< I hope that you are going to look at it using slide
show...in which you have to keep the mouse button on the pict.
enjoy
- - -
06/29/05 - Re: Thank you, Gaian Mind!
MANY thanks to the Gaian Mind crew for all their efforts in putting on a fantastic event with such a natural, positive vibe. I apprecaited the smaller trance soundsystem and rotating music schedule, as I was not being bombarded with pounding 4/4 trance every waking moment of the 4 days I dwelled at 4 quarters. Proof that these kind of festivals don't all revolve around the music, but the people and the environment. :) This allowed me to soak in the true condition of the enviroment and people who were creating their own happiness without a doubt. The food was outstanding (I highly recommend using the meal plan) and the forest location was magnificent complete with trickling streams and "Hemlock Hole", a natural pool in the river to cool down in. I could have easily stayed another week just camping. There was some amazing deco, and the communal vibrations were blissful to say the least. I felt like I was inhabiting a temporary paradise. Special thanks to all the artists, DJs, VJs, deco artists who made the stage areas even more enoyable. I was hearing a lot of good music at the downtempo area (as I'm partial to chill music anymore) but loved feeling the energy that was being created at the stone circle trance stage. What a magical place all the way around. Gaian Mind, for sure. We were connected.
Peace
and dub,
Quasga
www.androcell.com
06/29/05 - Re: Thank you, Everyone!
What
a way to spend a birthday! This was my first and definatley not my last.
I haven't really experienced random people saying hello and smiling just
for the hell of it. It was a very warm and inviting feeling for me and
the people I was with. I was a little upset when I saw that the trance
music played for sessions but it acually made the experience that much
more enjoyable. It gave me a chance to participate in different events
and again, meet more people and all of the lovely children that were there.
Many blessings to those I've meet, haven't met and to 4Q for opening thier
sanctuary to us. Keep the spirit alive until next year.
Cosmik hugz
Luna
06/29/05 - REVIEW: GAIAN MIND SUMMER FESTIVAL '05 (6/25/05)
OK,
so you're behind the stone circle - enjoying the gluttonous trance festival
for all the wonder it has to offer. You're carrying an open can of Bud
in one hand, a Marlboro Light in the other, and you see a member of the
Four Quarters Staff approaching. Thinking fast, you dump the remainder
of the beer on the ground and give the empty can a quick fling into the
woods without the staff member seeing. The two of you cross paths, exchange
an awkward smile, and you feel good because you just avoided being scolded
by the keepers of the Sacred Land. You head out onto the dancefloor, find
an attractive member of the opposite gender, and start "getting your
groove on" - thinking nothing of the last two minutes of your life.
Meanwhile, the beer can you flung into the woods, is still sitting there
- resting in its aluminum grace with a delicious malty residue coating
its sides and bottom. Smelling those wonderful hops and barley, a small
crew of flies goes into action from their local nest. They had been peacefully
resting in the woods, but the smell of barley sends them to action and,
within seconds, they've surrounded the can. Closer to the dancefloor than
they've been all weekend, the flies get wind of even more sumptuous odoriforous
eminations wafting in from the crowd. Alerted, they deploy - seeking out
the orange peels, peach pits, candy-wrappers, and fruit drink bottles
that had been unceremoniously tossed beneath the altar.
While the flies buzz about the altar, enjoying the "fat of the land"
(no 90's techno reference intended) - Hayden Strom, who had flown across
the world to play a live set, is busy displaying the months of work he's
put into his new album. People have come from all over the country to
hear the newest material from one of the world's best producers. A bassline
drops out, a wispy violin plays, followed by an eerie female vocal. Finally,
at long last, "Hiding Place" - one of Hayden's best new tracks
- is coming on. The build is long and smooth - intensifying with each
measure. Violins, voices, synth lines, and a break-beat drum kick go for
a mere 1:37 - though it feels like hours! As the bassline and 4/4 kick
are ready to blast in, the audience is ready to erupt in dance. Progressive
lovers from across the world - eyes closed - focused on the music - are
lost and ready for ecstacy!
At that exact moment, one of the flies from the altar - a fly which would
NOT have been there had that beer can not been tossed into the woods a
few moments ago, goes buzzing off into the crowd and flies dangerously
close to Jeff Whitmore's ear. Feeling a little agitated and angry that
there's a fly in his ear, Jeff attempts to re-focus his center and not
allow the buzzing to annoy him. To aid in his re-centering, Jeff picks
up the music of the moment and immediately starts banging his drum along
with the rhythm. Though perfectly in time with the music, the unfiltered
analog intensity of the drum doesn't quite match with the finely tuned
and mastered music coming from an expertly tuned and equalized sound system.
The sound, in other words, *doesn't quite fit.* :-) It does, however,
works wonders for Jeff; as it helps him ignore the fly and get his mind
back to where he likes it.
However, the five progressive-trance loving bafoons who had packed themselves
into the middle of the dancefloor - filling up the Nick Binary "sweet
spot" - could not think of a worse moment for that fly to buzz in
Jeff's ear and drive him to bang on his drum. The bassline and kick of
"Hiding Place" enters not with an ecstatic moment but with a
jarring and confusing intrusion into the sound. Shaken from the trance,
Sasha (one of the proggies) looks up with a confused and annoyed look
on his face. His eyes open and catch the eyes across the dancefloor of
another dancer. Being so far away, all that dancer sees is an angry looking
and confused man. A little scared by the look in his eye, she looks away
with a level of fear and anxiety in her own eyes. That fear is quickly
picked up by another adjacent dancer, who screams (and I mean SCREAMS)
with all his might and hence interupts Hayden's set yet again!!
With the sweet spot full of confused people, the sides full of people
trying to help a man distraught with screaming, and the Coffee Dragon
Tent getting fuller and fuller by the minute - Hayden looks out into the
audience NOT at a bunch of smiling faces, but instead into a crowd full
of confusion, fear, and concern. Not 100% sure where these faces come
from, he assumes his music is not going over well. He gets nervous and
finishes his set not sure how people liked the tracks - or if they even
did.
Now granted, Hayden's music was AMAZING - some of the best of the weekend,
but I think you know where all this is going. You've got about 50 disrupted
and confused people, a screaming man, a drumming man, and a nervous musical
genius - all packed within the stone circle. Such is a recipe for disaster!!
BUT - if you look back, it's easy to say that NONE of this would have
ever happened had you respected the rules and NOT been drinking out of
an open beer can. OR had you NOT thrown that beer can into the woods to
avoid being scolded. Sure, you got by unharmed, but your negligence lessened
the experience for well over 50 other people - in a matter of minutes!!
I guess the point is this: THROW YOUR TRASH IN THE PROPER PLACE AND HAVE
*SOME SEMBLANCE* OF CLASS WHEN YOU'RE A GUEST ON OTHER PEOPLE"S LAND!!!
OK, so you've just drove 600 miles through the night in order to arrive
on-time for the Gaian Mind Summer Festival. Though spending almost 100
dollars on gas to get there, you had good directions, a nice car stereo,
and you arrive feeling ready for a great party. You had read earlier that
parking is not allowed on the grounds because the land in the valley is
"sacred." Respecting and appreciating this, you pack minimally,
only taking stuff you can carry on your back from the main parking area
into the camp. You arrive at the check-in gate only to see a sign posted
on the window that reads "parking passes: 25 dollars." Spotting
the obvious hypocrisy in this, you're put-off and confused. However, being
two wonderful and genuine people from Northampton MASS, you still decide
to respect the "sacredness" of the land and park in the proper
place. The two people who check-in behind you though had NOT read anything
about the land's sacredness and hence simply see the "25-dollar offer"
as another cost and hence pay it. After all, they had come from New York
in a Subaru Legacy, packed to the gills with food, camping chairs, stoves,
hammocks, tents, blankets, pots, pans, and a host of other luxurious items
that would make a 1/2 mile hike seem like hell-on-earth.
So they pay their money, get the parking pass, and drive down the hill
to the camps.
As they turn the corner after the chill-area, they approach a large drainage
ditch, freshly dug by the Four Quarters Staff. The ditch, though very
useful in getting water OFF the road and into the river, is cut WAY too
steep, and cars have a tough time going over it. Slowly and cautiously,
the Subaru approaches until it finally hits the ditch going about 2 mph.
**CLUNK** The muffler bottoms out on the ditch, and breaks free from the
under-carraige. After dragging it (and the whole exhaust pipe) to his
campsite, waking up all he passes on the way, the driver gets out of his
car *LIVID* that he's just done damage to his car and will have to get
it repaired. He unpacks in haste, irritated, and heads to the Stone Circle.
Before going into the circle to check out the deco, he stops at the port-o-john
to relieve himself. At this point, he's aggravated and upset. His mind
is NOT on any of the rules of the grounds, but instead how he's going
to fix his car and where he's going to get the money to do it. (He spent
his last 25 bucks on that dam parking pass!) Thoughtlessly, he tosses
his empty Gatorade Bottle into the port-o-john, zips his pants up, and
heads for the main area.
Later on that weekend, the clean-up crew comes out to pump out the port-o-johns.
The guy doing the pumping is a great guy from outside Allentown, PA. He's
been doing this for years and nothing really bugs him - except when his
pump clogs and he has to clean it out by hand. Needless to say, he's pumping
out the portos when the hose jams. He stops the pump, unhitches the hose,
and, with rubber gloves and a mask, begins the scoop out the clogged lines.
(visual imagery encouraged, yet avoided, here.) Sure enough, as he pulls
the gatorade bottle out and fires it into the trash can, his blood runs
cold.
In the process of cleaning out his hose, our friend from outside Allentown
spills a little of the human waste onto the ground by the side of the
other port-o-johns. On any given day, he would have cleaned it up in a
highly professional manner. But today, because he's upset with the gatorade
bottle, he says "fuck it! I ain't cleaning nothin' for these folks!"
He drives off, leaving a small puddle of human fecal matter on the ground.
Later that morning, as Gavin completes one of the best DJ sets of the
weekend, people are invited down to the chill-out area to hear a set from
Jaia. The masses flock at the chance. Before going down, a young couple
from Boston stops by the coffee dragons and has a quick cup.. By the time
they're done, the crowd has all settled in at the North-Crook stage and
is enjoying a great set. The young couple wash out their mugs and go running
down to meet them. On the way, however, one of them steps in the puddle
of waste left behind by our friend from Allentown. As he (and his soiled
shoes) approach the chill area, heads turn, nostrils flare and many people
actually get up and leave the area because the smell is just THAT BAD!
Realizing what's happened, the young couple quickly return to their camp,
get a spare t-shirt and begin cleaning the shoe. By the time the shoe
is clean, they return to the chill-area and are treated to the last fifteen
minutes of Jaia's set. After the set, they're approached by many and are
told tales of people's reactions to the smell. Though all are humorous,
it is no doubt that the smell had interupted one of the more anticipated
sets of the weekend. Some people are even angry - as they walk by with
mean looks in their eyes - ready to spread their anger to the next person
they pass.
What was supposed to be a great set for this young couple turned into
nothing but a cup of coffee and forty minutes of shoe-cleaning. Moreover,
the interuption and disgust they caused with the smell of their shoes
clearly created ripple effects and negativity whose reaches cannot be
concluded here. Now just think, had that guy with the Subaru either NOT
over-packed and hence need to drive his car down to the camps *OR* had
he NOT tossed his bottle into the port-o-john; *NONE* of this would have
ever happened!! I guess the point is this: PACK MINIMALLY!!! TAKE ONLY
ENOUGH STUFF THAT YOU CAN CARRY FROM YOUR CAR TO THE CAMP! OR MAKE TWO
TRIPS. BOTTOM LINE: As hypocritical it may be to ask 12.50/axel for "sacredness,"
(thanks Dave Dittmer) there is still a REASON why it is discouraged to
park or drive down below the main parking lot!!! Poorly constructed drainage
ditches or not - the fact remains that people shouldn't be driving down
there in the first place!
Despite these "hypothetical" :-) situations; let me be blunt.
Marria and I had a good time at this year's GM festival. Nick Binary and
the Sonic Beating Sound Pump were in FULL EFFECT! The lineup was incredible
- like it is every year! The weather was pristine, the swimming holes
were clean, and the Coffee Dragons were on their game - keeping everyone
fully amped! And the campsite - complete with Eric Spaceship's specials
finds and a tent that came to be called "the hospital" - was
Bostonians in existenz. But, unlike the case has been the last few years,
this year's festival was colored (or should I say "discolored.")
By the BLATANT and disgusting disrespect and disregard showed towards
the Gaian Mind Crew, the Four Quarters Staff, and the Four Quarters land
itself. Major time and money was just invested to install new "drinking
water spouts" which spring from the ground in the camp area. I can
remember at least five times seeing someone use one of those fountains
- and then simply leave it running and walk away. I can't count the number
of cigarette butts I picked up off the ground - both in the stone circle
and even in places as far away as the swimming holes. I drove out on Sunday
night around 8 and literally FILLED my truck with bags of trash, empty
beer cases, and miscellaneous WASTE that had simply been left in the car-camping
area. I found mugs from the Cofee Dragons thrown in the woods along the
trail, used hypodermic needles chilling out behind tents. Cars (even those
with yellow ribbons all over them) remained parked in the camping areas.
Trash - unseperated and in huge black trash bags - just tossed behind
the second stage. There is something to be said about a party's "vibe."
- I hate that word - always have - but to me it means the "overall
state of mind that the majority of the party-goers are in." This
year, for the first time, the "vibe" of the Gaian Mind Summer
Festival was one of gluttony, excess, irresponsibility, disrespect, and
disregard for the rules set forth by the people who have worked so hard
to organize and throw this event.
We are all responsible for one another - in every way shape and form.
From Hayen Strom to those 16-year-old pre-adolescent fools walking around
saying "who needs coke or E? Coke and E here!" Everyone on those
grounds is just as important in making the weekend enjoyable for everyone.
You may think nothing of throwing your beer can in the woods, but think
about the ripple effects before you do it. You may say "I paid my
money, the crews are getting paid to clean up my mess!" If so, then
you're wrong! YOU are as responsible as ANY of the crew members and ANY
of the performing artists in ensuring the best time for everyone! Most
of us have grown up to rebel against rules. But let me tell you something:
so too did the GM and 4Q crews... So just know that the rules they make
are made for a REASON - and a very important reason!! It's just a question
of common courtesy and respect. If someone does you a huge favor - like,
for instance, drives your camping gear a few hundered miles to the festival
- you should AT LEAST say "thank you." Such simple courtesy
I found was seriously lacking this year! And if you're hungry and just
realized your yogurt spoiled in your cooler because your friend left it
open during Antix's live-set - and you ask a neigbor for some food; the
LEAST you can do is say "please" and "thank you."
Don't cut people off in line at the Fractal Feast. Don't run over someone
on your way into Hemlock Hole just so "you can be first." Don't
mock and make gaudy jokes about people who live alternative lifestyles
(don't you do the same?) and try to show at least a *LITTLE* bit of class
and awareness when using showers and water facilities that are located
in the middle of the woods. I know you may be used to New York (home of
the world's most sophisticated and well-kept water and sewerage treatment
system) or Chicago, or Boston - but the system at 4Q was built with human
hands and with natural elements. A freshly installed septic system shouldn't
have beer, hard liquor, and soaps with 100-year half-lives dumped into
it! Too many people worked too hard to have their time and festival wrecked
by such commonality and classlessness!
Like I said - I can list out the good "moments" of this festival
just as easy as I can list out the "bad" ones. (Hayden's Sunday
DJ set, Jaia's live-set on Sunday morning, waking up on Sunday to a PERFECT
conversational question posed by Eric Spaceship, walking up the hill for
an AMAZING sunrise over the mountains....chilling with SO MANY people
I haven't seen in so long!! Meeting people I've only e-mailed with...
meeting altogether NEW people... the list goes on and on...) But the coloration
of those good moments was so dark on my way back to Boston that I could
barely see their light at all. We may live in the most wasteful, gluttonous,
excessive, and consumeristic nation in the world - but that's why a festival
like GM is condisidered part of the "counter-culture." Let's
try and keep it like that. And if you do come to the festival and you
do happen to love Cadilac Escalades and high-end DVD players - feel free
to leave them at home perhaps and try - at the very least *TRY* - to live
differently for that weekend. GM is the best festival this country has
to offer - and if we (as WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE) go ahead and drag it
down to the levels of any other "common scene" - then we're
all going to lose BIG TIME!
THANKS TO ALLEN, ANDY, SHARON and the whole Gaian Mind Crew
THANKS TO ORRIN, DOUG, and the whole FOUR QUARTERS STAFF
THANKS TO NICK BINARY, DAVE DITTMER, and the whole Sonic Beating/Boston
Crew
THANKS TO ANTIX, JAIA, GAVIN, and all the DJ's, producers, and visual
artists who rocked the sensory ends to no end!!
THANKS TO THE COFFEE DRAGONS!!!!!! HUGE THANKS!!!!
and thanks to everyone who came out, respected the woods, and showed at
least a semblance of humanity. Whether you threw your own cigarette butts
in the right place or you picked up a hundered butts that other people
had thrown in the wrong ones - you're keeping the party sacred, and that's
the ONLY way this party should EVER be!
Let's hope '06 is just as good musically and artistically, but much improved
in many other ways!! Remember - WE ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXPERIENCE
OF EVERYONE!
- - -
06/29/05 – Thank You
Hey
Allen.
Thank you man. It was a real pleasure to be there with you all. YOu guys
have it sorted real nice!
Sorry I didnt see you before I left. My Mum and Sis had a blast and really
appreciated all your hospitality.
Thanks so much and greets to all the crew
all best
Hayden
:)
- - -
06/29/05 – Grazi!
You
are welcome.
I had an unbelievable time.
One of my favorite parties ever.
Thank you for doing it. I know it's a lot of work, but this one must make
it
worth it for you.
Always love being around you and your family.
See you soon.
A
- - -
06/29/05 – thank you !
Hello Allen,
I enyoyed a lot my stay and and I would like to thank you and all the GM crew for your care and welcome...and BTW also for bringing me at the festival!...there was really good vibes..that reminds me the first parties I went in 93-94 in France, people is soooo fresh!...I was dancing a lot too, that I usally don't do so much ;) It's one of the best parties i've made long time ago!
I'm
happy you liked my live and you love the CD too :) Your set was great
too!
I'm supidest man in the world cause I forgot to take a camera, so I don't
have any picture :((((...will you put some in GM website? In anybody asking
me about the festival I say that was wicked and one of the best I ever
made ;) hope it'll will grow up more and more and keep his marvelous vibes.
I'll start working on a new album soon, and it'll not be finished in 2012 ;)
Hope to see you soon, and playing for you again (if you could take the same artist 2 times ;)
Take care
Yannis
- - -
06/29/05 - gaian mind, or what i did on my summer vacation
in
summary:
thumbs up! thank YOU!
the mission:
i flew in from texas for the festival. i was on a mission to hear kenji,
jaia, antix and The Sound on big clean speakers. i was on a mission to
hear, see, and meet some of you folks. Mission accomplished on all fronts.
The sound was clean, the land was sacred, and the people were solid. Not
everything was perfect, but from my perspective, there was certainly more
good than bad. Thank you to Gaian Mind and everyone who helped create
this event.
arrival:
i arrived friday evening just after 7 pm. the 4QF folks and the greeters
were friendly. i could tell the 4QF folks were already a little worn out,
but they were still friendly and cheerful. i drove the loop to scope out
a spot, talked to potential neighbors, set up camp, had a cold beverage,
and then parked the car. luckily, i plopped right next to the Touch Samadhi
family, so i had great neighbors and no obnoxious escalades/escapades.
musical overview:
i really appreciated the opening and closing ceremonies: the ringing of
the bells cleared the space both in preparation and in conclusion, serving
as excellent bookends for a dense weekend. highlights were kenji's sets
(both) and the morning sets. if you've seen my infrequent posts, you'll
know i'm an easy listener, a proggie, a whatever. i'm here for the morning
trance, and the morning trance was Delivered with a capital D. i danced
my ass off, and i have the sore calves, back, and laterals to prove it.
sunday pacing was eccentric: when Edoardo came on after Jaia, i looked
over at Eric Spaceship and said, "He's trying to KILL US." "East
Coast plays it hard All Night Long." It was great. I agree with putting
Antix back on the decks to wrap up the party on a slightly more spiritual,
mellow note. occasionally, it's OK to put down the 12-gauge, though the
12-gauge is certainly the right tool for the job at times. nice finish
with shiloh rmx of Focus. yea!
sunday morning contact high:
experiencing someone else during their peak experience is nigh transcendent.
it's a contact high that's possible only when their experience is that
intense on such a positive level. you are showing me a million years of
love in history where i had always claimed proficiency. i can't even imagine
what breathtaking landscapes, soundscapes, syllables and sensations are
pulsing their way through your body, across your eyelids, and into your
heart.
but it's stunning and i'm feeling this gaian heart Beat in my own way,
too, and here we are and it really is all love and light: peace, love,
unity, respect. i've been doing this a while now. i'm no silly-fresh etard
surprised by a few clean 80 Hz thumps. yet not very often have i felt
this way, this (oh say it you nascent hippy) _Uplifted and Connected_
on the dancefloor. i had planned to go back to That Space and hear That
Sound this weekend, you know, out there in Deep Space 9. A test run on
friday taught me there's still time yet. Yet, right now, i'm stone cold
sober and high as a son kite soaking up this sound with you, As Us, weaving
the frontal with the limbic. it's all about the eyes. "We Loved All
That Was Beautiful"
side notes:
THANK YOU to whichever projection group (Reality Engine?) processed samples
from Winged Migration. it's a personal favorite. if you haven't seen this
documentary about bird migrations, rent it. The directors spent 3-4 years
following bird flocks as they migrated throughout every continent, and
the cinematography is impressive. the Reality Engine website is great
fun. really. i've spent a couple hours just poking around and then checking
out the artists' sites. great echo of the rotating menu options as the
backgrounds for the subpages.
people:
it was very rewarding to reconnect with an old friend. it was also great
to meet many of you (again or for the first time): mark (matsyendra),
mark (shiva shakti), blue spectral, zach, melanie (sp), dorothy, katie,
lauryn, maria, dave dittmer, dale ghent, andre, siyaka, guillaume, and
so many more.
location:
the stones, the rock balancing, the drive out to four quarters - i'm grateful
to nature and to people for creating sacred landscapes. while trance thundered
through the trees, i felt these cold drop-like sensations on my arms,
back, and neck all weekend. am i cutting off circulation? am i hallucinating?
no, it's the respiration process of the trees, silly. combine these new
sensations with the grounds, the music, the tight deco, the stars, and
the background birds, and you have the perfect setting for a great event.
Growing pains:
- i'm not real pleased about the trash issues dave reported, but i suspect
(hope) that people on this list are likely not the culprits.
- kids hanging out of sunroofs, screaming, and driving around camp
- LOTS of people driving rapidly between the main parking lot and the
camp area in the middle of the night
- Drumming during Kenji's set on the main dance floor. (to the drummer:
you _were_ in rhythm, but take it to the meadow, your camp, or the outskirts
of the chill area. i flew over a 1000 miles to see Kenji, not you. it's
nothing against you; i know you're feeling the music, but it's not your
performance)
- as for gluttony and hedonism, well, i was here for the hedonism. i suppose
there is a line between gluttony and hedonism. i don't care what you do,
as long as you're onobtrusive and not infringing on the land or anyone
else's experience.
Like I said, though, the positive aspects of the event far outshadowed
any negative experiences for me.
Trainspotting:
- What was the track that Antix played on Sunday with the vocals talking
about selling all your stuff - your typewriter, your shoes, etc.?
Thanks again to everyone! Pictures are forthcoming in a separate post.
-katherine
- - -
06/29/05 - The scout report - coming soon
Jeff, I will post a detailed report once I regain my sanity.
Meanwhile, a quick comment: my expectations were very high, but they were exceeded by the factor of 10 at least. If there is only one event that I am going to attend next year, it will be Gaian Mind - no matter if I have to fly, drive, cycle or walk to get there.
- - -
06/29/05 - Re: The scout report - coming soon
right
on scout,
antix and gavin very nearly blew my mind on saturday morning and jaia
made even my knuckels(sp?) ache till today.
have to say DS made me go away for a bit.....toooooo dark.
- - -
06/29/05 - video clip swap
I'm trying to put together a dvd of GMSF05 so if anyone has any videos digital camcorder ect, please email me @ williamjanzer@yahoo.com also email me if you have any audio clips too. Any one who contributes will get a free dvd of the edited product plus extra video not on the dvd
- - -
06/29/05 - GMF2k5 Pics
http://www.chamberoffarts.com/ngallery/albums/Gaian+Mind+2005.aspx
- - -
06/29/05 - labyrinth
Thank
you Gaian Mind for an incredible weekend. Saturday night was an amazing
night of music. Lost Baba and Bastard rocked the place, making everyone
stomp their demons out. Deviant Species has some of the most groovy ass
shaking dark-psy I've ever heard. Jaia's new music was very intelligent
deep tribal emotional, great vibes groovin to his set with the sun beaming
down. Edoardo had some funky ass full on and the mixes were flawless,
great set just wish I had more energy to give, my legs were about to fall
off. Mizue's artwork was beautiful and the projections were really cool
too. My only complaint would be I felt the sound was a little too weak
for this caliber of an event. Heard it was because Four Quarters regulates
how loud they can get, maybe they should look for another place. Gotta
be able to feel the music as well as hear it. Thanks again Gaian Mind
for an awesome experience.
Peace and Light-
Labyrinth
- - -
06/29/05 - megalith
We at Four Quarters love Gaian Mind as an event, especially with the number of trance dancers amoung our members. And it has been a rare privilage to watch the event and its people mature and develope their own culture here on the Land. The spiritual awareness of the attendees grows and evolves each year, and was better this year at +800 on site, than in previous years with under 600. The music and the Land work well togeather in transmitting the message.
Personally, I found the sound by Sonic Beating to be dialed in, reading 114.5 at the center of the dance floor. We (Gaian Mind/Four Quarters/Sonic Beating) have a number of tricks that are incorporated in the sound system. Sonic Beating developed a unique system of phase alinement for the stacks that resulted in a 2-3 db low frequency pressure wave increase in a number of nodal points across the dance floor, at points it was very physically tangible when one walked into the nodes. A great deal of effort went into tweeking the frequency distrubutions with active, digital monitoring and filtering. The sound was crystal clean. We also crank the sound in the wee hours, and scale back 2 db when neighbors are falling asleep or getting up. Just being a good neighbor ourselves.
I heard many positive comments about the effect that the Land has on attendees, comments we hear often. Four Quarters is an InterFaith Religious Sanctuary, (read: a bazarre church for bizarre times)and the Land is charged. Sensitive people quickly pick up on that and it adds a great deal to their experience of the dance, the trance and the music. For me personally, looking down over the chill out area throough the tall tulip poplar trees, resplendant in colors reflecting off the river; remains every year a high point of the event.
We look forward to even more of this "best of breed" event in the years to come.
Orren
Whiddon
Four Quarters
- - -
06/29/05 – DiMiTry
Couldn't go this year - but last year the most amazing thing about the festival was definitely the SPACE, FourQuarters is unbelievable, one of the most beautiful and powerful spots I've been to. My Native American friend was seeing spirits everywhere around, and I had some deeply enlightening moments there.
The sound had some problems last year, also. Not sure what can be done about it, but if it was between putting up with the sound, and having to move the event, I would vote to keep the Gaian Mind at FourQuarters, no question about it. That space is magical.
- - -
06/29/05 - goadevotee
this
years fest was great thanks to all attendees for putting their energy
together as a whole. i feel this was the most powerful focus of the weekend
thanks to sharon, allen, dale, and the rest of the crew for your perfessional
efforts
- - -
06/29/05 - kameleonpangea36
wow
what a weekend, feel that i just recovered, saturday night was one for
the books, everyone rocked it out. i wish jaia would have gone on a little
sooner though,
my only complaint would have to be the sound, the low mid the high mid
and the highs all seemed to be fine, but there didnt seem to be any true
hitting bass, i understand its sacred ground and theres neighbors but
seeing such high quality artists with so many people around I feel like
I needed some real bass, IMO it would be worth it to find a new spot that
could be blown away next year,
- - -
06/29/05 - malachi
Yes,
thank you very much Gaian Mind and all those at 4Q that work so hard every
year so that we can be so spoiled! I took some kids
out of the Cleveland Ghetto this year and exposed them to the possibilites
of a different way. It's amazing to see all of the pictures and all of
the people who I don't know by name, but still made a connection with
on the dance floor and in conversation. It so nice when the world becomes
a little smaller! Thank you! Special thanks to all of the Deco artists
who have instilled life long images
in my skull.
Peace
and Blessings
Luke/Dj Malachi
- - -
06/29/05 – karmakanik
Wow! what an amazing trancendental experience. even though there were *a lot* more people this year (proabably because there wasn't any competition with Omnidance) i still got more of a "family" vibe. everywhere you'd turn, there'd be smiling faces, good vibrations... and great music of course!
antix played a great live set early saturday morning, mostly stuff from the new album. the second half of his dj was a little dry for my taste, but he definately made up for it the next day...
deviant species, OMFG, this guy just blew everyone away. sick, twisted shit; dark w/o sounding like all the cookie cutter darkpsy flooding the market these days. at one point some guy shouted out "your samples are hurting my brain!" how delightfully appropriate.
jaia played imo the perfect morning set. smooth, melodic, and energetic. even all the full on snobs were dancing their asses off
then dj edoardo completely floored me. extremely tight mixing, great trax, pumping, not too dark, not too light.
finally antix took over for a final dj set. he played two of my favorite songs near the end, beckers - switch and shiloh - focus rmx. perfect end to a perfect party!
as for the local acts, i really enjoyed alberto's set on friday night. caught the end of eitan's set on saturday night, and was rocking to the grooves. allen was slated to play the sunrise set in between deviant species and jaia. honestly, i was afraid he was gonna "bang it hard", but he surprised me pleasantly and played a lot of melodic morning tunes. unfortunately i missed kri and the bastard's live set (had to sleep at some point!) but i heard it was kicking as well. and mimi's artwork was of course just superb.
also, can't forget androcell's live chill out performance. very dubalicious and groovy.
*huge* thanks to all the organizers, performers, artists, crew, volunteers, 4qf staff, and everyone involved in putting together such a kickass event.
i've known allen a long time, and i don't think i've ever seen him smiling as wide as he was on sunday morning
4 quarters is such a unique place; it baffles me that anyone would choose to have the party somewhere else just for a few more decibals of bass. sure, the sound was not super loud, but it was very finely tuned and hi fi. finding an auditory "sweet spot" on the dancefloor was fairly easy.
so many venues (almost all!) merely "put up" with the music and the people, but the 4qf group are genuinely interested in promoting trance culture and music and integrating it with their own lifestyles.
like orren already said, every year the synergystic relationship between the attendees and the natives improves. a few yokels aside, i think most people were very respectful of the space and the members' beliefs and practices.
thanks to all the friends, new and old, i met this weekend. it was truly a magickal gathering, and i look forward to seeing it grow and mature in the coming years. i hope to one day take my own family and children here.
until next year...
- - -
06/30/05 - gm05 pics
more pics: http://www.sonicbeating.org/binary/pix/gaian-mind-2005
- - -
06/30/05 - For those who could not make it to GMSF2K05
This one is for those who could not make it to Gaian Mind this year, including my friends in the Mid-West and other hardcore goaheads that I have not have a chance of meeting yet.
My writing sucks, in fact, I should probably go back to ESL1. Also, some folks may say that such experiences are too subjective, too personal and are better kept to oneself. Nonetheless, I have to write about it to give those who could not make it to Gaian some clue of how amazing the event was. So here it goes:
First of all, the location was perfect. The standing stone circle had a very powerful energy about it. The opening ceremony paid homage to the basic elements, East-West, North-South, etc. (I am yet to learn about this tradition). The sound of the bell settled my mind to a transcendental level and when the ceremony leader announced "so let the music begin!" and the first deep Psy beats filled the air, the crowd roared and my heart almost jumped out of my chest. Yes! (-: Down, behind the ambient stage and campgrounds there was a sort of a small lake with a big rock and a wall of high trees on the opposite shore – see the pics.
All Psy performers were kick-ass. Deviant Species killed the crowd with a live set of dark Psy, which turned a bit happier by 5AM. Some of my friends and the people I talked to have other favorites. Probably because I was happy with the music ALL THE TIME during the event, I did not keep track of the lineup so I do not remember who was playing when, but they all were so, so good. Any of these sets at any other party that I've been to would have made me more than happy. The sound system could have been a bit more powerful according to my taste, but later I got used to the volume and it seemed enough.
The chill/ambient stage was a great addition. I have not seen it to be crowded, but it was a great place to be during the daytime (for me). I liked Solomoon's set and many other sets of other great performers that I unfortunately did not keep a track of. They all deserve the highest parse. Who was the dude drumming on the touch pad on Saturday afternoon? – great job!
Great visuals - see the pics. The UV and the body paintings were a great idea. They seemed rather organic as opposed to the usual glow sticks and blinking lights. The Body painter dude was truly talented. Each of his creations was quite an eye candy. Does anyone knows how I can get a hold of that guy – please email me. The Gaian/4Quarters staff made great job lighting up the walkways with candles and electric lights.
Great performance by the drum circles! Did I miss the fire spinning show? I am sure that I've missed many other amazing things.
Now the most important part: the people of Gaian Mind.
The crowd was very hard-core. Lots of people with dreadlocks, which is always a good sign. Long drive for many and $100/ticket served as a proof of one's dedication to the scene. There were almost no random or confused people. Nearly everyone knew what they were there for. This created an incredible sense of communion and understanding. The Gaians were very happy, friendly, approachable, but not in-your-face - perfect! Every time - I mean - EVERY TIME when I would come up to someone to chat or express my appreciation or share my experience of the Universal Love in a verbal or a non-verbal way, I would be greeted with nothing less but a warm sincere smile and genuine interest. The ease of connecting with people and striking heart-felt, deep and philosophical conversations was unbelievable. That was true not only in the nighttime but also in the afternoon when the "enhancers" of friendliness should have worn off.
I believe there were about 600-800 people or so – not sure. Please correct me on this. The dance floor was filled just right – it did not feel empty or too crowded – perfect again! When I danced especially in the morning, I could feel that prefect understanding/connection with everyone around. There was an unseen dialogue between everyone at the dance floor. On Sunday morning I stepped out for some time and came back just as the morning light started penetrating the stage. I saw the crowd as one giant organism of interconnected parts moving in perfect synch with one-another. That's the way!
I met several amazing people and I could feel that there were many more of kindred spirits around. I wish I could meet them all somehow. I had a magical and powerful heart-chakra-opening experience with one very special soul that I met. It was a very big part of the overall Gaian experience for me, but it is too personal to describe here. Still having a hard time recovering from the sensory and emotional overload and feeling frustrated because I've lost the phone number somehow.
To my pleasant surprise, there were about a couple hundreds or so of Russian expats coming mainly from "The City" – I guess. This could explain a large number of BMWs at the parking lot. While walking around the campground I could hear more Russian than English, yet as soon as a non-Russian-speaker would approach their groups, they would switch to English. I wish all Russians and other bilingual expats would be as considerate. Those were the best of Russians that I've interacted with for a long time – intellectual, friendly, spiritual. Where are you, comrades? I regret not getting anyone's email or phone number. I even caught myself thinking of moving to NYC, which I otherwise hate. The other languages that I could overhear were Hebrew, Polish and Japanese. I am sure that there were many more. I also met a few cool Indians and Canadians including my Russian-Canadian friend from Montreal. The crowd was not divided into little groups by ethnic origin or by circles of friends. Instead, people would mix and connect as their spirits and hearts would lead them. Way to go, Gaians! This is what I want to see at every Psy event!
Well, this is how I saw it from the narrow angle of my senses and my limited consciousness. I am sure that many other participants could share even more exciting accounts of their experience at Gaian. I wish that I could have divided myself into hundreds of parts, each with its own eyes and ears, spread those parts all over the place to savor every little bit of the amazing Gaian-Mind experience.
The conclusion: those hardcore goaheads who could not make it to Gaian this time – get your asses there next year! I implore you! – No matter how far or how expensive your ride will be or what will be keeping you busy. I am going even if I have to fly from the opposite site of the globe.
Live from South-Central PA, your amateur Iowa correspondent/spy (and an ESL101 student)
Dmitri aka Swamiji
PS.
To all event producers/promoters out there:
I believe that Gaian confirms the success formula for the ultimate rave
(in fact, I don't even want to call Gaian Mind a rave – it was far
beyond rave) – nevertheless it is:
- Outdoors, great special sort of location, preferably with some spiritual
energy. Warm weather.
- High ticket price to defer random people and to make it possible to
afford good deco, sound, and cover all the other expenses.
- No more than one or two stages – to keep the crowd in one place
- Focus on one-two genres to make get a homogenous crowd and to make sure
that everyone present enjoys all the music at anytime, such as Psy and
ambient. Do not switch between different genres at one stage to keep the
crowd at one place and let vibe build up.
- Great performers, including maybe one or more headliners
- Great visuals. There's a lot of talent in this country for both music
and visuals.
- Make it big; promote it well, get at least 5-6 hundreds of participants.
- Create community overtime. Build on the reputation of past success.
I encourage everyone to say something on this. I wonder how the others saw this event. Once again, this is a subjective experience. Most will prefer to keep it to themselves.
- - -
06/30/05 - malachai
Pix
from the Goahead Ohio crew
http://funkyclouds.com/gallery/music/gaianmind05
Luke/Dj Malachai
- - -
06/30/05 - rocked
it
did. it rocked. i guess i have to admit that you and crew kinda rock too...
thanks
:]
gor
- - -
06/30/05 - Hello Sharon
Hey there... just wanted to let you know I'm still riding the good wave from the weekend. It was well worth the trip for me. Just wanted to let you know that if you want to, please put me on the list to help out with next year. When the time comes, I'd love to help fler for you wherever I find myself, and I am more than willing to come out early/leave late to help out. One thing I oculdn't help thinking was the amount of work that went into it, staggering, it must be, and the effect is so awesome I felt bad about not having had time to help this time. Next year, though. :) Definitely looking forward to it. Thanks again. Gaian Mind's work does not go unappreciated. :)
Psychedelically
Yours,
Jason Miller
AKA
Axis Mundi
- - -
06/30/05 - Dino
thanks for another killah festy! LOVED IT!
word!
~Dino
- - -
06/30/05 - Re: Thank you, Everyone!
yeah...if you spend the whole weekend on the trance dance floor you're missing about half of what's out there! :)
the gaian mind experience incorporates the whole package, such a lovely little place and a festival that seems to just keep getting more magical every year
- - -
06/30/05 - Re: Thank you, Everyone!
My first trance festival. Wow. It was amazing. I won't repeat what everyone else already described. Great space was created for and by all. Thank you beautiful people!! I get it.
Denyse
GMSF2K4:
(Reviews and pictures coming soon.)
GMSF2K3:
http://www.4qf.org/gaian/GM03Rvw/GM03Rvw.htm
http://www.witchvox.com/festivals/fest_gm2003.html
http://www.lunarmagazine.com/reviews/gaian_062003.php
4QForum:
Gaian Mind: Gaian Mind 2003
Posted by E.W. on Sunday, June 29, 2003 - 10:33 pm:
I'm fresh back from Gaian Mind 2003, with the mud still on my boots. I
wanted to post this right away. The festival IS A GOOD THING. It was well
done, and was in good taste. The attendees were considerate and respectful
of the area. The stones didn't mind it a bit. To be frank, there was dancing
and music, and good vibrations. No sex, drugs and rock & roll causing
mayhem. In fact, I've seen far worse behavior from attendees at ANY pagan
festival, including Stones. My compliments go out to the organizers of
this event. I am very impressed by what I saw. As a member of the farm,
I wanted to go see this festival with my own eyes. Sadly many members
who enjoyed complaining and expressing their concerns about the festival
to others didn't even bother to see it with their own eyes so they could
make an intelligent and educated assessment. I did. I went. It was a good
thing. I'm going back next year. E.
4QForum:
Gaian Mind: Gaian Mind 2003
Posted by 3 Blade Jaguar on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 10:48 am:
I concur. And I'll add that the psy-trance community, judging by those
I met at Gaian Mind Fest, is our sort. There is a natural crossover of
tastes and interests. These people are at home with the Goddess. They
packed themselves into our sweatlodge like sardines. They make ritual
just fine in their own way. And there is an unmistakable code of honor
that bonds them. I'm sure bad things happen in it, as in any community,
but there are moral reference points. In fact, they have things to teach
us and enrich us with. They are skilled at a sort of clean and portable
beauty, and at the technology that backs it up. It's about much more than
a dance floor and an amplifier; the North Crook "Chill-Out Spot" was an
extraordinary easy-living area, creative, safe and comfy, a sacred space
in its own right that could stay up all year as far as I'm concerned.
They are playful with a purpose. They get around the world a lot and are
sophisticated. I was glad to dance and expose my child to their gifts.
Thank you, dancers! Thank you, deejays! -- Three Blade Jaguar
4QForum:
Gaian Mind: Gaian Mind 2003
Posted by J.C. on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 11:23 am:
With a rare few exceptions, the festival was respectful and had an overall
peaceful feel to it. I came to this cringing at what I might encounter
with 500+ people, most of whom had no idea what Four Quarters was about.
I was pleasantly surprised. The people I encountered were, on the overwhelming
majority, terrific people and folks I would love to have back on the land
any time they can get there. They were not only respectful of our beliefs,
but had by my estimations, more people at the opening and closing ceremonies
than I have seen in a long while. The decorating took some getting used
to in the daylight, but really shined through when the sun went down and
the party started. North Crook was a nice playground, and the main circle
was better than any club I have ever been to, both in energy and decoration.
The healing area was underused during the night hours, but I did see a
number of people there during the day just relaxing and letting loose.
My children both attended the event, and not only had fun, but made new
friends in the process. The two groups really do seem to compliment each
other well on that and many other levels. The Gaian Mind staff worked
with our staff as if we had been doing so for years on end. What few issues
that came up were communicated to the right person in a timely fashion
and were taken care of with great urgency. The stones certainly did not
seem to mind the company and the crew decorating took great care not to
disturb our sacred space. The North altar was well decorate and at night
was well tended. The ancestor's altar was respected as were the stones
themselves. They really took great pains to not only blend thier decorations
with our landscape, but to ensure that it was left in the condition it
was found, or better. While trance music is not my thing, it brought great
joy to mee to see so many people enjoy the sacred space we have all worked
so hard to create and maintain. Bravo Gaian Mind.
4QForum:
Gaian Mind: Gaian Mind 2003
Posted by P.M. on Monday, June 30, 2003 - 01:07 pm:
WOW! I’m not sure if I can find the right words to express what a wonderful
time I had at Gaian Mind. I was Sad when it ended, and can’t wait till
next year to do it all over again. This was a very special event, a chance
to show the Gaian Mind folks what 4 Quarters is all about. It wasn’t about
an outside group using the farm for their party, more like it felt like
a time for the 2 groups to interact and discover that they were very much
alike. A special Mead was made for the event, Sweet lodges were running
non-stop, as well as Coffee Dragons, a fantastic fire circle thursday
night (that had more energy then it has had in a wile, Great Opening,
Closing and Main Ceremonies. A wonderful feast on Saturday for 500+ people
that was real casual, People eating when they finally got up. Some really
neat vendors, Myself, I got a great Massage, some wonderful lighted toys
to play with and some cool clothes. None of these things sound different
then any other 4 Quarters Festivals. Now what Gaian Mind brought on their
own was amazing, first off some people’s camps were really done well,
some people seemed to really know what they were doing setting up beautiful,
respectful campsites. The People that transformed the Stone Circle in
to the Trance Dance Floor did an amazing job. Huge 40ft x 10ft tapestrys
that had wild images hand painted on them, tons of flouresent sheets suspended
above people’s heads (that really made it feel like a club), But the best
part was the winged Dragon that sat on the main stage, who’s neck stretched
over the crowd, wile moving images were projected on it. The North Crook
Chill area was my favorite place of all, M-labs really did a fantastic
job, as well as being a wonderful group of people. They had lot’s of hammocks
set up and lot’s of little chill spots set up to relax in one even had
a small library to read through. The decor they had was very well thought
out and hand made, they had like 100 little Bugs made out of rocks, flouresent
pipe cleaners, Glue and paint. there were lighted snakes hanging from
the trees. M-labs have really out done themselves. I met so many wonderful
people from all over the world, I met people from Russia, A couple from
the U.K., a Guy from Israel and people from all over the United States.
I talked with people that had bought memberships or were planing on getting
memberships. It was one Hell of a good time. P.
Subject
: Re: [NYC604] Gaian Mind Pics
Date : Mon, 30 Jun 2003 13:52:43 EDT
hey guys great weekend at gaian mind. my favorite DJ was Allen. (magnetrix
was fun, a little minimal for an outdoor patrty but hey Hux Flux was like
R2D2 in the woods) lots and lots of non east coast people and a lot of
international travellers. So glad I went. the food and accomodations were
by far the best I've ever experienced at a festival! J.
Subject
: Re: Danke Sehr...
Date : Mon, 30 Jun 2003 20:44:43 +0200
We must thank you, because we had a so wonderful time in a beautiful place, with very nice people and so much spirit. For us it was the best party ever and we made the best liveact ever. We hope that we can come back and see and feel that all again. IT WAS SO AMAZING. We are very curious about any pictures and reviews. Do you have a ftpserver running or anything else? Because Stefan really wants to send you all the pictures he shoot. Or should he send it by cdrom? Greetings to you and all the others. Heike and Stefan (MAGNETRIXX)
Subject
: Gaian Mind Pics
Date : Mon, 30 Jun 2003 02:00:00 -0400
Too tired to brighten some of these up, so turn off the light and bump
up the resolution :-)
http://mazaev.no-ip.org/phpix/?mode=album&album=Gaian+Mind+2003+6-27-03
Subject
: Re: Gaian Mind Pics
Date : Mon, 30 Jun 2003 14:43:21 -0400
that party rocked. so how many people saw the mysterious moth that was
about the size of a football (ok.. maybe not that large... ) on the top
canopy at the main dance grounds and wondered if that really was what
they were seeing (is it real? na.. cant be.. hey... my god.. it is!!)
Subject
: (no subject)
Date : Mon, 30 Jun 2003 18:51:58 EDT
Hey, Hope you made it home alright and everything. Great party :), although
i think they should've played some full-on/goa in the morning. Aside from
that, it was fantastic. :) S.
Subject
: Our Gaian Mind
Date : Mon, 30 Jun 2003 15:16:59 -0400
Wow... Where do I begin on this one? Hold on, I'm gonna go get another
cup of coffee down at the deli and I'll be right back... Okay, talk about
high tech in nature. It's where we belong. Now that we're back in Manhattan
I can see how out of place we really are. I already miss the trees. The
bugs. The wonderful bugs. And of course, the psytrance bouncing through
the giggling leaves and permeating the fresh, clean air. The air. Ahhhyeah,
the air. Hold that thought because I need to go back to the beginning,
briefly. The getting-out-there part. Yeah, as usual and not surprising
anymore, it was a pain in the ass. Mind you, this is not a complaint,
it's a direct correlation to the quality of a psytrance party which is,
that the better the party the harder it is to get to and this was no exception.
It took us, at least, 2 hours just to get out of Manhattan via the Holland
Tunnel. The traffic was more horrendous than usual and the oppressive
heat and dirty air made it all the worse. The ride itself to Four Quarters,
which is on the edge of Pennslyvania, West Virginia, Virginia and Delaware
(yeah, way the hell out there) wasn't too bad, for us at least. We made
two wrong turns (beware of MapQuest) that were easily corrected and got
out there by 10:30 p.m. or so on Friday nite. Overall the trip, not counting
getting out of Manhattan, went a little quicker than expected. Driving
at an average of 80 mph helped too. >;-) We pretty much didn't think too
much of the *hassle* getting to the party until we started hearing the
stories of other people's trips. One person told us that it took them
5 hours just to get out of Manhattan! 5 hours to leave the city! Then
we heard of people getting lost and taking anywhere from 8-10 hours to
get there from Manhattan not to mention people coming all the way from
Massachussetts. The web site for Gaian Mind didn't list the time it took
from Massachussetts so 6 hours vs 10 hours is a big difference. And I'm
sure there must have been other people who came from all kinds of places
with their respective stories as well. Talk about intention. Yeah! Can't
keep a bunch of dedicated psytrancers away from a kick ass party. No way,
man. Okay, party time. We get there, register and drive into the grounds.
It was really well organized and laid out. The roads inside the grounds
were easy to follow not only from small signs but small white paperbags
with candles set on each side of the roads. We drove into the main area
where the chill out was, parked (*illegally*, heheheh), and set up camp.
(We moved the car in the morning, of course.) The chill out area was definitely
one of the best, if not the best, set-ups I've experienced at a psytrance
event. There was a *beach* in the middle complete with a sculpture made
out of wire, bubble wrap, stretched white fabric with cut out holes and
little white lights inside for illumination. (This is an example of using
*old* stuff and turning it into *new* stuff. Some examples of this were
also happening out at the PSI Party on 4/20.) There were sculptures made
out of those light strips hanging in the trees and the Four Quarters even
rented out old metal tire rims for campfire purposes. Around the chill
out area was a *city* of tents. Everyone's *home* was an orginal and specific
to each person or family. Some had inflatable couches. Some had inflatable
alien figures. Some had front yards complete with a *porch* light and
a picture of the inhabitants. Some had their kitchen, living room and
sleeping quarters neatly organized in one space while others kept it simple
with a cooler in the *backyard*. There were hammocks and community chill
nets along the inner circle of the chill out area and tho I didn't get
around to bouncing around in one of the chill nets I did snag a hammock
for a few. >;-) And, at one point, even took my towel to the beach, took
off my shoes and wiggled toes in that perfect sand. It felt absolutely
fabulous. Little things like that are easily forgotten. At one point,
I had to crash for a few and laid myself flat out in the tent. I was starting
to doze off thinking I'd actually be able to sleep but no, the music in
the chill out area grabbed my attention at one point and being that we
were so close there was no way I was going to pass this opportunity by.
(See, last time at the Omnitribe festival upstate, I had been *sleeping*
and heard some music in the main hall that grabbed my heart but was camped
far enough away that I didn't get my rear in gear to go see who was spinning.
Needless to say, I got another opportunity at Gaian Mind and did something
about it.) So I threw on my shoes, shot out of the tent and scooted over
to do a quick dance. There were a couple drum players in sync with the
DJ in a way I've never heard before. They were not only playing off each
other but off the music as well. Really outstanding. Really exceptional.
In fact, all of the music in the chill out area was exceptional. Heard
stuff I'd never heard before and it felt so good. The line up of DJs was
phemonenal and chill out, I did. It's really interesting to note that
we don't realize we're all wound up and uptight, for the most part, until
we experience a good chill out. Not only do we like to chill out after
some intense dancing we also need to chill out from the insanity of the
city. Talking with a few people at Gaian Mind I heard quite a few say
how it takes a couple days to decompress and relax after they go to an
outdoor event and that we need at least 3 days minimum for this to occur.
This was no exception. If anything, it was more apparent this weekend
than ever and I think it's a direct correlation to the extreme differences
to cement life to tree life. If it had been possible, we would have been
out there Thursday instead of Friday nite. By the time Sunday came around
I wished we could have been there an additional day. So many people stayed
to the last minute before coming back and some even stayed over on Sunday
nite. Good for them! I just don't get the American way of working towards
a vacation and it's becoming more and more glaringly apparent. Work, work,
work, work, work, work, work, work, a week off, work, work, work, work,
work, work, work. It takes at least a week to decompress and by the time
that happens most people are back to work. It's not natural. It's abnormal.
It's insanity. When do they get a chance to really relax? To really kick
back, close their eyes, listen to some smart music, take a deep breath
and smile. Just smile. A happy, contented smile. Think about this for
a moment. Think about how many people in this world are caught in a trap
and can't get out. And when they do get out they're barely able to catch
their breath before going back under again. Scary sh*t, really scary.
Being out there in nature. Full on, in nature. Having trees as a roof,
bugs as neighboors, a river in the backyard, psytrance in the frontyard,
a shower in the middle, a couple shops up the road and a whole bunch of
happy campers next door is the way to live. Gaian Mind was a perfect example
of the life we are going back to. Back to uncivilization. Back to unsanity.
Back to Who We Really Are. Back to life. Back to paradise before Eve ate
that apple (which had a worm in it, by the way.>;-) Back home. Personal
suggestions: -listen to psytrance 24/7. It's good for the brain and soul
and makes us smart. -bring real plates and silverware to nature. Plates
are more useful than just food and cuts down on waste. -at least 2 chairs.
-an inflatable mattress. -Burt's Bees Herbal Insect Repellent with lemongrass,
citronella and rosemary oils. -Mike's Hard Lemonade -see Eddie's pix numbers
078 and 079 for a perfect example of high-tech-n-nature. >;-) Just because
I didn't mention the all the music and DJs doesn't mean it wasn't appreciated.
It was outstanding as always and keeps on getting better. Allen and crew
did an outstanding job as this was the ultimate experience of how we're
supposed to be living on this planet. Thank you from the bottom of my
heart and soul. P.S. There was actually a complaint from the neighboors
of Four Quarters. When we were driving back in from a beer run on Saturday
we ran into them. They were *upset* because they kept hearing the same
record over and over and wondered when a new one was going to be played!
*LOL* Guess ya gotta be in the middle of the dance area to hear beyond
the kick drum, eh? >;-)
Subject
: Re: Gaian Mind Pics
Date : Mon, 30 Jun 2003 16:43:02 -0400
LOL yes that was lots of fun. We were stuck in traffic, and I decided
to wave a pepperoni sausage at people in nearby cars. So Eddie decided
to take pictures of this...hehehe, that was a nice way to speed up the
time in traffic :) You can see me in the car in pic 93 sans pepperoni...and
Eddie is in 91 with pepperoni! Great festival by the way...I've rarely
had such a good time anywhere... M.
Subject
: [604] Mad props to Gaian Mind
Date : Mon, 30 Jun 2003 19:58:23 -0400
Gaian Mind was basically the finest event I haveve _ever_ been to. Everything...the
people (I don't remember ever meeting so many wonderfuly delicious people
without even trying), the music [(w)holy shit, the sets were amazing!],
the vibe, the venue (oh yeah, I wanna move there!), the conversations,
the dancing (oohhhh, the dancing), the craziness, the laughter. God truly
is the master artist. ~!~ M.
Date:
04:14 AM 06/30/2001 -0400
Subject: Thank you
Dear Gaian-Mind, My name is Jason and I went to the Summer Festival at
4quarters this weekend. I just wanted to say thank you for all of your
hard work, and effort in throwing a truly amazing party. I think this
was seriously the best party I have been to. I had almost forgotten how
spiritual and moving a truly good party can be. Again I thank you. Keep
up the great work! Yours, J.S
Subject
: danko
Date : Tue, 1 Jul 2003 00:14:18 -0500
Hello, before I superglue my eyelids to get some sleep wanted to drop
a note and thank you all for a wonderful, magical time. Allen, I hope
the hassle that you guys had to endure didn’t spoil the excitement of
incredibly well organized gathering. Mind-blowing music, great people,
incredible fun and barefoot dirt stompin’ is what “smigizagog” is all
about. What is smigizagog you ask me?.. I don’t know … made it up just
now but I was never good in summarizing things into one word that makes
sense anywayJ. See you all soon \ Ohm gor
Subject
: Re: [604] Mad props to Gaian Mind
Date : Tue, 01 Jul 2003 02:43:15 -0400
Mad mad mad props. I had a wonderful time and would have stayed there
forever. One of my friends actually did stay behind, so strong was the
lure of a magical sanctuary where psytrance is perfectly at home. I'll
have pics of the event up soon, I just need to sort out which ones don't
suck. I was somewhat overwhelmed at times and generally forgot to focus
my camera properly. :D Magnetrixx was unbelievable. I'm still sore from
dancing for the entire set, but I couldn't have stopped if I'd wanted
to. T