Secret Fire 3

[The Fixer]

I think by not spreading the crowd out with two stages it improved the vibe and unity of this party. If we had a hundred more people 2 stages would have been in order.

This was one of those mainly-stomp parties and I am 100% for that but I know that some people other than me were unhappy that it was mostly stomp and that there was no chill alternative. I know that 1 stage is going to happen from time to time but I think one of the things people have said about Chilluminati is we put alot into respecting the chill space.

I'm not criticizing the party but my 100% endorsement will always be for parties with a dedicated (if only very small) chill space. Like Gaian Mind. Tho I am aware that 2 spaces make for more work and additional cost.

It is cool to do one stage occasionally if only because it was so much easier and as already said, it did create nice unity of the party.

[Robyo]

Kickass venue. Great vibe. Not enough people...
Definitely helps to unify by having one stage. It IS better to have two stages, especially as a late night alternative to the hard/dark, but I can see how the low numbers (less than 200?) don't really warrant a 2nd stage. The progression of music was excellent, tho. It was only a one-nighter, so letting music play into the afternoon was a nice touch. Maybe it would be cool to try a complete 24 hour cycle next time...
Like any good experience, I like to come away from a party learning something new. From now on, I approach every new mixer as if the crossfader is turned off!

Thanks Scott & Igor, for the cd. I'm jamming Digital Drugs right now.

I have bootlegs of Shai & Varun's set if anyone is interested.

[damon]

This was one of those mainly-stomp parties and I am 100% for that but I know that some people other than me were unhappy that it was mostly stomp and that there was no chill alternative. I know that 1 stage is going to happen from time to time but I think one of the things people have said about Chilluminati is we put alot into respecting the chill space.

I'm not criticizing the party but my 100% endorsement will always be for parties with a dedicated (if only very small) chill space. Like Gaian Mind. Tho I am aware that 2 spaces make for more work and additional cost.

It is cool to do one stage occasionally if only because it was so much easier and as already said, it did create nice unity of the party.

[hint]

Let SMALL renegade soundsystem in and you'll have an alternative

[/hint]

[damon]

Like any good experience, I like to come away from a party learning something new. From now on, I approach every new mixer as if the crossfader is turned off!

You just need to drink/smoke more 

[Robyo]

Like any good experience, I like to come away from a party learning something new. From now on, I approach every new mixer as if the crossfader is turned off!

You just need to drink/smoke more 

oh yeah, that's the answer to everything!

[Pandemic]

The sound and stage were phenomenal.

I had the time of my life.

The redneck bar afterwards was the icing on the cake. We owned their slot machine 

win

[Agent Hurt]

one stage was teh best...although everyone knows my opinion about downtempo lol.  although...i do have to say some of the stuff damon was playing was quite good.  i also loved the fact that the fullon was edgy and just so damn good from sunup till midafternoon!  it made me want to keep dancing although i couldnt! 

meta - whoa shit son, the freshest cuts out from the west.  i was blown away.  such a good way to get the night started when he came on

facehead - holy fuckenheimers!  i was rockin out to this kid hard...and then someone mentioned to me, i believe it was phil, "look at him...he hasnt moved a muscle the last hour.  the only facial expression he's made the whole time he's been playing has been a slight smirk just before some madness is unleashed upon us.  he looks like he lives in his mom's basement and concocts ways to torture and murder people."  i cant wait to see him again in less than a week in iowa.  hell i cant wait to talk to this guy!

brad (prof x) - god dammit, move back to IL douche bag so we can hear this sick shit more

rob (mr roboto) - i couldnt get over how seamless your set seemed and how good it was.  you've really come a long way

KT - i was so impressed by her set.  it was way edgier than when she played in iowa and i know its not really her cup of tea per say, but i was impressed with the skill and track selection and overall it just fit soooooo right into the morning.

thanks to everyone for making this such a good first outdoor party....im glad i paid my money and didnt bitch out

also thanks to the fixer for taking 10 minutes to talk to me about stuff.  it gave me some things to think about and some other things to chew on more.  i hope this growing entity can get some better lines of communication open so the "ameoba" can spread its arms into every crevice of the midwest seamlessly and flawlessly.

allison - i think you should have a "hug agent hurt" sign at every party lol

[Energon]

best stage setup ever!~

Deco was AWESOME. We loved the stage.

Thanks to ... the deco people.  It looked like a little alien world amongst the vast natural landscape.

Wooooowwwwowo.........what a fantastic party to start the outdoor seaon. Another blaster by Chilluminati....
Had a very very sweet expeirence...........loved the stage deco ...

I'm sooooooooooooooooo glad to hear that people enjoyed the deco. I was sort of afraid that ppl would think it looked cheap, the stuff that Carli and I brought to hang was pretty much just wire, string, and a few tapestries We were only asked to help out with deco a few days prior to the event and it was already an extremely busy week for us. A lot of the stuff that we hung was originally created for the chill room at Resonate 2.0, another event that we were asked to work just a few days in advance. I would have liked to create some original artwork created specifically for this event... oh well... maybe next time...  

For those of you who don't know me... my name is Derek, my partner is Carli. We've been a part of the Rendezvous crew (http://www.myspace.com/rendezvouscrew) for a few months now.  It was definitely intimidating for me to participate in an event like this one with such incredible artists involved. The deco that I've seen Psymbolic do is just so amazing I felt dwarfed, hehe. How can one expect to be on the same level as those who have decorated for Infected Mushroom, Astral Projection, Bluetech.... the list goes on. I guess you're always more critical of your own work than other people are. We did the best we could with what we had to work with.

Much thanks to everyone who helped with setting up and providing the deco on the main stage. Jeff for providing the lights, Paul and co, the two redheads from central IL who I can't remember your names, and anyone else that I missed. I never ended up meeting this Allison who was supposed to be coordinating the deco effort, perhaps we'll cross paths sometime in the future. Heard she had to work... such a shame. I took plenty of photos of us setting up and after dark, I'll be posting the best ones on my myspace and tribe pages tonight or tomorrow for everyone to enjoy.

As for the event itself...
The venue was great. Personally, I thought that Meta was fucking amazing. He spins the exact same style of psy that I do... I'd never really heard a set like that. It gave me so many ideas that I went home and spent 4 or 5 hours on my decks even though I had zero sleep on Saturday night. I've never been keen on the darker stuff but I thought that Facehead was incredible as well. My brain was pulverized into jelly, lol. The sound was also amazing... I came to a realization that I truly didn't understand how my own tracks would sound when played out on a big system... psy just has so many layers, so many timbres. At least now I've got some concept of how the different sounds will play out. The live video was unbelievable as well, I really appreciate living in a city wish such a vibrant motion graphic scene.

All in all Secret Fire III was an amazing experience for me. I met many great people... and I'm sure there were 4 times as many amazing people that I didn't get the chance to meet. I can't wait to participate in future events. See you all around!!

Energon
http://people.tribe.net/d-wrex
http://www.myspace.com/energon

[The Fixer]

Let SMALL renegade soundsystem in and you'll have an alternative

I know what you're talking about and that's a great idea. We need to keep talking up this idea. I love it.

[Energon]

This was one of those mainly-stomp parties and I am 100% for that but I know that some people other than me were unhappy that it was mostly stomp and that there was no chill alternative. I know that 1 stage is going to happen from time to time but I think one of the things people have said about Chilluminati is we put alot into respecting the chill space.

Totally.
I was talking with an older gentleman named Bruce that I had met there. He said something like "You know, at some of these events they have a separate stage with the more downtempo music... which is really pretty interesting. I'm not so much a fan of the dance-type stuff." This was at like... 10am when this girl (sorry I don't know your name!!) was spinning some really dark, hard stuff.

It would have definitely been nice to transition to chill at daybreak. I could have easily drifted off to a peaceful slumber listening to Shai and Varun's set if they'd played it at 7am. As it was I was just laying in my tent quite awake. I would like a link to the bootleg of that if you've got it... or any other bootlegs that were recorded that night.

Another thing I forgot to mention in my previous post was the lack of a shade structure / rain fly for the DJ booth.
If it had rained there would have been problems... as it was those who spun in the morning were subjected to the full heat of the midwest summer sun. (Summer Sizzle anyone? lol) Yeeouch!

Energon
http://people.tribe.net/d-wrex
http://www.myspace.com/energon

[damon]

This was one of those mainly-stomp parties and I am 100% for that but I know that some people other than me were unhappy that it was mostly stomp and that there was no chill alternative. I know that 1 stage is going to happen from time to time but I think one of the things people have said about Chilluminati is we put alot into respecting the chill space.

Totally.
I was talking with an older gentleman named Bruce that I had met there. He said something like "You know, at some of these events they have a separate stage with the more downtempo music... which is really pretty interesting. I'm not so much a fan of the dance-type stuff." This was at like... 10am when this girl (sorry I don't know your name!!) was spinning some really dark, hard stuff.

It would have definitely been nice to transition to chill at daybreak. I could have easily drifted off to a peaceful slumber listening to Shai and Varun's set if they'd played it at 7am. As it was I was just laying in my tent quite awake. I would like a link to the bootleg of that if you've got it... or any other bootlegs that were recorded that night.

I think it was right decission and lesser evil.
 
In the past, both stages@Chilluminati parties had no/small amount of people due to attendance/big areas where those parties were hold@. I love chill out much more than trance but I'd rather see one stage with exactly the same music progression like we had last weekend and a lot of people in your sight all the time than 2 separate empty areas.

Another thing I forgot to mention in my previous post was the lack of a shade structure / rain fly for the DJ booth.
If it had rained there would have been problems... as it was those who spun in the morning were subjected to the full heat of the midwest summer sun. (Summer Sizzle anyone? lol) Yeeouch!

Tell me about it  And I spent less than 30 min. behid the decks in the morning ...

[KaiserSoze]

"Another thing I forgot to mention in my previous post was the lack of a shade structure / rain fly for the DJ booth."

It was planned.. not sure why it didn't happen.. Clear sky's and lazyness I suppose..
...

I heard KT was playing harder than she planned because those who were dancing stopped when she started played lighter music. Much to the joy of some and the chagrin of others.. You can't make everyone happy...

Having "Renegade" sound systems are not an option. We will always come back to the spreading the crowd too thin problem with having too many stages. Plus having a happy hardcore tent suddenly appear out of nowhere is not something we want. Well maybe Jeff Z wouldn't mind.. 

What is maybe an option is another crew setting up a chill space if one is not planned, once they get approval. Maybe limitations will be set with say a post 3  or 4 am start at smaller events to help maintain the mainfloor vibe. This will give people the choice towards the end of party to relax and sleep or still rock out.

Many options.. not enough parties to try ideas out at...

[The Fixer]

I was talking with an older gentleman named Bruce that I had met there. He said something like "You know, at some of these events they have a separate stage with the more downtempo music... which is really pretty interesting. I'm not so much a fan of the dance-type stuff." This was at like... 10am when this girl (sorry I don't know your name!!) was spinning some really dark, hard stuff.
ww.myspace.com/energon

The problem with a forum like this is you're only hearing from the really passionate people. People who are marginal or who have given up on the harder music aren't bothering to read or respond.

I think if you know you're only going to get 100 people or so, you should do either a straight Goa event with progression, or a chill event because it's true, 2 stages are too much for that number of people.

OTOH the 300-600 parties - the rural weekenders and the chicago warehouse parties - those you can have separate spaces without sacrificing the feel of the event.

So the 1 stage people and the 2 stage people are both right - for their size event.

The fans have a role too - if events get larger we can do more within budget, and we will have more people to make it happen. Numbers attending dictate much of what can happen.

Chill is more than a style of music - it's also a separate space with a different vibe and deco, and an altar, and an attitude.

Again though I thought Secret Fire 3 was great but now we have enough experience with events we can start seeing that not all of them should evolve the same way.

[The Fixer]

best stage setup ever!~

Yeah that = SCAFFOLDING. Troy has been talking about scaffolding for some time. It really works.

It's also a little expensive! But how great to have the main stage be an integrated structure.

[damon]

Having "Renegade" sound systems are not an option. We will always come back to the spreading the crowd too thin problem with having too many stages. Plus having a happy hardcore tent suddenly appear out of nowhere is not something we want. Well maybe Jeff Z wouldn't mind.. 

I said small

What is maybe an option is another crew setting up a chill space if one is not planned, once they get approval. Maybe limitations will be set with say a post 3  or 4 am start at smaller events to help maintain the mainfloor vibe. This will give people the choice towards the end of party to relax and sleep or still rock out.

I wish I had a boombox hehe. Next time we'll set up chill area inside Matt's big ass tent