Sonic Bloom 2014 Preview
by Joel Center
One thing alone is on the minds of Colorado’s electronic music fans as Summer approaches, and it only makes us more anxious as time slips slowly by. I’m talking, of course, about Sonic Bloom, the Colorado-born electronic fest that has crept well beneath the radar of national festy enthusiasts. It’s reputation as a small, intimate gathering, however, is dwindling as it becomes more popular.
Sonic Bloom began in 2006 at Mishawaka Amphitheater with some pretty at-the-time underground acts such as Bassnectar and Zilla. The next few years included more up and comers like STS9, The Glitch Mob, Beats Antique, Tipper, and of course, on an annual basis, EOTO. The point is, since it’s conception, Sonic Bloom has always been the place to see incredible electronic acts before the rest of the world realizes how amazing they are, and this coming year will be no different.
Sonic Bloom will be taking place this year on June 19th-22nd, which happens to fall over the Summer Solstice. This means that you’ll have the opportunity to spend the longest day of the year frolicking in the mountains to the cool tunes of talented artists. However, musical acts won’t be the only art you’ll be able to soak up over the course of the weekend. Sonic Bloom always books an enormous array of live painters, sculptors, glass blowers, yogis, healers, and any other sort of artist you can imagine. This is much more than just a music festival, it’s a total celebration of the creative culture that we are cultivating here in Colorado and across the globe.
Although Sonic Bloom has staged it’s festivities in Georgetown for the past few years, to accommodate the enormous increase in attention and attendance they have chosen a larger and more remote location this year. South Park, Colorado is made famous by our beloved TV show, but it is so much more than that. South Park is located in a gorgeous valley complete with sprawling mountain views, including some of the Continental Divide. I know the festival operators are as excited as the fans this year, as they could not have possibly picked a better location.
Okay, so let’s get down to the nitty gritty, the purest reason we attend music festivals – the music! As if the beautiful location and extensive offerings of eclectic art forms weren’t enough, Sonic Bloom really outdid themselves this year as far as the lineup goes. It starts with two masters of the electronica craft, true virtuosos of their form: Tipper and Shpongle. These two names in close proximity alone is enough to jingle the hat pins of any festy kid, but to put them in the same festival is something to get excited for. Dave Tipper, after recovering from minor surgery last Summer, continues to tour and produce the creepiest Trance-Hop and most dance-able Electro-Funk around. He is the epitome of professionalism, alongside his co-headliner, Shpongle’s Simon Posford.
Posford has been the absolute standard over the past decades when it comes to producing trippy music. His style is uncannily reminiscent of hallucinogenic drugs, and he knows it. If you are sick of electronica that doesn’t discuss profound issues and the moments that make life as fantastically chaotic as it ever was, Shpongle is your best bet.
Other notable performances on the 2014 lineup include Opiuo, Zion I, Kalya Scintilla, Mr. Bill, and Fort Knox Five. Of course, Sonic Bloom wouldn’t be what it is without a plethora of special guests and collaborators, and the Sonic Bloom Orchestra, a sort of All-Star Jam set at the end of the festival with all of the big names playing together on one stage.
I am confident in stating that this is the absolute best and most profoundly meaningful festival to ever come through Colorado, and it is certainly not something to miss out on. For tickets or more information about the lineup, visual and other artists, and other special attractions such as on-site showers, saunas, and even a giant foam pit, visit the website below.
Online: sonicbloomfestival.com
Category: National News
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