Take Back the House!

'Take Back the House!' ... cries my neighbor this morning, in his red robe and slippers. He burst out of his door as he heard me leaving ours. 'Got your registration card? id?' I was slightly annoyed, but also very glad! No, I didn't have those things. But now I do. I can vote today.

You should too.

Not sure how? Read this.

Not registered? Do so for next time.

get the massage

Fri Nov 03
POLYPHONIC w/ Mr Leisure, Justin Byrnes, dj Saigon & Manos

On Saturday, call Rachael for a massage
http://www.skalamassage.com/

Then Saturday night the Rockstar Orphans reUNITE, bigger and less compressed
Burning Man Seattle, decompression party featuring our very own Adlib and ESNCE.

NEXT GIG: Day of the Dead

or in proper spanish, El Dia de los Muertos

Wed Nov 1st
Celebrate the Mexican All Saints Day and Rochelle & Heidi's birthday!!

Squid Leader (Shameless/Numeriklab)
Kadeejah Streets w/ NightTrain (Innerflight)
Manos (Sub-merge/Uniting Souls)
Jen Woolfe (Leschi Lounge)
and surprise guest appearance

@ Dantes
5300 Roosevelt Way
$5 donation

Remember the Druids

20th Oracle Gathering: The Other Side @ CHAC

On October 28th at the Capitol Hill Arts Center, wander through a visual and auditory kaleidoscope that will alter your senses and burn limitations. Travel through a labyrinth that will take you down into the creepy depths of the shadows and up through the bright, expansive light.

Take ritualistic journey through the density of cultural dissonance at the midnight prayerformance. As we release the chains of fear and attachment we herald the collapsing of duality. Suspended in the void of possibility together we will carve a new dimension of earthly experience birthing our community to whole new spiral of our cultural evolution.�

In this world, you will have an opportunity to step through the veil, another side of perception, or perhaps to realize you have been on the other side the entire time.

The Oracle Gatherings beckons you to join us on our 20th journey as we explore The Other Side.


Learn about your community with:
* Daniel Pinchbeck - Author of the brilliant new book titled: 2012 The Return of Quezecoat
* Lorenzo Hagerty
For more information about these workshops and a full evening of programs on Friday, October 27th, please visit Exploring the Global Consciousness Shift

Experience the musical soundscapes of:
* Ghreg on Earth (SF) Fast Paced, Futuristic Soundscapes and Sonic Mythologies
* Danny (Moontribe, Symbiosis, Glitch Mob - CA)
* Osiris Indriya (Iboga Records, IOSIS Art Party, Oracle Gatherings � SEA) From progressive to psytrance through breaks and hard techno
* Michael Manahan (Oracle Gatherings - SEA)
* Taal Mala (SUB OSC, Lighta! Sound, deadbydawn Soundsystem - East Vancouver, BC) Soundbwoy slewin' dubplate mashup
* Arc, with Michael Manahan, Traeger Evans, and Michael Miracle
* Kevin Hills (Oracle Gatherings - LA)
* DJ Tusk (Dead By Dawn Soundystem, Lighta Sound, Royal Platoon, SubOsc Crew, The Fam VAN) Combining dark mysticism, Ragga & Industrial with the Dubstep axioms of Pace, Space and Bass
* phowa (BC)
* Sweet Anomaly with the Ancient Rugged Revival (BC)
* Rob Noble (WA)
* Terminus (Somatic Revolution - SEA)
* Michael Miracle (SEA)

Enjoy performances by:
* Funginears

Healing Sanctuary with:
* Dana Stream, LMP, Ritual Master
* Candace McNaughton, ND
* Jonathan Brant, LMP
* Vila Loukas, LMP
* Suzanne Friedman, LMP

Spiritual Readings by:
* Nikki Ross
* Spookee
* Falana
* Samantha Fox
* Colin Leetham

Witness the Prayerformance,
* Written by: Isis Indriya and Joanna Welfley
* Directed by: Joanna Welfley

Video Projections & Visuals by:
* Jacobeye
* Phong

** Music Ritual Performance Communiversity - Art **

Tickets are $25 at

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/7075
$30 at the door; Find the Tarot card for $5 off the presale price

Tickets also available at:
On Capitol Hill - Travelers Shop 502 E. Pine St. 206.329.6260
and Vajra 518 Broadway E (206) 323-7846
In the U-District - Gargoyles Statuary 4550 University Way N.E. 206.632.4940

Saturday, October 28, 2006
Capitol Hill Arts Center
1621 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122

come out, come out whoever you are...

I came out at a work meeting yesterday. It was more like a training than a meeting and its not any big secret or anything. But it was still difficult to say it in such a formal way. We were learning about how best to interract with different cultures in a work environment. We all introduced our cultures and, I dunno, I felt like if I didn't mention the gay culture that I wouldn't be representing myself properly. I also came out as an artist and a hippie. One small step...

Friday Oct 20 –
Breaks & Freaks @ Nectar
POLYPHONIC w/ Mr Leisure, Justin Byrnes, Saigon
Masterkraft w/ Kadeejah Streets & Recess @ Chop Suey
Shameless afterhours at the egg
HOT MESS presents Avenue D, along with special guest DJ Wasabi
DJ Moses w/ Uniting Souls @ SeeSound Lounge

Saturday Oct 21
Melange @ Des Amis - our NEW night!!
Spinderella @ Girl4Girl

Sunday Oct 22
Peanut Butter Wolf @ Neumos

NEXT GIG: Mélange @ Des Amis

Saturday, Oct 21

Mélange @ Des Amis
DJ Eddie (Decibel)
Saigon (Lab-77)
Jen Woolfe (Leschi Lounge/Session)
w/ LIVE SAX by Sklobot (Leschi Lounge)


Come by early for Comedians starting out at 8pm
Lizzy Pilcher
Doug Gale
Rosalie Gale
Blaine Reeder
Paul Currington

21+ , 8pm - 2am, $5
Des Amis (in the cozy basement)
1013 E Pike St. Seattle

NEXT GIG: Club Lagoon tonight!

Thursday, Oct 19 @ Club Lagoon
with DJ Fuel!

spinning House, electro, Retro & Dance Hits
210 Broadway
No Cover!
10pm - 2

NEXT GIGs: Trinity, War Room & LSC

What a big weekend for me!!

Thu Oct 12 - Jacks, Queens & Kings @ Trinity Card Room
w/ Adlib & Vudu & Fishlure & Fuel
Fri Oct 13 - Cherry @ the War Room w/ Mathematix, Amateur Youth and Texas Justice
Sat Oct 14 - Last Supper Club w/ LA Kendall and DJ Fuel

Trinity Nightclub - 111 Yesler Way
The War Room - 722 E Pike
Last Supper Club - 124 S Washington St

A Playa Magic Part III - A Birthplace of Art

Out of the 7 nights that I was at the burning man event, I DJ'd 4 of them. That may not seem like a lot until you take into account the moving of gear and records back and forth, stopping by the day before to check-in and back the next day to pick up items forgotten. Headphones, mixers and records smeared with dust, put back into wrong envelopes, CDs momentarily misplaced. I was so busy with DJ tasks that I missed The Man burning and the Seattle Memorial Temple burn. I didn't ride on an art car or take a swim on the deep playa looking for ladders that touched the sky. I didn't see Alex Gray's camp with his amazing works or Bassnectar pumpin' beats into burner's hearts. I missed so much, sacrificed so much.

And yet, I gained.

On Tuesday night I DJ'd at Camp Lemeria, thanks to Jeremy Ball. That DJ capsule was amazing! It was in the shape of a spaceship. They even had air conditioning. Then on Wednesday night, I played for the BRC Zu kidz . Their cozy camp and great sound setup rocked my night.

On Friday night, Robb Green , the SF from Seattle transplant who had last DJ’d with me at Playa-go-Round the year before, joined me once again for our BRC ‘residency’. We'd each left the playa the year before with a specific sound in our minds, a sound that Robb had berthed at the Leschi Lounge only weeks before. A year later, we'd both brought that sound together as if we'd been playing it in accompaniment for years, even though we'd last played together 1 year before in that very same spot. Funk Rock Disco, a fusion of Funky Tech House and Electro Clash. We started off playing 5 records a piece, then three's. Soon we realized that our record bags were identical twins in terms of sound. We fed off each other with each new track, tantalized the progression of the set, played with each others' smiles. And we laughed like two kids who'd ingested mushroom-laced rice krispy treats. Pure playa magic. A birthplace of Art. Esnce blended brilliantly as he rode our wave, spinning the merry-go-round slightly deeper yet retaining all the ticklishness of Tech. J-SUN completed the circle, diving into his own devilish deviance, sending a crowd of clubbers deeper into the dusty sand, a true Seattle House legend in the making. Then on Saturday I received an amazing gift from Damian & Ryan. Esnce and I were asked to play from the time the man burned till dawn on the Esplanade at Idaho-built Blunderland. And what an amazing feeling that was, touching so many with our heart beats.

By DJ'ing at all the camps that I did, I spoke my Art to so many. I was asked to play at some of the most amazing spots on the playa, places where my music and melodies could be heard 1/2 mile out. I drew in crowds, even for a few moments, where around them are hundreds of clubs and art installations doing the same. I amused the attention of hundreds of burners who may never have blessed with my words had I decided to take the night out to fulfill my own intentions.

And so in Truth, I was blessed to play this year with friends, old and new. What a treat. What a true playa gift. Thank you, friends. Thank you, playa.

... one more installment! Stay tuned for part IV ... the Journey Home.

like a villian

(Fri Oct 6)
Polyphonic @ CHAC Lower Level
Jon Lemmon @ SeeSound Lounge

(Sat Oct 7)
Princess Superstar w/ Hot Mess & Cherry Residents @ Chop Suey
Shringara & Asian Underground -- Infinite Connections @ CHAC Lower Level

NEXT GIG: Faux Disco @ SeeSound

Wednesday Oct 4

Faux Disco @ SeeSound Lounge
Residents Colby b and LA Kendall of Hitgirl!
It's Electro-licious

SeeSound Lounge
happy hour 8-10
$3 wells & $5 menu

115 Blanchard St.
10pm - 2am
No Cover

Simply the way to do Business

I made some big mistakes last weekend. Fundamental mistakes. I’ve been avoiding the business aspect of DJ’ing because I hate dealing with money (though, I do like dealing black jack). I don’t count well beyond 16 and whenever anyone mentions the flimsy green stacks of paper that we put value into, my eyes gloss over and my ears create a tunnel from one to the other through my brain. I just don’t pay enough attention. But now is the time for me to start paying … attention. That was one mistake.

The second mistake was the opposite of fundamental. I trusted someone that I didn’t know. You may think that trusting a stranger is a mistake, but I disagree. I choose not to believe that. I will protect myself from it in the future, but I refuse to believe that the fundamental nature of the human being is to wrong his brothers and sisters. I think due to the environment surrounding us, this behavior is learned.

Which means it can be unlearned.

A freak thing happened to me on the 4th of July this year. I was sitting in a camping chair at the top of Liz & Lauri’s driveway, watching our friends shoot off fireworks to celebrate our great nation’s “independence”. Momo lit one – a big one! – that went off on the ground instead of in the air. Sitting in the front row about 10 yards away, I saw a bright green ember coming at me. It bounced off the ground twice and fell right into my V-cut t-shirt, dove down my blouse and bounced between my boobs. I jumped up and pulled the shirt away from me to get the flaming glow out from burning my skin, but it bit me pretty hard. I had a few burn scars and an awful lot of pain that night. It was such a freak thing… the chances of that piece of firework going right down my blouse. I compare it to Luke Skywalker shooting down the Death Star. Too weird to be an accident. There must be a message. – use the Force!

I came out of that experience thinking that I need to harden my heart, thicken my skin. I was really down on my self esteem Sunday morning. My bad decisions brought up feelings of guilt and hopelessness, exhaustion and self-doubt. I am pushed to my limits. It took me a few days after my experience this weekend to pull myself back into myself (with the help of many beautiful friends) and realize that what I feel inside is stronger than the forces that push against me. I relieve myself of my errors, learn and continue to fight. One step back to take two steps forward. Actually, fuck two steps. I’m taking a giant leap.

Sea-town is throwin' down this Weekend!

----- Thu Sep 28
Ramiro @ LSC
----- Fri Sep 29
Ramiro, Jen Woolfe @ SeeSound Lounge
Felix Da Housecat @ LSC
----- Sat Sep 30
Leschi Lounge @ Des Amis - Manos, DJ Fuel, Jen Woolfe
Uniting Souls Music Record-Release @ Baltic
3rd Annual Breast Fest fundraiser at Smarty Pants
Click here for more info!
----- Mon Oct 2
LTJ Bukem @ Element
----- Tue Oct 3
Scissor Sisters @ Showbox

NEXT GIGs: See'ing Sounds with My Friends!

Friday Sept 29
Uniting Souls Night w/
Ramiro & Jen Woolfe

Saturday Sept 30
Leschi Lounge @ Des Amis w/
Manos, DJ Fuel, Jen Woolfe &
live music by Jen Wagner & Sklobot

See Sound Lounge
115 Blanchard (bet. 1st & 2nd), Seattle
Free before 10pm

Des Amis
21+ , 8pm - 2am, $5
Des Amis (in the cozy basement)
1013 E Pike St. Seattle

enjoy a mellow weekend

Thu Sep 21
dj set by James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem), Juan Maclean, Colby B @ Chop Suey
Fri Sep 22
Justin Harris, Sean Majors @ War Room
Tue Sep 26
DJ Krush @ Neumos (http://nwtekno.org/vb/showthread.php?threadid=103816&eventid=25978)

A Playa Magic Part II - They Our Love

We napped for a few hours before the heat of the sun. What a great feeling to be ready to expore the playa early Monday. After completing camp set up and proper rest (well, mostly) we had our usual first-day 3-bean salad for dinner and left on our bikes to watch the newbie's eyes' bulge at the grandeur of all that is in, on and around them. We followed Momo for a while, then Becka, who kept us pedalling from structural giant to structural giant, not able to find any words to describe our own amazement. The topper of the night -- perhaps of the whole week -- was what was to be known in Black Rock City as the 'Belgian Waffle', a giant structure made entirely of 2 x 4's splashed up the sides into two tunnels. Green lights sprayed on the outside and multi-colored lights danced on the inside among shadows of playans swaying to the DJ beats.

The rest of the week is pretty much a blur, best to be told linked by experience rather than linked by days. I spent much of my time at BRC Zu (located at 3:00 & Brave), a very tight-knit Seattle Theme Camp with a reputation for monkey business. I DJ'ed there on Wednesday and ate dinner there on Thursday evening. The dinner was a true playa gift. It was a 5-coarse meal. The Zu animals were out playing and serving, keeping our wine glasses full and our bellies laughing. It was a full dinner show and fun as well. Tuesday night for me was another playa gift. Jeremy Ball was filling some slots for friends at Camp Lemuria (2:00 & Fate). The camp was beautifully lit with El Wire Art and a DJ booth that looked like a spaceship. The sound system was fantastic. On that Tuesday night, unfortunately, there wasn't much foot traffic. But the Rockstar Orphans & the BRC Zu kidz, as always, were there to dance and cheer me on.

The most special gift in playing at Lemuria was that in the distance, I could see the Seattle Memorial Temple, the Temple of Light. This project was important to me, not only because I related to the kids in my communities who were killed, but also because many chances I'd had to help with the Temple were lost by something else going on in my life. Either I was working or DJ'ing or involved in family events. I've had one of the busiest summers of my entire life and I didn't find time to help on this amazing project. Yet by the luck of the playa, I was able to sing to those whose lives are celebrated within it's Light. I'd dedicated a mix to their struggle and was able to play it to them. I was gifted the opportunity to show them that even though I hadn't known them personally and wasn't able to help with their Memorial that I was still in debted to their sacrifice and am dedicated to bringing those in our community (and those who do not feel they have a community) together. I'd seen the Temple the night before, wrote on it and spoke to them. Their true sacrifice of life will not be lost. Their memories, burnt on Sunday night, were scattered into the air and breathed in by friends, neighbors & strangers -- family. They live on through our breath and through our lives. I sang to them. And they smiled.

part III, coming soon!

you lucky bitches

Thu-Sun Decibel Festival (see Jdub’s guide below) http://www.dbfestival.com/2006
Fri-Sun Earthdance NW (directions) http://www.earthdance.org/portland/

Sat Sep 15 Trevor, Ramiro, Sol Coldron, Joey @ Des Amis – FREE!
Mon Sep 18 Suicide Girls Burlesque Show

Jdub’s guide to Decibel
Get your all access pass http://www.dbfestival.com/2006/?q=InWindow/tickets

Friday:
8:00p Eddie @ Barca Lounge*
9:00p Jeromy Nail @ Chop Suey
9:30p Mister leisure @ Chop Suey
10:30p Brett Johnson @ Chop Suey
12:00a Jacob London @ Chop Suey
1:15a Alex Smoke @ Neumos
2:00a Claude Vonstroke @ Chop Suey*
3:00a Shameless Afterhours* – call 778.5822 for deets

Saturday:
1:00p Reason 3 clinic @ Broadway Performance Hall
5:00p Abelton Live clinic@ Broadway Performance Hall
6:00p Derek Fisher @ Barca Lounge
8:00p The Perfect Cyn @ Barca Lounge
9:00p Suntzu Sound @ Baltic Room
10:30p Jerry Abstract @ Neumos
11:15p Plan B @ Chop Suey
12:15a Green Velvet @ Neumos*
2:00a Kristina Childs @ Neumos

Sunday:
8:00p Manos @ Barca Lounge
9:00p Greg Skidmore @ Barca Lounge
10:00p J-Sun @ Barca Lounge
12:00p Kadeejah Streets@ Barca Lounge*
12:45p Paul Edwards @ Bad Juju
1:00a Electrosect @ Bad Juju

*don’t miss

A Playa Magic Part I -- Starlala-lala-la-la

Of course, the best year (as is every year) of Burning Man is THIS year. But this one for me was certainly different than the last 4. It’s so hard to remember exactly the events of this yearly event each time. Even though I spent more time on the playa this year than all the others, I felt like the time passed quickest of all. Maybe it had to do with arriving and leaving at night. Maybe it was because of the 12 amazing first-year burners we were introducing to this crazy event. Or maybe it had to do with me DJ’ing 4 out of the 7 days I was there. Whatever the reasons, it was no less challenging than the others. And no less beautiful.

Part I - Starlala-lala-la-la

The first challenge was storage - how to move 17 campers' food, water, shelter, bikes & playa supplies to a remote desert location. Momo Swells solved this issue the most sensible way - by buying an RV! Even though it seems like a risky move to buy a 1971 ford RV just 3 days before we leave for a 1200 mile trip to the dry desert, it still felt right. We knew the previous owners of the RV & the history. Still, introducing anything new into any mix can bring about more challenges that one realizes. This was also true for our borrowed Van, the newly-purchased Rockstar Orphan trailer, and our camp’s main Shade Structure, which Pink (and ultimately many of the other members of our camp) spent 3 back-breaking weeks working on just before the burn. Still, despite the challenging learning experiences, we all pulled thru and at 5pm on Friday night 2 cars, 1 RV, 1 van and trailer (holding the completed shade structure) were on their long trek down to the playa.

The trailer made it as far as Tacoma.
The RV, Portland.
But our minds and hearts were set on making it to Reno on Sunday.

We picked up our 4 Portland companions at 10pm, but were still waiting on the van and trailer to make it thru traffic. They’d had a blow-out in Tacoma and then were stuck in the usual Friday South I-5 lull. Even though the PDX crew was excited to hit the road, the thought of 1 more night in their own beds after a long day of packing and preparation was comforting. The rest of us slept on the Portland boys' living room futon like sardines while ESNCE played slow breaks melodies and Liz sang us to sleep with Jack Daniels.

We woke early the next day, showered (not together … well, mostly), enjoyed some Portland coffee and hit the road! We made it as far as --- the next street. Seems our new and much-loved RV (who we’d named Starlala-lala-la-la while Becka and M to Tha lovingly laid fur all over her insides on the ride into town the day before) was having trouble starting, despite her brand-new battery. To our luck, a few streets up from the boys’ apartment was a battery/alternator specialty store. So we took her there and enjoyed a big breakfast while the expert had a look-see. Halfway thru my toast & egg, we received the condition - a bad alternator, possibly destroyed during a recent check-up. He would have to operate, and there was a 50/50 chance she would live. ‘Go for it!’, Momo said. ‘We need her to live.’

The operation was a success! And 2 hours later, we were on the road again. Our next stop - Mt. Shasta.

When we arrived into the small town in the shadow of Mt. Shasta, we found the tiny 1-room cottage of a new-found friend and sprawled again like sardines on our air mattresses. But we didn’t mind the close-knit quarters. We were excited and exhausted. We awoke only once during the night to the sound of Liz’s car alarm waking up the entire town to an intruder - herself. The next morning, we found the only happening coffee shop, full of locals and traveling bikers. We loaded up on coffee and gooey snacks and made our way thru the mountains of Northern California and toward the flat and burned out desert of Nevada. I rode with Harinama in the van. It was a pleasant time to learn about his life. Nothing like a road trip to turn a stranger into a friend. We had lovely chats and he shared the peace pipe that he had received from a Native American friend almost 20 years before. No coincidence that Burning Man itself was also celebrating its 20 year anniversary. It began in 1986 with a few friends burning some wood on a beach in San Francisco. They let go of a memory to build a dream.

And we were there - almost. In Reno, we stocked up on water and supplies. By 10pm we were on our way to our usual pre-burn stop, Pyramid Lake. But it was almost midnight, and we were too tired and ansy to set up camp just to break it down again four hours later. Why not wait out the moments until the opening of the pearly gates with a car nap and roll onto the playa at midnight?

Starlala-lala-la-la gave us one more small scare in the town of Gerlach (population 500, whose numbers includes the neighboring town, Empire) to remind us that technology still lays in the path to control of our own destiny. The small Shell station was out of gas and Starlala was 8 gallons short. To make matters more difficult, the remote area did not have cell phone reception (much less a Hotel or a Bar). Not being able to hold out any longer, I parked the van in a dark corner (actually, it wasn't that dark -- there was a motion-sensored street lamp that kept flashing on & off) to catch a few Zzzz's, pulled the bill of my hat over my eyes and let the chips fall as they may.

"THUD, THUD, THUD!!" I awoke with a start to Momo rapping on the window.
'C'mon! We're headin!' Within the hour, Momo had found the solution -- a pay phone sitting idly nearby. She called our late traveller Zoe to have Moriah & Da Man pick up what we needed when they headed in on Wednesday. Both stumped and then saved by Technology! Alas, some early technological genius was still sound...

We rolled towards the playa not long past midnight, behind a long line of red lights doing the same. I amused myself from the jabberings of some burners on the walkie-talkie, Channel 5. By the time we found our camp spot and began setup, the sun was rising over the horizon. Our first sunrise in its glorious beauty. We'd beat the odds on our 3-day journey down. And were bringing 12 playa virgins Home.

go to Part II...

NEXT GIG: Jacks, Queens & Kings

Kind werds from Harinama, after spending a week with my & my wax in the desert: 'Jen: OMG, your sweet music removed all the crap in my mind and heart. It is a powerful, transforming tool.' --- thank you, Harinama!

Thur Sept 14
Jacks, Queens & Kings
This month we have VERY SPECIAL GUESTS Pete Spinning and Derek Andrew from Monkey Do! Productions in Los Angeles. Pete and Derek are visitng us on their way to headlining Earthdance NW this year!

View Vudu's flyer

Trinity Nightclub
111 Yesler Way
7pm - Close
No cover

back from the burn

I’m back from Burning Man and burnt as ever! A few exciting things for the weekend ~

On Sunday come by Golden Gardens early afternoon for a Burning Man Decompression with Manos, J-SUN, myself and more of the BURNED!

Also check THIS out! I’m now officially a DJ and Writer… shejay.net published one of my blogs! http://www.shejay.net/articleDetail.php?articleID=436

I also found some great videos of burning man 2006!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmv-wAxQ6Rw