theuntz.com

The gates opened promptly at 2:30 - along with the first act of the day, DJ Saam, on the Glow stage - with already hundreds of festival goers patiently waiting in line coated in Virginia’s infamous humidity, and none particularly bothered by it, considering most were in little more than their underwear. Of course, the concession stands were ever present, touting everything from “Lets Rage” to “Bed Head,” and of course iHome needed a tent, but perhaps the most refreshing (literally) was Rockstar’s, boasting three bars continuously stocked with all you can drink Rockstar of numerous varieties - doing their best to keep everyone happy and hydrated. Walking throughout the venue granted a subversive journey, catching waves of wild dub selections, soon drowned out by happy house and disco electronica from the likes of Roberto Gonzales and Static Revenger, soon pumped up to the undying electricity of Madeon, then rushed back into the realm of huge bass blasting from Rockstar’s stage as Le Castle Vania dropped some exclusives for the power-hungry crowd. As night fell, the glow-gloves and LED hula-hoops stated popping up in pathways and littering the lawns, but paled in comparison to the lavish light shows projecting from both the iHome and Rockstar stages which, while adequately spaced from each other, still encased Jiffy Lube in an auditorium of rainbows and bass drums.

David Satori, Sidecar Tommy, and Zoe Jakes have been touring nonstop since their last release, 2010's Blind Threshold, with acts like Bassnectar and The Glitch Mob. However, in that time, the band has managed to strengthen their already signature sound, which fuses Gypsy jazz, Hungarian and Eastern European folk melodies with grinding beats and future bass sounds. Still quite the theatrical act, Beats Antique has managed to once again capture the energy and enthusiasm of their exuberant live show in record form. 1 Dan Cantrell – Accordion, Saw – 8 Scott Larson – Trombone – 3, 8, 9 Jay Standards – Trumpet