eeek, that sucks.
Okay, here is my review that I sent in email...
Greetings Friends-
"I don't know where to begin" has taken on a whole new meaning for me today. After the events of June 12, 2004 I have so many, many, many things running through my mind and through my emotions that it is very hard for me to begin and form my review of Slinky V. So here is my attempt...it may be all over the place, but it's from the heart...
Leading up the Slinky V, I had many doubts and many fears. I always think the worst outcome is inevitable, getting broken up, having to move, nobody coming out, not having fun, etc. I even get nauseous and can't eat, feeling like I'm going to throw up. Yah it's weird, but I freak out over everything.
So the day of the event we showed up at the location around 10am to make sure our site was in order. Everything was, whew, one weight was lifted. Nancy and I setup some stuff very slowly, snacked, drank a little and napped, which I think made a great deal of difference.
At 6pm Alex and I departed for the mappoint, which was slated to open at 7pm. Right about 7:05pm the first car pulled up. We ended up staying past midnight until around 12:30am and then headed up to catch Qburns. I guess a problem with our directions in email occurred, some got it, some didn't. Sorry to those that missed out. And to those that emailed us on June 12 to join the list, that will almost never happen, since we are far from a computer on the day of our events. As a member of our private messageboard at
www.jamonitproductions.com you can ALWAYS get the information at any point of the day. And you can chat and stuff.
Anyway, back to the review.
So Alex and I hauled tail back up the hill to catch the last half hour of Q-Burns Abstract Message. As we drove down the hill and saw what was going on, I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. A very thick crowd was kicking up dust in front of the canopy and I could see Qburns' silhouette through the tarp moving around and I just kind of new things were going to be great.
I wish I could have caught Vlady and Franke's sets, but I heard they were great anyway.
The last half hour of Qburns' set was awesome. He quickly reminded me of why we brought him out for JAM ON IT and why we brought him back again for Slinky V. Does it get any better than Q Burns Abstract Message rockin' the decks in the forest? Personally I don't think it does. Hell I even heard him play "White Horse" by Laid Back at one point, which fit so perfectly.
After Q, Slinky Alum, Justin Hale came on. Justin drove down from San Francisco (as usual) to add his own flavor of House to the event and I enjoyed every bit of it. I even liked the variety of his set, by mixing it up with a taste of hip hop in there.
Then Lando came on, and apparently had a rattlesnake jump on his decks during one of his early mixes, but I didn't hear it or notice it. Aside from that, he proceeded to rock the decks like we know he can.
After Lando, Joplin started her set off as the sun began to brighten the hills ever so slightly. The firs track she played could not have been more perfect. It was techy, it was trippy and it was spot on.
Rounding out the night, in FULL sunlight was Slinky newcomer Drue sporting the aviators. I was very impressed with his track selection and the mixing. I am also glad we had him close it out. A perfect ending to a perfect night.
The night was full of many many surprises and great moments. Some people we thought didn't make it, were there and having almost as much fun as me.
It seems that the people who showed up to Slinky this year, really came to have fun and be a part of the event, not to just show up, party and leave.
I am personally thankful and greatful to all of the people that helped us out by not throwing their trash on the ground and by helping cleanup throughout the event. At one point in the morning I looked over and two people taking down our Christmas lights from the tree, rolling them up neatly and asking someone where they should go. Needless to say my jaw hit the floor and I could have fainted with delight. We always have some people help out, but it just seemed like that was magnified 10 fold this year and I am so greatful. I even got a picture of them doing it because I was so amazed. I was also very glad that everyone kept their partying discreet, by keeping some things near their camps(balloons specifically).
A HUGE, SWEATY, DIRT COVERED HUG and thank you to Nancy and Alicia(shinee) for handling the parking and greeting as people arrived at the party. What an amazing job you both did. If you're lucky maybe you'll get to do it again at the next one, lol. None of our events would ever happen without you girls at the helm. Seriously, thanks. And another HUGE, SWEATY, DIRT COVERED HUG to Alex for being my wingman at the mappoint and for not driving us off a cliff on the drive up and down the hill. You all rock.
Thanks to all of you that helped out in your own ways there are tons I'm going to miss but here's a couple, Jeremy(Eureka), Ben, Frank(those shirts rawk), Alan and Brian, Drucifer(andy), and to all of you that did something, be it picking up a beer can off the ground, or dancing a little harder to a track you are digging, thank you. You all made this night my favorite of all of our events.
Well that's a lot of reading so far, but here is just a short and sentimental finale.
(In no way is any of this to come off as arrogant or overly self-appreciating, but I'm just happy when things turn out the way they should):
We began doing these parties in 2000 with the goal in mind to throw parties that WE would like to go to and party at, while borrowing elements from parties we enjoyed and putting them together in ours. We are constantly wishing we didn't have to work at our events, but sometimes you have to work and stress out to make sure the event remains in the scope of your vision of how the event should end up. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don't, from our point of view anyway.
But over the short amount of time we've been doing them, we have learned that at even the worst of our events, people enjoyed themselves and sometimes the opinion of ONE person that had fun from that event, is enough to keep us going. At least it's enough to keep ME going. It's enough to make me want to choose to do an event and accept all of the risks that come with it, just for the hope of making someone's night memorable. I can't say how many times people have said they only come out once a year now and it is to one of our events. At almost every one of our events people say they run into someone they haven't seen in a long time. And because of that our parties turn into a very big reunion and gathering of friends for the mostpart.
There is nothing more in life that I enjoy than this. Everyday I think about what means the most to me and 99.99% of the time, it is all about enjoying life. At everyone of our parties I've found a split second at least to sit back and soak it in and appreciate that at that very moment, everything is great. Life is great, people are great, and damnit all to hell THE MUSIC IS GREAT! It just keeps getting, funner and funner(yah, funner, not more fun, funner).
So finally and the loudest of all I've said above THANK YOU SO MUCH for the support over the years and thanks specifically for the vibe you brought to Slinky V this year!!!
Keep and eye out for Simple Pleasures in September, 2004
If you have pictures or video from Slinky or past parties we would love to see them or have a copy of them. Reply to us about it and we can either host your images on our website, giving you credit, or link to them.
Our pictures are up at
http://www.jamonitproductions.com/slinky.htm and we will be adding more as we get them, and links to other people's collections.
Also, we'd love to hear your comments about Slinky and whether we can use snippets of your review on our website.
Keep on Keeping on!
Mack
www.jamonitproductions.com
[email protected] email us here
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