Album art for Minnesota's newest EP 'Voyager'
By Jonathan Hagstrom
The Arcata Theatre Lounge exploded with earth shaking bass and the stomping of electronic music fans Saturday night.
Thanks to the popular talents of artists Minnesota, G Jones and Jackal, the show hosted by World Famous Productions sold out the large venue to an enthusiastic crowd.
The line stretched a good portion of the block once the event started drawing the majority of ticket holders. The event was pushed back an hour due to a late tour bus, but that didn’t stop the event organizers.
Once inside, the eye catching lightshow and booming sound system grabbed my attention. Every spot on the dance floor was being used, as hardly anyone sat . The fans were not only standing; they were happily throwing their bodies around to the studdering beats.
Minnesota is an eclectic dubstep artist, with a more melodic style than most artists in his genre. He uses diverse sounds not necessarily characteristic of electronic music. He is not limited by digital instruments as he creates an ambiance through his compositions with subtle textures as well as hard-hitting ones. There is a natural progression through a rising and falling rarely matched by any artist, much less one heard in a nightclub.
Minnesota did not arrive with the expectation of letting down a crowd ready to dance. He played tunes worthy of ass shaking all through his set, with only fleeting relief from the intense thumping beats. Many of them included lyrics, as hip hop samples and remixes were plentiful.
Minnesota stood on stage as a king at his throne, leaning into his equipment with the concentration required of a master of his craft. His huge projection screen stood at the front of the stage, with only a small hole to see into the realm of his live mixing. It was as if seeing the wizard of Oz work the operating board that emanates his visual tricks. You hear him at work through the speakers but do not really understand what is taking place, as his hands and tools of sonic wonder are hidden from sight by the screen.
The projected images danced on the geometric screen that jutted out right before the viewing portal to the DJs. They could be seen moving constantly, but changing only occasionally. Bright colors, billowing, pulsing visuals and metallic textures were all a part of the optical smorgasbord laid out for the event’s attendees.
G Jones jumped back on stage to help Minnesota end the show. The fun didn’t end until late into the night, with a tired crowd retreating satisfied.