We arrived in the late afternoon, confused on the exact location of this place, the Brick House Kitchen. We passed an entry with police at the gate and realized that was the entrance. The cops were of no bother, though it was a relative message for what was to come though we did not know it at the time. The festival grounds were small and haggard to say the least, normally just a restaurant during working hours. Not the best space for a festival. The few people that were present though were smiling and so were we, always looking on the positive side of things.
Photo of "Headstash" by Chapin Mathews
The disorganization of the festival started and grew slowly, and then exploded. First it was the parking and unloading for the bands. A huge mess. We made our way over to the second stage early to avoid any issues unpacking in time. The stage they were on was running behind most likely due to the sound man who seemed to be struggling. The soundcheck finally became good enough for Headstash to play a set of electronic trance and then another Dj came on. I was working on the background of my piece over this time and awaiting the spaceship that was to take off for this festival once Silo went on. For the most part, all the acts were dj based so Silo would be a great unique flavor of four to light up the electronic scene that night. The dance area was just shy of empty with about 100-150 people at the festival in total. That included staff, vendors, bands and show goers.
"The people there were having a good time regardless."
"Headstash"
We all at this point are wondering what the hell is going on in this place? The Dj continued for a lengthy duration as we all got ready for show time. Finally, around 12:30pm, Silo Effect was setting up and awaiting to start. I was posted up right next to the stage with another really nice fellow painter. He was painting on these old framed canvases that were pealing and falling apart. The style was very spacey and the texture added an intriguing quality that motivated the viewer to investigate closer. He was a riot and had some sort of juice concoction he gave me that I am still not quite sure what was in it. We were laughing and talking it up. I love meeting the great wandering souls within the music and art scene. A light on the shadows that were about to abrupt.
The stage had been...... CLOSED. After a long look of confusion, anger, frustration and disappointment we found out that these promoters, SoCf Entertainment, did not actually have proper permits for the festival to stay running into late hours. The cops at the front we believe were just paid enforcement that would act as a back up for as long as they could hold off the noise complaints. The verdict was that Silo was not going to play, the festival was to shut down, and they were not going to pay anyone. At this point its nearing 2 am. We have travelled and set up for the entire day to be pushed away as if nothing happened. It is by far, one of the most shadiest moves I have seen in the scene. As a show goer we see cultural highs and lows all the time. I am new to the business side of the music scene, but to all our perspectives, this is not a normal vibe that we experience in our music scene in Richmond or anywhere else we have travelled to perform. No apology or contact from the promoters to the Silo Effect has happened still to this date. Check out the comments on the "Jamz Island" event page. So my first conclusion in this post is, please second guess any business with SoCf Entertainment!
Charleston, we still love you for so many reasons! That night we were kindly invited to a beach front house at Folly Beach by a few friends in town which was the savior of the trip. The frowns that a few of us possibly were still displaying soon became upside down with great hospitality and partying. As the night slowly crept away a few of us that were still awake set up on the porch star gazing and conversing. Around 5am the moon rose as an orange glowing fingernail clipping, it's last appearance before the new moon the next day. Soon after that this mystery star that we soon found out was Venus rose up under the moon in full sparkle. I took the camera out for a few photos while the sun came up and brought light to all this beauty that concluded the night. Thank you mother moon, mother ocean and mother earth for reminding us how small but powerful we all are.
"Right when the sun was starting to peak and close out our beautiful night."
The following Friday, March 6th, I had a second chance to fulfill my live painting fix during Santa Kilmagik, RaRa Rasputin, and Silo Effect at the Camel once again. I set up the canvas I started in Charleston and was excited to dive deep into the idea I had based upon a sketch from a few weeks prior. The night followed with the good grace of talking with many of my local friends and a few new people I met that evening. Jamie Morgan, aka "Jams" from Charlottesville Virginia was posted up next to me with a painting she had been periodically working on for over 6 months. It was filled with eye candy and many pockets for exploration. The night grew late fast as it always seems, and another enjoyable live painting experience came to an end. A little less intense than the week prior.
Looking back at these two experiences can only express the duality we are constantly finding in our everyday nature. Duality plays a very important metaphorical role in the way we perceive the world. It can be found heavily in religion, culture, spirituality, science and philosophy. Good and evil. Love and hate. Expansion and contraction. Light and dark. We must only learn from these dualities and understand both parts separately so that we can be at peace with the whole. To experience the "bad" or unenjoyable parts of the music scene bring light and appreciation to when things work out beautifully. We must always try to stay positive during not only the great and ordinary times of our lives but especially the times when we are tested for this is the time when a higher power is teaching and allowing us to learn upon experience and perspective.
5.6.11
Original $200 OBO
Prints $20, 2 for $30
(Detail)
In between the past few weeks of traveling, painting and setting up a new garden, I have been hard at work writing and recording new electronic tracks. "Antahkarana" is one I am particularly excited about. The title is defined in the esoteric dictionary as "That channel for energy and consciousness which the evolutionary monad builds through its own activity between its triad units and envelopes as a ladder to climb up to ever higher consciousness and ability. The antahkarana has its lowest anchorage in the crown centre of the etheric envelope." Basically indicating that it is the channel that we follow to evolve to higher chakras or consciousness. I think the song can relay some feelings of this. I also have posted "Temptuous Esoterica" that relates to "the thoughts of all the unknown river ways, paths and experiences that are to come to us in life". Check out my Soundcloud to see and download all my available tracks.
Thank you so much for reading and stay well and positive my friends. It is a wild ride out there!
Chapin Mathews
"There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness." - Nietzsche
