I know this is city-based favoritism to some degree–it doesn’t hurt that I live within walking distance of nearly everything going on–but the lineup for the 2008 Decibel Festival in Seattle makes the annual electronic dance music fete look like one serious party. The headliners were announced a few weeks ago, and the organizers have been sending Facebook friends the semi-final lineups ahead of their website; we’ve copied them below the jump. The showcases are well chosen, and the best of them are as good as anything you’ll see in Europe at similar events. Pay attention especially to the “Detroit: Past, Present & Future” lineup and the final night’s headliners: by themselves these should be pretty amazing, and throwing in a Saturday in the park (a park I live three blocks from; yes!) and a Sunday BBQ and you’re talking a techno fest every bit as attractive as its overseas (and cross-border–holla, Mutek) counterparts.
::: 2008 DECIBEL FESTIVAL PROGRAM :::
[ THURSDAY : SEPTEMBER 25 ]
“DECONSTRUCTING POP”
Jahcoozi (Berlin) : Debut West Coast Live Set - Kitty-Yo, A-Records
Tujiko Noriko (France / Japan) : Debut Seattle Live Set - Mego, FatCat Records
Barbara Morgenstern (Berlin) : Debut Seattle Live Set - Monika Enterprise
Balún (Puerto Rico / New York) : Debut Seattle Live Set - Brilliante, Observatory
Careen Ajar (Montreal / San Francisco) : Debut Seattle Live Set - Asphodel, Recombinant Media Labs@ Neumos - $17 presale / $20 at the door - Doors open at 8pm / 21+
Tickets available online at http://ev12.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3aTWS%3aWNEU08:WNEU0927%3a&linkID=twspok“PELOTON LABEL SHOWCASE”
Presented by Peloton Musique
[a]pendics.shuffle (Los Angeles) : Live - Adjunct, Orac Records
Stewart Walker (Berlin) : Live - Persona, Force Inc.
Mister Leisure (Seattle) : Live - U-Freqs, Peloton
INCITE! aka Nordic Soul (Seattle) : Live - Decibel, Peloton
With Peloton Team DJs: Shane Silkey, Limefeather and Aron Schoppert@ Sole Repair - $10 presale / $12 at the door - Doors open at 8pm / 21+
Tickets available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40771“COMMUNIKEY SHOWCASE”
Presented by Communikey
Cubenx (Puerto Vallarta) : Debut Seattle Live Set - Static Discos, InFiné
Attentat (Denver) : Live - Communikey, Dope Recordings
Les Freres Courvoisier (Boulder) : Live - Communikey
Alala.One (Boulder) : DJ - Communikey@ The Baltic Room - $7 presale / $10 at the door - Doors open @ 8pm / 21+
Tickets available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40786“DECIBEL DJ LOUNGE”
Oi VAY! DJs Jeronimo, Eddie and Struggle
@ Grey Gallery - Free - Doors open at 6pm / 21+[ FRIDAY : SEPTEMBER 26 ]
“OPTICAL 1″
William Basinski (New York) featuring video work by Scott Pagano (Los Angeles)
Jeff Greinke (Tuscon) featuring video work by offthesky (Lexington)
offthesky (Lexington) featuring video work by Sarah H. Dot (Boulder)
(more TBA)@ the Northwest Film Forum - Free with an “All Access dB Pass” or $18 at the door each day - Doors open at 6pm / All ages both days. For guaranteed admission we strongly recommend purchasing an “All Access Pass” for the 2008 Decibel Festival online through Brown Paper Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/38530
“2008 DIRTY DANCING SHOWCASE”
Deadmau5 (Toronto) : Debut Seattle Live Set - Mau5trap Recordings
Luca Bacchetti (Italy) : Debut Seattle DJ Set - Wagon Repair, Tenax Recordings
Santiago & Bushido (Chicago) : Debut Live Set - Potty Mouth Music, Ultra Records
Let’s Go Outside (Portland) : Live - Soma, Peloton@ Neumos. - $20 presale / $25 at the door - Doors open at 8pm / 21+
Tickets available online at http://ev12.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3aTWS%3aWNEU08:WNEU0926%3a&linkID=twspok“NATIVE STATE LABEL SHOWCASE”
KiloWatts (Philadelphia) : Debut Seattle Live Set - Native State Records
Welder (San Francisco) : Debut Seattle Live Set - Native State Records
Nalepa (Los Angeles) : Debut Seattle Live Set - Native State Records
Shen (Toronto) : Debut Seattle Live Set - Native State Records@ The Baltic Room - $12 presale / $15 at the door - Doors open at 8pm / 21+
Tickets available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40776“THE TRINITY”
Jeff Samuel (Berlin) : DJ - Poker Flat, Trapez
Derek Plaslaiko (New York) : DJ - Ghostly International, Bunker
Jerry Abstract (Seattle) : DJ - Shitkatapult, FixelplixSole Repair - $10 presale / $12 at the door - Doors open at 8pm / 21+
Tickets available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40775“DECIBEL AFTERHOURS - FRIDAY”
Presented by Starborne
Eskmo (San Francisco) : Live - Cyberfunk, Vertical Sound Records
Phidelity (Portland) : Live - Native State Records
Rob Noble (Seattle) : DJ - audiblebicycleday, CRANE
Skio Sirius (Seattle) : DJ - audiblebicycleday@ CoB - $12 presale / $15 at the door - Doors open at 11pm / 18+
Tickets available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40818“DECIBEL DJ LOUNGE”
Kulterszene / PDX DJs feat. Bryan Zentz, 31avas and M. Quiet
@ Grey Gallery - Free - Doors open at 6pm / 21+[ SATURDAY : SEPTEMBER 27 ]
“DECIBEL IN THE PARK”
Glitch Mob (SF / LA) : Live - Planet Mu, Glitch Mob Records
Jacob London (Seattle) : Live - Classic, .Dotbleep
Truckasaurus (Seattle) : DJ - Fourthcity
Michael Manahan (Seattle) : DJ - Starborne
Noisemaker (Seattle) : DJ - Starborne@ Volunteer Park
Free with “All Access Pass”, “Deluxe Pass” or $10 presale / $12 at the gate - Gate opens at 1pm / All ages
Tickets available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40779“OPTICAL 2″
Akira Rabelais (Los Angeles) featuring video work by Carole Kim (Los Angeles)
Library Tapes (Sweden) featuring video work by Scott Sunn (Seattle)
Son of Rose (Seattle) featuring video work by Son of Rose
(more TBA)@ the Northwest Film Forum - Free with an “All Access dB Pass” or $18 at the door each day - Doors open at 6pm / All ages both days. For guaranteed admission we strongly recommend purchasing an “All Access Pass” for the 2008 Decibel Festival online through Brown Paper Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/38530
“DETROIT TECHNO: PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE”
Carl Craig (Detroit) : DJ - Planet E Records
Audion (Detroit) : Live - Spectral Sound
Chuck Flask (Detroit) : DJ - Paxahau@ Neumos - $20 presale / $25 at the door - Doors open @ 8pm / 21+
Tickets available online at http://ev12.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3aTWS%3aWNEU08:WNEU0927%3a&linkID=twspok“GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL LABEL SHOWCASE”
Tycho (San Francisco) : Seattle Debut Live Set - Ghostly International / Merck
Deru (Los Angeles) : Live - Ghostly International / Merck
Lusine (Seattle) : Live - Ghostly International / Hymen
The Sight Below (Seattle) : Debut Live Set - Ghostly International@ The Baltic Room - $12 presale / $15 at the door - Doors open @ 8pm / 21+
Tickets available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40777“POP GOES THE CLUB”
Presented by Shameless and Club Pop
LA Riots (Los Angeles) : DJ - Ed Banger Records, Fool’s Gold
33Hz (New York) : Debut Live Set - Dither Down, Foolhouse Records
Recess (Seattle) : DJ - Shameless, Club Pop
Sean Majors (Seattle) : DJ - Lost Boys, Pound Records
Levi Clark (Seattle) : DJ - Shameless
Club Pop Residents (TBA)@ Chop Suey - $12 presale / $15 at the door - Doors open @ 9pm / 18+ (2 rooms)
Tickets available online at www.Ticketweb.com“KONTROL SHOWCASE”
Alland Byallo (San Francisco) : DJ - Kontrol, dirtybird Records
Nikola Baytala (San Francisco) : DJ - Kontrol
Craig Kuna (San Francisco) : DJ - Kontrol
Sammy D (San Francisco) : DJ - Kontrol@ Sole Repair - 10 presale / $12 at the door - Doors open at 8pm / 21+
Tickets available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40773“DECIBEL AFTERHOURS - SATURDAY”
Presented by Cheap Sunglasses and Decibel
Dixon (Berlin) : Debut Seattle DJ Set - Innervision, Get Physical
Taimur Agha (New York) : Debut Seattle DJ Set - Cheap Sunglasses, BLK | Market
Dave Pezzner (Seattle) : Debut Live Set - Jacob London, Freerange Records
Crazy Larry (Denver) : Debut Seattle DJ Set - Cheap Sunglasses, Uddermadness@ CoB - $15 presale / $20 at the door - Doors open at 1am / 21+
Tickets available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40823“DECIBEL DJ LOUNGE”
Sweatbox / Knight Riders DJs feat. Cntrl_Alt_Dlt, Dr. Mr. M, Travis Baron and Panty Control
@ Grey Gallery - Free - Doors open at 6pm / 21+[ SUNDAY : SEPTEMBER 28 ]
“DECIBEL BBQ”
Presented by SunTzu Sound and Decibel
Jeremy Ellis (Detroit) : Live - Ubiquity
Kid Hops (Seattle) : DJ - 90.3 KEXP
SunTzu Sound (Seattle) : DJ - SunTzu Sound Records
more TBA@ Havana’s - Free with “All Access Pass” or $10 presale / $12 at the gate. Gate opens at 1pm / 21+ Tickets can be purchased through https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40785
“2008 AMBIENT SHOWCASE”
Brian McBride of Stars of the Lid (Los Angeles) : Live with string section - Kranky Records
Deaf Center (Norway) : Live - Type Records
Eluvium (Portland) : Live - Temporary Residence
Helios (Brighton) : Live - Type Records@ The Triple Door Theater - Free with an “All Access dB Pass” or $20 presale / $25 day of sale - Doors open at 6pm / All ages
For guaranteed admission we strongly recommend purchasing an “All Access Pass” for the 2008 Decibel Festival online through Brown Paper Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/38530“2008 DECIBEL FESTIVAL FINALE”
The Bug featuring Warrior Queen (London) : Debut Seattle Live Set - Ninja Tune, Rephlex, Tigerbeat6
Flying Lotus (Los Angeles) : Live - Warp, Plug Research Records
Fax (Mexicali) : Live - Static Discos
(more TBA)@ Neumos - $17 presale / $20 at the door - Doors open at 8pm / 21+
Tickets available online at http://ev12.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3aTWS%3aWNEU08:WNEU0928%3a&linkID=twspok“INNERFLIGHT SHOWCASE”
*Presented by Innerflight
Mike Monday (London) : DJ - OM, Freerange Records
Noah Pred (Toronto) : Live - Thoughtless Music
m.0 (Seattle) : Live - Innerflight, From 0-1
Kadeejah Streets (Seattle) : DJ - Innerflight
J-Sun (Seattle) : DJ - Innerflight@ Sole Repair - $10 presale / $12 at the door - Doors open at 8pm / 21+
Tickets available online at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/40767“DECIBEL DJ LOUNGE”
Sunday September 28th - Artists TBA
The Glitch Mob is fucking dope. edIT is a good ass time, and the drums are thunderous.
Not to get picky, but how is Barbara Morgenstern’s show her “Debut Seattle Live Set” when she opened for the Mountain Goats at Neumos three years ago? She was great. How can people not remember?
“Jeff Greinke (Tuscon)” WTF?
Caught Deadmau5 at WMC, Coachella and DEMF. Absolutely destroyed it at every show and the crowd went nuts. DM is the most prolific dance producer of the new millennium imo and one hell of a performer to boot. As for the rest of the dB 2008 line up, I am uber excited for Jahcoozi, Dixon, Carl Craig, The Bug, Glitch Mob, Tycho, KiloWatts, Flying Lotus and Helios to name a few. Best electronic music festival line up I’ve seen period. Looks like I’ll be heading to Seattle this September!
Is Deadmau5 any good? He was supposed to play a Lollaplooza afterparty with Perry Farrell this weekend, but the party was moved twice and then cancelled, all within an hour of the time it was supposed to start, so there was no free vodka or Deadmau5 for me…