Hammarica.com Star Writer Kate O’Connell + B-Day = PARTYROCK

When I asked my favorite DJ/Producer Ananda Goldsmith aka Golden Toast (Ashland, OR) to perform at my 24th birthday party, I honestly didn’t think it was going to be possible. The kid has opened for The Crystal Method, just recently opened for DJ Shadow, played with Ill Gates and he’s only getting bigger. But being the super nice guy he is (which makes him that much more likeable as an artist) he agreed. I swore I re-read the messages over and over, jumping up and down, like a high-school girl on MTV’s “Sweet 16.”
I immediately called my software/dubstep mixing “instructor” and close friend DJ Reflash (Port Townsend, WA) to help me pull everything together for the show.

Planning the party was a nightmare ! – But beyond worth it. We ran into problem after problem: venue backed out last minute, there was turmoil between the artists and myself, and our flyers didn’t even make it out until a little less than a week before show time which was Saturday, September 22nd. Even buying a plane ticket for Toast was a hassle! More then once I thought about throwing in the towel. But I eventually refused to give up and found a way to make things work.

Finally the day came and Saturday I got ready and headed to the airport to pick up my headlining DJ. (That has such a nice ring to it!) All together four individual artists and one group performed that night and brought the bass. (GaryTheHuman, The Hand Turkey’s, DJ Reflash w/Thomas & Golden Toast)

GaryTheHuman (Kingston,WA) kicked the night off at the High Fidelity Lounge in Bremerton at around 8:00pm with some pretty sick house music. The guy impressed me and I was totally dancing during his set. Not only that but like Reflash and Toast, he was a complete sweetheart – wished me happy birthday and put on a great set. It was the perfect way to ease into the night for sure.
Next up was The Hand Turkey’s (Bremerton, WA) – a local group who also put on an excellent show. They had a VDJ and the visuals were off the HOOK. Also the only girl in the group of three, put on a great light show for the club, satisfying our senses, and prepping us for what was to come next.

Each performer, with the exception of Toast played an hour set. Toast played for two hours. After THT (The Hand Turkey’s) DJ Reflash and Thomas got behind the booth. Reflash let Thomas show off his newly acquired skills and this guy could very well give me a run for my money soon in the mixing department. The kid did a great job especially considering it was his very first show. Finally DJ Reflash gave me my dose of liquid dubstep, filthy dub, and some rad elektro/house beats that got us all dancing. (hear a teaser from his Sept. 22nd set at http://soundcloud.com/dj-reflash/22nd-teaser )

As Reflash’s set was winding down I went to the bathroom to change from my party dress and heels into shorts, tube socks and a “drop bass not bombs” tank top – proper rage attire of course. It was time for Golden Toast to take over and I was literally feeling stupidly embarrassed at how amped I was. Using an Akai MPC-40 and Ableton Live Toast fucking murdered his set, and owned the night. Playing about an hour and a half of original tracks, he threw in some of his own remixes, and ended with the SugarBeats (Golden Toast & Bad Math) remix of Skrillex’s “Burn Dem.” I literally danced so hard the ENTIRE SET. You could say I raged my fucking face off. His combo of mid-tempo dub & glitch is addicting. And honestly in my opinion, impossible NOT to love. He’s just as good live, if not better than on his EP’s, and while some bigger name DJ’s just press “play” live – this kid was the real deal. Definitely worth the time, effort, and money spent.

 

At around 1-1:30 the bar made us wind down and get our drunkass’s outta there. And while it was bittersweet to have the night end, it was more then anything I could have expected and I seriously felt like a rockstar. I mean four DJs and a headliner?! Who gets birthday parties like that?? To say I’m grateful to everyone who came, and especially to those who performed would be an understatement. I’m still in disbelief it all even happened. And stuck trying to figure out how the hell I’m gonna top this next year!!?

I want to say a big THANK YOU to all the artists who made my birthday the best to date ; GaryTheHuman, DJ Reflash & Thomas, The Hand Turkey’s and most of all Golden Toast. It was an honor to have you play my party and I’ll never forget the fun I had raging and dancing the night away to your amazing sets. PS -If any of you would like to make this an annual tradition, please let me know. Hehe.

I also wanna give a huge THANK YOU to my family and friends who made my birthday bash a success, despite everything going wrong in the process. I love you guys and one last time … HAPPY MOF*CKIN BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!

For more information on the artists featured at Kate’s Birthday Bash pleaes see the links below :

GaryTheHuman

https://www.facebook.com/garythehumanmusic
http://soundcloud.com/garythehuman

The Hand Turkey’s :

DJ Reflash : https://www.facebook.com/christopher.vonloewenfeldt
http://soundcloud.com/dj-reflash
Golden Toast : https://www.facebook.com/golden.toast
http://soundcloud.com/djtoast

For information and music from the birthday girl herself – Miss Lola Beam aka ME! :

DJ Lola Beam : http://soundcloud.com/lolabeam

Blastin peace, love, and b-b-b-b-bass wobbles.