Well, we’re tired and our feet are killing us, but damn it we had a great time last night. FreakNight’s first year at the Tacoma Dome has exceeded all expectations. We had a great time with all of you who made it out for the first night, and we can’t wait to return for more. Here’s a bit about our experience so far and for those returning for the second night of FreakNight we have some insight and tips for you.
First off, we saw some amazing acts last night. As we had predicted, Nero was absolutely incredible. In addition to the electronic elements, there were live drums, keyboards, and haunting vocals by Alana Watson. We’ve been waiting for years to see Nero in Seattle again, and every minute of the show was well worth the wait. Raging to Doomsday, singing Me & You with our friends, and serenading our rave baes with Promises all reminded us why we love Nero in the first place.
It’s also been years since Deadmau5 made a PNW appearance and his set did not disappoint his loyal fans. It seemed the people who thought it was “low energy” haven’t been paying attention to his music for a while, as a 100% vintage mau5 set. He mixed some of his older classic tracks with his newer releases and the result was a well-balanced 90 minutes of music to close out the night. As expected, our favorite troll managed to slip in a crack at Carnage, throwing a towel over his head and exclaiming “I’m DJ Carnage’s ghost producer!” Oh Joel. He also seemed less than impressed with the sound, but as an audience we didn’t find a problem unless we were standing at the back of the room where the sound bled a bit between stages.
Photo Credit: Turk Photos
Due to a delay and some rearranging of artists, we were able to make a dubstep dream come true: Seeing Figure live on Halloween! He dropped all of our favorite Halloween tracks straight off of his Monsters EPs, as we thrashed and headbanged to flashing lights and lasers. Fair warning about the bass stage, though: The entrance is a little narrow for how many people are trying to get in and out of it particularly between sets, so be prepared for a crowd. It’s also the hottest part of the venue, and with so many sweaty basshead bodies raging in there, it’s pretty humid. If your costume has any layers to it, be prepared to potentially shed one… unless it would be indecent exposure (whoops). Also, this stage is fully outfitted with a PK Sound system, so bring earplugs. And if you can’t get any before the show, ask a Conscious Crew member, as they often have them on hand.
When entering the Tacoma Dome walk around the dome a bit to find the shortest line. The line nearest to the main entrance was around the block, but as we walked South around the building we found a line about 1/4 as long (we’re told there are upwards of four total lines into the venue, so check for the shortest one when you arrive!). Speaking of lines, if you’re willing to brave the chaos that is the stairs, the lines at the bathrooms upstairs tend to be non-existent! Don’t go missing your favorite set because you have to pee, and don’t go trying to avoid that by not drinking water! It’s an eight hour event, so please hydrate!
Our final piece of advice: Bring a sweatshirt or jacket with a hood and store it somewhere (i.e. locker, backpack, secret location somewhere within the dome) or buy a plastic poncho. We not only walked to the event in light rain, we walked back from the event in POURING rain. If you’re trying to avoid the rave plague, you probably don’t want to be walking around in the cold rain!
That’s it for today, kids. Be prepared for lines to enter and to use the bathroom, don’t be surprised by thick crowds en route to the bass stage, bring earplugs and something to protect you from rain. While we’re at it, go buy a coconut water or something else with electrolytes to replenish your system before the show. And as always, remember #TheMessage. Rave safe, friends!
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