Our ears are still ringing from Foundation and Blueprint’s Volume 2 of the “long weekend house music gathering” that took place earlier this month in Vancouver at the PNE Forum. The lineup featured one of the biggest names in house music: John Summit.
Summit shared the stage with Chicago house and techno pioneer Green Velvet, London’s electronic duo Eli & Fur, innovative producer Miane, and the one-woman show Madam Lola. This was DMNW’s first time seeing John Summit in B.C.
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House heads from all over BC filled the venue, sporting rave attire ranging from bright-colored spirit hoods and fuzzy boots to all-black edgy outfits. The first thing that stood out to us was the production at the venue. Countless lights and lasers of all colors bounced off the walls and lit up the crowds.
Many smaller venues in the PNW lack the production value that PNE boasts. Complete with flashing lights and dancing lasers, the crowd appreciated the setup and it enhanced the rave experience.
Blueprint ensured safety at this event through an on-site first aid tent and medical professionals ready to help those who needed it. Food, drinks, and merch booths were also set up at the back of the event.
Openers included women powerhouses Madam Lola, Eli & Fur
With a lineup this epic, the night was filled with groovy beats and gritty basslines that kept us on our feet all night. Local Vancouver legend Madam Lola started the night off with her experimental tunes that transcended genres. She’s an icon in Canada’s LGBTQ community and has brought her unique sound to stages alongside prominent artists such as Fisher, Franky Wah, and Shiba San. She’s also played big festivals in the Vancouver area. We can’t wait to hear her deep hypnotic melodies on more stages around Vancouver soon.
Miane warmed up the growing crowd further with her classics Who are You?, For One Night, and her newest single All The Night: a banger that had the crowd jumping to the heavy beats. Maine is now focused on producing and mixing the best features in all the house subgenres.
Eli & Fur took the stage next and brought the heat to PNE Forum. The London-based team has been a DMNW favorite for years, and their set at the Gorge for Above & Beyond’s 2022 Group Therapy Weekender is one that we frequently recall. Their B.C. performance was no different. The duo had everyone dancing to their infectious melodies and deep bass lines until Green Velvet took over.
Velvet’s performance was high-energy and dynamic. It was evident that he was having lots of fun on stage, dancing along with the crowd and performing moves that followed the lyrics of his songs. Specifically, his iconic dance move for his hit song Deceiver in which he recreates the “blah-blah” hand movement, was a fan favorite. Green lasers lit up the hall during his set, and the crowd was ready for John Summit to end the night.
Credit: Trishla Jain
John Summit reigns king in B.C.
Summit brought an amazing blend of old-school and modern house and techno to his set. He started with deep house and techno beats and then turned it up a notch with his classic hits La Danza, Better Than This, Deep End, and his top-charting new single Where you Are. It was especially meaningful to the crowd when he played Sacrifice, deadmau5 & Kaskade’s song with Sofi Tukker.
The slow melodic vocals on top of layered synths created a euphoric moment in the crowd where people hugged their friends and let the melodies engulf them under a sea of lasers before the beat dropped. John ended the set on a high note with traditional bangers that left everyone in the crowd wanting more.
John Summit will return to the PNW as a headliner for the world-renowned Shambhala Music Festival taking place July 21-24.
Next Foundation Series to feature Black Coffee and more
Volume 3 of the Foundation Series will take place on May 21st at Malkin Bowl in Vancouver, BC. This open-air event lineup features Black Coffee, Hot Since 82, Layla Benitez, and DJ Drac B2B Sotto Voce. Given the success of the last two volumes, this show is sure to be one to attend. Find tickets to the event here.
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