The Alex Grey Visionary Art Experience in Los Angeles on May 16th was a beautiful gathering of people, music, and art. The event was hosted by Euphonic Conceptions to raise money for a new sanctuary of visionary art at Alex Grey’s CoSM in upstate New York. The first exhibition at Entheon: The Chapel of Sacred Mirrors will feature the entire series of twenty-one Sacred Mirrors, as well as thirty additional works of art by Alex and Allyson Grey. The Kickstarter Party was stacked with talented artists, musicians and painters alike. With acts including Ott., Crystal Method’s Ken Jordan, Thriftworks, Trevor Moontribe of Desert Dwellers, Michael Menert, and Lynx, the night was set for success.
I was really looking forward to Lynx’s set but unfortunately I wasn’t able to catch her performance. Lynx is a singer-songwriter from the Bay Area and produces her own music. Her second album is in the process of production and will drop this fall. One of my favorite Beats Antique songs, “Rising Tide,” features Lynx, and was inspired by the BP oil spill in the Gulf. She has a beautiful voice and played live banjo, so I’m sure she rocked the intricate ivory-colored stage.
An eclectic crowd of fans from many social circles created a warm, friendly atmosphere. The large colorful canvases surrounding the crowd added to the energetic ambiance that night. Each artist was unique and different from the next; a demonic portrait of a one-eyed monster was displayed next to a radiating naked pink angel.
Treavor Moontribe’s most notable project is Desert Dwellers with partners Amani Friend and Rara Avis, but he also performs solo sets with a completely different sound. His dynamic knowledge of music is clear to the crowd as he throws down techno, progressive, and downtempo sacred bass.
Another Bay Area artist seduced the crowd with his deep bass lullabies. Thriftworks, a.k.a. Jake Atlas, brought the glitch to Lot 613. The venue was filling up during his set, and the vibe of his smooth glitch established the perfect mood for browsing the art and catching up with friends. The dance floor was heating up as Thriftworks busted out the drip-drop hip-hop before Ken Jordan of The Crystal Method, played a solo set.
Opening with a hypnotizing didgeridoo intro, the crowd grew closer as he got our attention. Alex and Allyson Grey made their way to the right side of the stage for live painting, each with their own canvas.
Ken Jordan’s set was so much fun. His build-ups were upbeat and lifting. It was less organic than I expected, with many laser sounds and heavy electronic elements, but it was almost impossible not to listen and dance around!
All night I felt like I was looking through a kaleidoscope on stage. The visual projections were beautiful and intricate, and constantly changing. It was aesthetically pleasing in every sense and added an exciting element to the music.
Next on stage was Michal Menert, a Colorado-based producer best known for his production collaboration with Derek Vincent Smith on Pretty Lights’ debut album, Taking Up Your Precious Time. He mixed a lot of different genres during his set, combining flutes and other wind instruments with funky hip-hop beats, before playing something that reminded me very much of Barry White. He broke into some reggae before finishing with a freestyle rap.
Oh, Ott.. There is a special place in my heart for this man and the music he creates. No matter day or night, sunrise or sunset, he seems to have a song for every one of my moods. This night was no different. His melodic music set the perfect tone to enhance the creative flow for all the artists. Opening with “Signals from Bob” off his third album, Skylon, Ott.’s music is meant to inspire; it is spiritual and grounded. He soothes the crowd with some songs off of his latest album, Mir, but before you know it, he drops “Splitting An Atom” off Blumenkraft and I just could not stop moving! His big finish was of course, “Rogue Bagel.” Although Ott. plays his tracks as they sound on his albums, I never get sick of seeing him live. His setlists are never the same, and even though I’ve heard him play “Rogue Bagel” probably a dozen times, his sound is so unique that I always appreciate hearing it.
A big thanks to everyone who came out for the fundraiser and helped set the amazing atmosphere that existed that night. Thanks to all their fans, Alex and Allyson Grey reached their goal of $120,000! The kickstarter is not over until May 31, and they still need our help to break ground as soon as possible! With rewards at every contribution level, the Grey‘s show their sincere gratitude for making their dream a reality. Watch the video below and click the link provided to contribute to Entheon‘s construction.
