Spring Break
Concert cultivates 'electronica' scene
COURTNEY SMITH
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Out & About
|
Ashton earned a minor in electronic music from the University of California-Santa Cruz and will be spinning and mixing different musical genres "scientifically" and "methodically" tonight at the Georgia Theatre as the headliner to the fourth Baller's Ball.
The Baller's Ball was started as a subset of local company Music Matters Productions as a "celebration of urban music and art" and to satisfy a growing Athens electronic music scene.
"The Baller's Ball is really an opportunity for us to bring in a ton of production and put on a huge electronic dance party in Athens," said Michael Smalley, owner and project manager of Music Matters.
This year's event will be the first held at Georgia Theatre, a necessary venue change after the shows became too popular and crowded for Farm 255 to hold. Tonight's show will feature Bassnectar as the headliner and Eliot Lipp and the previous Baller's Ball headliner DanceFormers as openers.
Music Matters will handle all of the lighting and sound for the show, a job that Smalley considers to be a special creative project for himself and his production team.
He describes the company's vision for the show to be like a relaxed party with friends.
"We want to generate a different vibe than most other electronic shows," Smalley said. "I want everyone to be able to look at the stage and hear cool music and see cool lights and then turn around and talk to your friend and that be OK."
Smalley not only wants to put on shows for people who already like electronic music, but also strives to introduce the Athens community to different types of electronic music such as trance and house music.
Be the first to comment on this story