#the bluestone

The Beatles Marathon 2019. Columbus, OH

In the world of EDM, spectacle is nearly as important as the music itself. This may be due to the surprising number of people in the audience indulging in sensory-enhancing chemicals, making imagery increasingly important to said people’s overall enjoyment of the show.

However, you don’t have to be tripping, flipping or rolling to think that Excision’s setup is just plain cool.

The stage was covered by a giant black backdrop and Protohype was laying down some nasty Dubstep when Now It’s Dark arrived, not that I could see him too well, because the moment I walked in, I was greeted by the biggest attendance I’ve seen at The Bluestone in a long time. The dance floor was densely packed from wall to wall.

With little hope of solid crowd shots, as it was nearly impossible to traverse the teeming mass of people populating the area, I decided to go upstairs to get an aerial view. I managed to find a crease in the also seemingly overcrowded second level to get to the balcony. Thanks to the assistance of a lovely young raver, I got a few solid balcony pictures.

The tension in the room was palpable as the last of Protohype’s set came to a close.

Then came the unveiling of Excision’s “Executioner” stage setup. That visually stunning creation looked almost like the top half of a spaceship coming through the wall and with the help of a stunning video/light/sfx display, the creation transformed into a breathtaking, never-static showcase of epic proportions.

I know I still haven’t said a word about the music and that’s for a good reason. I’m not particularly fond of Dubstep. However, I can wholeheartedly say that this was one of the best overall shows I’ve ever been to, due mostly to the brilliance of whomever designed that remarkable stage piece.

I talk about the collective mentality of the crowd a lot when I’m reviewing an EDM show, because when it all comes down to it, the overall quality of an EDM show is the vibe. So many different things go into the emotions composing a show and the artist alone doesn’t have total control over it. This performance had a communal groove that was irrepressible.

Prime Social Group was running this show as well, so it should go without saying that this extravaganza went off without a hitch. The creators of #fest, PSG holds events across the midwest (and even abroad) which are always produced extremely well.  The Excision show was no exception.

[alert type=red ]Great show. Great production. Great Rave.[/alert]

Hollywood Casino vs. The Bluestone ‘perfect party’ photo gallery

Enjoy this Now It’s Dark Hollywood Casino vs. The Bluestone ‘perfect party’ photo gallery, put together and photographed by Scott and Ria Greiff.

Unless you were under a rock this past weekend, adjacent to the Arnold Sports Festivalweekend two very special “after parties” transpired, the official Arnold “Party with the Pros,” held at the luxurious Hollywood Casino and the “unofficial” Arnold…

Mega Party at the Bluestone: The real story, the juicy images — Dhir, Straty on the aftermath

[dropcap size=small]I[/dropcap]t’s hard to say sometimes what makes a party. Perhaps it’s the venue, the people in attendance or the entertainment? No matter how you choose to answer that question,  The Mega Party XII at the Bluestone, presented here with the real story, the juicy images and comments from Jason Dhirand Hank Straty on the aftermath is emblematic, as the ANTHEM event excelled on…