Word finally got out about What The Festival this year and it did so (primarily) by the most inevitable way possible, by word of mouth. People have praised the quality of the organization, flow, and overall love that goes into the event for years and with its fourth attempt, people responded.

After three years of hovering between the three and four thousand mark, this year’s attendance rose by almost 2000 souls. By Saturday, with a grand total of 5,000 ticket holders, they were all sold out. There were new stages, tons of more art, great vendors and beautiful people, and once again, a lineup that can satisfy even the pickiest electronic music lovers (except for this hip harper who thinks Big Gigantic wasn’t a worthy headliner. Spoiler alert; They were.)

The festival started Thursday night, technically, but the majority of festival goers arrived on Friday. After a quick walk through the grounds after setting up my camp, I noticed they’ve rearranged and increased the amount of stages from the last time I attended in 2013. WTF responded to last year’s lack of late night acts by building several new stages to pump music until the sun peaked out. Most notably, the dragon stage was the most prolific new piece as it lay at the bottom of the illuminated forest and resembled a large, red, mystical dragon.

Friday night got started in local, funky fashion with Oregon’s reggae duo, Indubious (link) playing the Equinox stage. This was shortly followed by Portland’s bass loving producer, EPROM on the Effin’ Stage. Meanwhile, Keys and Krates blasted off on the main stage to set the mood for Griz, the funk rock headliner with a fresh new album to showcase. This groove continued back on the Equinox stage with Canadian DJs, The Funk Hunters featuring Chali 2na (of Jurassic 5) who delivered one of the most piognant sets of the weekend. The night was eventually closed out by fellow Canadian producer (and funk enthusiast) Stickybuds.

Saturday got off to a slow start for most people thanks to the extra doses of funk. Portland’s Vinnie the Squid got a pool party started around midday that was topped off by British producer, Ambassadeurs in the afternoon. As the night began to fall Sweater Beats got things bumping on the Effin’ Stage while Machinedrum performed their latest album Vapor City live. Many eyes were then set on Saturday night’s headliner, Big Gigantic who mashed up hip hop, blues, and funk while others made it tto Tokimonsta to see her drive an incredible set on the Effin Satge. The late night action took place in depths of the forest as Portland’s Solovox gave a dynamic performance. Deeper in the forest, the party rolled into sunrise with Fort Knox Five and Rob Garza hitting the decks on the Dragon Stage.

Sunday is when people really had to prove their dedication. It was the first time anyone has felt tired since arriving, but there was a whole day of music left to see. Canadian duo, Skiitour (complete with snowsuits) started promptly at noon at the pool. Later in the afternoon Thomas Jack was joined by a captivating fiddler and turned the splash pool into a hootenanny. The main stage was started by Portland jam and hip hop band, Device Grips in the early evening. Just as night fell, the masked drummer, Slow Magic went on the main stage his warm beats got everyone ready for ODESZA’s devine performance which included a horn section and perfectly concluded the weekend.

As you can see, there was a ton of music to be heard featuring some of the most distinguished producers and DJs from all over the world, but the things What The Festival does right goes well beyond the music. The organization is on point from the moment you arrive on the ranch, and the energy created from the design of this crew makes a fun-loving environment where everyone is your friend and dance partner. At no point are you left wondering what to do next, because everywhere you turn there’s something new to see, do, or someone to meet. And frankly, festivals like this are the only ones I’m interested in attending.

Here are three local sets that got our undivided attention last weekend:

Indubious Gets the First Night on the Right Foot

Solovox Gets Funky For The Stumbling Hippies – LOL stage at What The Festival

Device Grips Make a Crowd that Felt Good Feel Great

-Photo and story by Colin Hudson

As soon as the sun started to go down on Wolf Run Ranch, a cold breeze chilled the air initiating a rush of excitement for those who felt it. The cool wind reminded everyone that soon it will be pitch dark, and things might get a little weird. On top of the weirdness, the setting sun begins a night of incredible music for a crowd of festie-heads eager to dance.

On Friday evening, Ashland’s Indubious was set to play just before dusk on the Equinox stage, a new one positioned at the bottom of a large hill with Mt. Adams as the backdrop. Most of the area was shaded by trees as lay right within the surrounding forest, so the cool air was rushing fluidly throughout the crowd. As soon as the reggae playing duo took stage, we were greeted with a rolling bassline and an electronic drum beat. A blistering piano riff filled out their signature sound which is grounded in reggae but branches into electronic rock and funk.

Shortly into their set, they paid homage to the forthcoming legalization and went into “Ganja Weed” off their first album. The heavy bass lines and synthesizers on this song fed right into the tribal sounds and whispering chorus that make up the more recent, “Wake the Lion.” Both of these feature a bold dub influence that comes out clearly on all their vocals and create a prominent, authentic reggae tone. If you closed your eyes you’d swear you have been transplanted onto the beaches of Jamaica, but alas you’re still in Dufur, Oregon.

As concert goers slowly filed in and packed in closer to the stage, Indubious kept the beats coming. “Live Indubiously” was played and brought out everyone’s best smiles and even better dance moves. A couple of raunchy bass lines and powerful solos on the synthesizer, they slowed down and eased into “Infinite,” a fitting song about stars.

On the beginning of this first night, Indubious provided the festival everything it needed to get things going; good music and positive energy. It was not a very high maintenance crowd, but they delivered a performance that would have satisfied the pickiest ones out there.

-Photos and words by Colin Hudson

After an enigmatic set by Big Gigantic came to a close, the crowd stumbled and scattered like a group of flying around a lightbulb that just went dud. It was now time to skip into the WTF’s signature Illuminated Forest but not before a quick omen with people holding a sign that says “We Need New Friends.”

Breathe in. Breathe out.

“Ommmmmmmmmmmmmm”

The path leading you into the forest and down to the LOL stage is steep, and full of bright distractions so we had to lean far back almost on our heels as we slowly entered. As we descended lower, the faint sounds of synthesizers and electronic beats found its way through the trees and into my ears. With each step, it got louder, and the fuzzy effects started to go straight to my brain. Eventually, I could distinguish the electric tones and piano solos. They were coming from Portland’s producer and keyboard wizard, Solovox.

He began carefully blending in layers of synths over his mixes that wrapped in hip hop, break beats, and rock and roll into a dance floor explosion. Once everything was layered he would go off on a keyboard tangent, crushing his way through his own music. Suddenly, the beat came to a rest and he unleashed a furious bluesy piano intro that fed into the Beastie Boys belting out the opening verse to “Pass the Mic.” The voices of Mike D and MCA were suddenly being overpowered by the beginning of another solo that turned the course of the set with a little prog rock.

The LOL stage is set up almost at the bottom of the forest. It’s where yoga and other classes took place and there were several platforms spotted in different locations leading down to the stage. This set up created a choose-your-own adventure format. Some plats were full and some you had all to yourself, but Solovox was reaching to all depths and delivering a transcendental performance in the middle of the woods.

A couple of songs and several more volatile keyboard solos, the set came to a close and a crowd that had to stumble its way into the set was left with that same disorientation and forced back to reality until they found their next escape.

-Photos and story by Colin Hudson

As the sun was beginning to go down on the What The Festival’s final day and all the spirits were just about in the right place, Device Grips travelled from Portland to life these souls even higher. They set up their big sound on the main stage and right around 6:30 they walked onstage and went into a slow build up with long instrumental sections and trumpet solos before diving into “Coke Infusion” off of 2013’s Year of Boomslang.

A set that hovered around the first ten minutes going in between a psychedelic jam and progressive rock grove was suddenly pulled together Tyler Jon’s rapping. Hopping around these elements usually doesn’t work for those that try it, but Device Grips experience and fluidity shined through as worked in this signature sound on such big stage. They then played some newer material and unleashed “Traffic” a vocal intense jam behind flashy drums and a solid groove soothed right into “Last Days.” Both these songs are off of Forth World, released last month.

Device Grips played several more songs with guitar solos, smooth bass lines, and captivating hip hop that eased a crowd with few working muscles left to begin a final night of dancing. After three days of hard electronica, it was refreshing to see a full band. Especially one with the showmanship and suave of these local musicians.

-Photos and story by Colin Hudson

Since 2012 Portland’s Havania Whaal has been making their own rules. Their ethereal sound can be likened to post-punk meets shoegaze…sort of. They call themselves “noise pop”, but when you’re forging new territory the descriptors fall short of the mark. All three members share vocal duties, which adds to the layers and dimension of their reverb-drenched domain. Stepping it up further, they recently created a live stage production with dancers and costumes, the soundtrack of which was the band performing their new cassette release “13 A.D.” Rumor has it that live productions will be a hallmark of Havaia Whaal shows henceforth. They’re touring the east coast with Portland’s Lubec for 10 days starting July 9 in Massachusetts.

See their tour kickoff show at The Know July 2nd. Buy their tape, pop it in the cassette deck of your ‘85 Volvo, and cruise around town lamenting the summer, wearing the darkest shades you can find. 

-Just Dave