We Own The Night: Sinning In LA Takes Over The 2009 Nocturnal Wonderland Festival
Every year there's always a location in Southern California that’s been notorious to host legions of people who are ready to kick up dust and punch the party clock. This is a place where age and inhibitions are left promptly at the gate. Suited for sinners and beefy beat seekers, the National Orange Show (NOS) in San Bernardino opens its doors to Nocturnal Wonderland. So, strap on your furry backpacks, crack your glow sticks and come along for the ride with yours truly, Mr. Smash LeFunk, because this is one adventure you won't want to miss.
The trek to find parking around the NOS center takes one of strategic planning. One must think of finding a happy medium between distance to the actual venue but also the inevitable early morning snake line back out the gates. Being stuck in traffic with 30,000 people all going back to LA at 5 in the morning is simply not an option for my not-so-patient Italian ass.
Combing the side streets of the Orange Show that I had grown accustomed to a decade earlier made me smile and realize how circular life can sometimes be; I once too was that bracelet wearing, pacifier sucking, blue haired demon that slept with your daughter... Now I'm known to just sleep with your daughter.
It didn’t take long for the Good Luck Fairy to find us a grandiose free parking spot equipped with surveillance cameras and our very own security guard (just in case). A quick swig or three from my faithful flask and I am ready to journey into the belly of the beast.
When I finally enter the gates of this massive playpen, oceans of people cover the grounds. It's officially show and tell as raver bracelets, furry pants and suspenders are called on to accentuate the already vivid depiction of non conformity. As I try to make sense of the madness, a clown on a toucan approaches and pecks at my hat. Then he smiles and winks at me. That’s when I know it’s officially time for another drink.
Day turns to night and water turns to fire. The rebellious and hormonal 16 year old face is now replaced by a swell of strobes and glow sticks. But this is what we have been waiting for; as darkness takes over Nocturnal Wonderland. Green lasers and powerhouse LED's blast us from all different directions and for some reason, I now see it in a more functional light.
This den of debauchery is now primed and ready to unleash a plethora of pent-up energy, which you can now feel in the air. The music has also morphed into darker grooves which have replaced the lighter, summer-tinged sets that had you standing on the side waiting, wanting, yearning for more. Now that wait is over. Did it just get louder? Why are these people messaging my hand? No reason for questioning. Remember, you left it all at the door, ready for pick-up upon your return. Just go with the flow, Smash.
It’s my natural instinct to follow music rather than women at these outings. Experience has taught me that boom claps and dirty bass lines attract the wisest, smartest, most badass queens in this world. I would say that on this night, Nocturnal Wonderland does not lack in this department. A couple of minutes into Freq Nasty's set made me take an eye off the camera lens just to soak it all in. Oh my God! This place is swarming with sin and the music just pulls you closer towards it. A scorching frown of pleasure seems permanently singed on my face. She sees it and smiles. Sin has a tight leash on Smash.... but at least I can come clean about it.
Time pushes on. The night starts to spin. I am caught running from a ravenous, bass-fueled set courtesy of The Glitch Mob (this crew does not mess around) to catch the tail-end of reining trance king, Ferry Corsten's set. Crowds are now officially going ballistic. Lollipops and condoms are being thrown to the masses. Roaring speakers and the dance stomps of thousands are making the earth shake. I am knee deep in debauchery. Yes, I have been a bad boy and yes, I most definitely deserve a spanking.
Soon she drags me backstage and proceeds to give me a couple whacks. Sinful bliss rushes through me as she bats my back with her mini whip. I must say, at this stage, I don’t mind this place one bit.
Cut to several (sweaty) hours later. I officially stink. My boxer briefs feel like they have been running under cold water for the past 6 hours. It's disgusting. I look at my watch and it's about that time. As I journey towards the gates, my mind is distracted by thoughts of pure curiosity. What is this place? Why is it different from others? It's been years now that I try to define these music festivals. So, I asked a wise man that goes by the name of Freq Nasty what is it that always brings us back for more?
"It's all a personal experiment. Bass is primal, like a caveman - we are trying to trigger something in the old brain....I feel like we as a whole have lost that element of surprise."
Fear and danger of the unknown are hard to come across. Experimentation is key to feed the seed.
I agree and with this new-found revelation from my dread-locked breakbeat brother comes enlightenment. It's that relief from conformity that tickles your curiosity. I find it be a true testing ground for each individuals freedom of expression that can be found at a place like this. It is a school, of sorts, albeit a sinful one.
The Glitch Mob for example, consider these outings to be quite "gluttonous," in fact. “The music, the people-It's all information, just not in books. We choose what to absorb.” For the DJ's and producers, the same could be said. “
Boreta, my main man from the Glitch Mob hit the nail on the proverbial head - "there are so many new and exciting ways to create (music) that it is impossible to predict a creative minds' future".
The creative mind we all possess reflects our surrounding environment and our creativity loves to be pushed out of what we are accustomed to seeing every day. Nocturnal Wonderland and other like-minded festivals are helping the young adult (and the older you) find a common balance between reason and acceptance. There is no rejection inside these gates. Leave all judgmental feelings of ourselves and others at the door, please.
Ferry Corsten put his foot down on the masses reluctance to accept this.
You bash on our creative outlet by calling it drug music. This is feel good music, and it is a strong movement. You will have to deal with us, like it or not, because we will never go away!
Sometimes it feels good to escape and not take ourselves so seriously. So for this, Smash LeFunk thanks you Nocturnal Wonderland. He thanks you and your sister festivals for these many years of escape and acceptance, because without you, Smash would have probably not made it this far.
I'll see you soon.....
I remember having a picture taken at nocturnal by someone from sinning in la but it's not up here,,where can I get it?