There is a feeling of decadence when you sit in a hot tub with dozens of your closest friends (at least in terms of proximity) drinking a cocktail and bobbing to a DJ.
Every act interviewed for this story mentioned the hot tub, with both bands and DJs playing at this weekend’s Lost Lagoon blowout at Wulai craving a soak as part of their party experience.
Add three natural spring-water swimming pools, a venue surrounded by mountains and lush foliage, free camping and cabins with private hot tubs, and you have an event that combines the best of live music, electronica and a weekend out of the city.
“The DJ booth was a good size,” said DJ Fratzuki, who also played at the first Lost Lagoon last year. “It allowed me to look down on the crowd [in the hot tub] which was nice.” As soon as he’s done his set, he plans on partying in the tub. He’ll do a hip-hop rendition of one of his newest tracks as his alter ego Chinese Rapper Dom in which the Texan raps in Mandarin.
Damo Darko of Sinister Sound Syndicate also went to last year’s party, though he didn’t perform. He’s excited to do so this year and has “loads of new material” from Mental Alloy and Hostage to remixes by Bloody Beetroots and Disco Villains. He said last year’s party was a great event and he loved the vibe, but what he really enjoyed were the amenities: “The toilets were spotless which was a bonus,” said Darko, who thinks the only thing dirty should be the electro.
This time around, organizers Tristan Newman and Chad Ordyne of Perpetual Motion have a more electronic focus. “It’s not a long weekend,” said Ordyne, “so we avoided the hassle of trying to coordinate with bands for the Friday. There are lots of DJs that we haven’t worked with before. We hope it will be fresh, with something for everyone.”
New electronic acts include The Soul Sweat and Swank Show, vDub, Genetically Modified Beats, DJ Charles, Juni, Edify and Supermilkmen, with returning favorites including Marcus Aurelius and Hooker.
Two bands are flying in from Australia to perform: electric glam rock solo artist FutureMan, and God’s Wounds. The latter formed last year and gained a residency at The Excelsior, in Sydney, with its Nintendo-influenced live punk-electro. Its influences include car crashes, Japanese monster movies and the Large Hadron Collider. Drummer and vocalist Muel, aka Samuel Howell, said his band is coming all the way from Oz because “a music festival set amidst hot springs sounded too good to pass up.” God’s Wounds will tour Taiwan over the next few months.
Rounding out the bands are Moss, Dr Reniculous Lipz, The Money Shot Horns, The Blue Trucks, Public Radio and High Tide. Rock in Hose Burlesque will also be performing two sets tomorrow.
Last year’s Lost Lagoon was this reporter’s top pick for parties and festivals, a sentiment shared by many. It was Perpetual Motion’s first event, and though they “have learned a lot since then and are better organized” according to Ordyne, they had it right from the start, with details such as covered camping areas and free bottled drinking water. New additions this year include tents for rent, an expanded menu with falafel wraps, sandwiches and breakfast and food vendors including Mexican restaurant El Gallo. The cabins are already booked, but camping is still available free of charge.
If you see a bunch of tired happy people with prune-wrinkled toes and fingertips at Xindian MRT Station (新店捷運站) on Sunday night, you’ll know where they’ve been.
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