NYE09@LAVA

How was your experience of your NYE party? How was it decorated? What did you listen to? What did you do?

Plastic Fantastic went to LAVA for NYE with the Shakedown, Foundsound and Rizumu.

We've been throwing parties at LAVA for several years. I've been attending them and/or occasionally mixing video for them. Very familiar with the space and it was exciting to be involved with its transformation into a party from set up to break down, even doing the mopping.

First we had to rearrange the space from being LAVA (http://www.lavazone.org/) as social organizing / activist library into an open space for parties. We set up the dj table which already had its own system. That part didn't take long. They have a lot of chairs there, like 150 stacked in a corner. We decided to use some of them next to the yellow wall before the dance floor. We lined them up in rows of threes facing each other.

When I got to the party at 3am ish, the seats were occupied and activated a social space. Made me happy. So much better than lining the dance floor with them in that highschool dance form.

I stapled the panels of water bottles on chicken wire along the dj booth and we projected through them on an angle. What made me happy about this was that now the dj booth wasn't a clutter of gear on the dance floor but an organized aesthetically considered space. And it was functional because it protected the dj's gear.



Stayed up all night to edit the video the night before so the lighting would be right. It was a video I shot of the light reflecting on the water. So hypnotizing. I really wanted a consistent, conceptual space. The water related to the water bottles. The color was important to making the environment feel good. Miskate kept asking where the projections were. I was so glad we didn't do any. It was about being in the setting, and dancing and focusing on the music. Maybe next time I'll figure out a way projections can help create the immersive environment.

The upstairs was a little overwelming because there were photocopy machines, tables, paper, boxes, random stuff from the offices on that floor. We covered half of it in fabric. I still have the scrim that Erin gave me four years ago that Ricardo used to use when he did projections for hologram. I don't know why i decided to bring it but so glad I did. I placed two big panels of bottles over the two copy machines and lit them with LEDs. Two musicians helped with the set up with some fancy liquid light machine. katelyn and tyler made a string of phones in another corner. The space came together well considering its office setting beginnings. Too bad it was too cold in there to enjoy the music.

the solomonic sound system kicked ass. it was glorious to hear and dance and be in the environment.

i set up a "chandelier" using a string of LEDs, bubble wrap and more water bottles of course. we wanted the space to be brighter than usual because of the holiday and this form was unobtrusive yet illuminating. this photo is from the break down so the context lighting makes it wonky.






the much dreaded breakdown the next day which took another 8 hours was really a bit of fun too.


I still really love parties. I love the transformation of a space into something extraordinary. And i like maximizing the use of a space. for short notice, this nye 09 party was everything i hoped to make for an environment for a party, an illuminated plastic world unlike any every day party. YAY. this was a good experience and i hope the punters enjoyed!