UPDATE: After-Movie Debut – CounterPoint Challenged Everything We Thought We Knew About Live Music [Event Review]

UPDATE: This post was scheduled to debut alongside the CounterPoint after movie created by our friends at MASS EDMC. Check out the incredible recap of all our favorite memories here!

Time slows to what seems like a crawl and the white dashes marking the roads we travel begin to blend into solid lines that fade into the endless horizon before us. With every mile we put between our bodies and our homes, we are that much closer to uncovering the version of ourselves we never knew could be.

As the road trip playlist booms in the background, our wandering minds manifest imaginings of the stages, the music, the people and the memories that wait but nothing could prepare us for the experience we would have at CounterPoint Music Festival this year.

Some arrived Thursday night for the welcome barbecue where they were introduced to the foreign lands nestled against Georgia’s soft rolling hills that would soon become home and the strangers who would soon become friends, neighbors and family. Others anxiously made their way to the grounds as early as possible the next morning, quickly lining the campgrounds with cars as tents erected row after row and we forged our cozy abodes.

From the gas station attendants we met on the way to the staff we met as we arrived, it was clear by their cheerful twang and pleasant demeanors that we were finally in the South.

At the entrance, we were met with friendly faces of volunteers who answered every question as they rummaged the car for prohibited items and handed us the trash bags we had forgotten.

At the campsite, we were met with the busy golf cart drivers that roamed the camp seeking out those who may need help. At the campground headquarters, we were given everything from grilling essentials to festival maps and schedules with a smile. The warmth of unparalleled hospitality of the South and a production company that actually cares embraced us.

The moment our feet planted on those dusty grounds, we finally had everything we needed.

Music

CounterPoint’s carefully crafted lineup scattered with serendipity made for the most unpredictable musical experience of the year. At first glance, most people would miss the understated brilliance of it all. A quick scan of this year’s flyer showed a huge disparity from the first CounterPoint lineup and for many that was great disappointment. Those with an open ear for music, an open heart for people and an open mind for experiences – found exactly what they never knew they wanted all along.

Every artist of the weekend was showcased in a way that other festivals would never allow. There was no “main stage” in the traditional sense, where one could hear DJ Mag’s greatest play their favorite electronic super hits time and time again. These headliners were not your typical headliners. The schedule was not the overlapping cluster we’ve all come to expect from these events. No. This festival was brought to us with a vision and when the days played out, it became clear that the vision was harmony.

The very definition of “CounterPoint” in music is characterized by the dynamic harmony found when blending opposing melodies. This unique character of sound played out in every set we heard. The artists we thought we knew surprised us. The artists we didn’t know surprised us. Somehow it all came together with a natural affinity and redefined the scope of our imaginations.

“WHO IS THIS??” seemed to be the shout heard ’round the festival as fans sauntered from stage to stage, drawn by the unfamiliar yet incredible sounds. We entered the festival each afternoon with a mission and a plan but as the day unraveled, so did our plans and the mission was lost with our inhibitions.

Friday April, 27th – Day 1

Friday is always the least crowded day of any festival that sells 1-Day passes. It is the day the campers get settled. It is the day we get acquainted with our new playground and stretch out our legs.

The artists scheduled for the first day set the expectations for the rest of the weekend and in this case, the bar was set incredibly high. The originality of sound and experience from the first song to the last encore was unparalleled.

A few musical highlights from Friday included Green Lantern’s ode to the birthplace of trap, Mat Zo’s high-energy house beats and the wailing saxophone sounds from Big Gigantic’s live brass infused bass set.

The closers of the night filled the sky with pretty lights and good music. Speaking of Pretty Lights… The Pretty Lights team produced one of the most visually stimulating light shows I’ve ever seen. The perfectly synchronized patterns of light played so well with the funky deep bass and live orchestra behind him, it was hard not to move in ways you’ve never moved before. And to top it off… the fireworks during “I Know The Truth” could be seen and heard throughout the entire camp. It was a moment we all witnessed and now a memory we all share.

Note: It was incredibly difficult to find a high quality video of this moment but the memory alone is etched in our minds like the Denver skyline against the night sky. Just close your eyes and let the music bring you back to that moment.

Later in the night we watched Krewella redefine what it means to be a female in the electronic music industry as they took center stage in their combat boots and cut-offs to deliver one of their most powerful performances to date.

At the same time on the underground stage not far away… Boys Noize closed out Day 1 with a set that fans would reminisce over the entire weekend. The crowd that was fortunate enough to attend returned to camp caked in dirt and sweat, unable to even begin describing the pure energy that beamed from those speakers that night. The catch phrase of the weekend (besides “Where’s Carl??”) became “Did you see Boys Noize???” and instantly ignited feverish conversation.

Saturday April, 28th – Day 2

After hearing passion bleed from every note of the night before, it finally sunk in that this weekend would be packed with live music that would strum the heartstrings, pierce the vocal chords and rejuvenate our love of music as a sonic art form.

Butch Clancy and Hucci delivered the goods for CounterPoint’s trap fiends on Saturday but in a way that many did not expect. Both artists put their own unique twist on the genre and redefined the way we view trap music as a whole. People who don’t usually care for trap flocked to their stages in pursuit of this fortuitous awakening to not only trap, but also music as a whole.

Kill Paris continued the pleasant surprises that day with his incredibly underrated sound and was followed by another outstanding set, this one by GRiZ.

I will admit that it was my first time seeing many of these artists, including GRiZ, but all preconceptions aside – GRiZ delivered one of the best sets I’ve ever seen. From the unexpected transitions to the song choices to the unstoppable energy, it was absolutely perfect. We all danced. We all sang. We all connected. That, my friends, is the power of music.

The end of the night brought a big decision for some. To Shpongle or not to Shpongle? That was the question. I chose to split up my closers so I could see the beginning of Shpongle and the end of Above & Beyond. These two present very different worlds with one common goal – to make the people dance.

Shpongle was another first time for me and it was interesting to say the least. His unconventional method of combining live music with computer generated sounds and his avant-garde showmanship enthralled the audience from the moment he took the stage. We were captivated by the mystery of not knowing what song would come next or what song was playing then or how to dance to it or what to think of it… We just let the beat control our bodies and as our minds slipped away, the music found its place within us.

Halfway through Shpongle – we skipped off to a more familiar realm, or so we thought. As we climbed over the hill, we could hear the sound of “A Thing Called Love” welcoming us home but as we made our way through the crowd it dawned on us that this was not your typical Above & Beyond set.

The mood turned dark and funky. The bass was deep and the screen did not show any happy little messages to the crowd. It was a serious side of Above & Beyond that I once believed to be reserved for podcasts and personal mixes, but in a festival setting it was a stranger to me.

Then just as we begin thinking we’ve fallen down the rabbit hole, they get quiet. A hush befalls the crowd as we await the next note and we hear a melancholy voice sing out, “It’s raining, it’s pouring….”. The crowd quietly begins singing along with the words we all know too well, but this time was different. The acoustic version of Sun and Moon echoed in our hearts like it was being sung only to us for the very first time.

In a beautiful moment rich with emotion, a soft wind carrying bubbles and confetti wisped over the crowd as Richard Bedford’s soulful voice rang out into the heavens. Life truly is made of small moments like that one.

In those short minutes, there was a unified appreciation for exactly what was happening right then and there. There was no lament for the past. No longing for the future. There was only the blissful peace that comes when you are truly focused on the present. It was the kind of peace that fills you with love and leaves you absolutely breathless. It was the very reason we go to festivals.

Sunday April, 29th – Day 3

Sunday was the day when the rains came. I suppose after this year, it must become a family tradition for it to rain at CounterPoint. Just as things were heating up and the masses began funneling through the gates, we were forced back to camp.

It was our last day in paradise so we were eager to make it count. Some hid from the storm in their tents. Some kept the party going by blasting music from their cars and dancing in the rain. Those without camping passes sought refuge wherever they could… Even the nearest port-o-john became a candidate for shelter. (True story actually).

Anyone with service was anxiously refreshing the CounterPoint twitter page for updates on when we could return to the festival. When news finally came that we could head back, a stampede broke out towards the gates where security ushered the masses into our little heaven on earth.

MCP Presents did their best to reschedule the artists so that the lineup would not be lost to the rain. We were still able to catch Thievery Corporation and Cashmere Cat which were two artists we don’t have many opportunities to see in a festival setting like that. GTA and Congorock brought the energy back up for us to end the last day with a bang.

Major Lazer drew a huge crowd not only for their tropical house beats but also for the avid Outkast fans who were looking for the best view at the next set which clearly offended the group. They made it very apparent that they were less than thrilled to perform on the same stage immediately preceding the biggest act of the weekend by asking the crowd members if they were REAL Major Lazer fans many times. A more positive group would probably be honored and welcome the chance to share their sound with Outkast fans but unfortunately, they were not. Regardless, the performance was as upbeat and high energy as you would usually expect. The infamous twerk wall and Diplo’s crowd surfing orb are not events to ever miss out on.

At the Steeple Stage over the hill, Flosstradamus paid tribute to the birthplace of trap by throwing down one of the best performances I have ever seen from them and I have seen this duo many times. They paid homage to old school trap by mixing in Southern style rap from Georgia born talent. They played “Georgia” by Ludracris and the respect we gained for music in the south was unparalleled.

We all knew the weekend would culminate with the reunion of two of hip hop’s greatest influences in their hometown of A-T-L (hoe). Just one day after the 20 year anniversary of the release of Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik, their first album, the pair was ready to remind us all that music would never be the same without them. 

For those who know and appreciate Outkast music, this was an incredible experience. I heard songs that I never thought I would ever hear live. Songs you know all the words to. Songs you play over and over. Songs that stir a thousand memories in your mind like the first time you saw the music video for “The Whole World” on TRL.

Some people complained that Outkast, “wasn’t that great”. Those people do not understand Outkast or the impact that their music has had on Hip Hop. To some, if a performance needs to be understood to be appreciated then it is not great. To others, the history behind it is exactly what makes it great. Here is where the crowd was torn between Flux Pavilion, an artist anyone can move to and Outkast, an artist that tells a story through song.

Venue

This year’s event was held at a new location and despite the concerns over the move the venue was absolutely perfect. There wasn’t a single fire ant in our campsite; the expansive grounds gave us freedom to roam and the mountains made a welcoming haven to call home.

The stages were miles from the nearest town as to protect the locals from noise pollution and the personal consideration of the townspeople shown by MCP Presents should ensure the festival’s return.

Overall Experience

CounterPoint was an experience of a lifetime as always, MCP Presents. The friendships we built, the music we heard, the memories we made – will reverberate in our minds forever. Leaving those grounds Monday morning, I was changed. My perspective on the electronic music culture as a whole had been washed clean of the smudges left by the first spring festivals and my faith in its future restored. Looking back – I still can’t believe it was only 3 days…

Check out the recap video created by our friends at MASS EDMC and relive the experience with us until we can be reunited again at the next joint venture between C3 Presents and MCP Presents, The Hudson Project.

CounterPoint After Movie Has Arrived!

Video Credit – MASS EDMC

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