Bassnectar vibrates downtown Lawrence

Every night in Lawrence there's something for me to do, whether it's a show downtown, friends at the bars, or a party at someone's place, it's never boring. But in such a social-activity saturated setting there are still special occasions that get everyone excited.
This Saturday night was such an occasion, as Bassnectar performed at the largest, best venue in Lawrence, Liberty Hall.
November 21st was saved on my calendar far in advance, and I'm glad I bought my ticket early, because I heard rumors the show was sold out, and it certainly looked that way by the time Bassnectar got on around 11.
If you've never heard of Bassnectar before, let me give you a quick introduction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jhnxgJOrnM
That's my favorite song, available thanks to youtube.com. Bassnectar played that song about half-way through his 3 hour set last night, blowing my mind, as well as a few hundred others.
As a bass-oholic, I can never get enough of that deep, vibrating bass. That low, shivering, shaking feeling that you can feel echo in your ribcage. Bassnectar gives me all the bass I can ask for, better than any other band, dj, performance, mix, whatever. You name it. Bassnectar is the best.
I missed the first opening dj who supposedly started at 9, but I was busy pre-partying with my friends (like I said, this was a very special occasion). Even some friends without tickets to the show agreed to come over and hang out for a bit while those of us walking to Liberty Hall had a few drinks before the trek.
My main home-slice, and concert-buddy Nikki had just introduced our friends Rachel and Robert to Bassnectar, and the couple was quickly on board to go to the show. Sadly they pre-partied a little too hard, and stumbled away into the night on our way up the alleys from my friends' house to Liberty Hall. Nikki and I made it to the show intact, and Nikki bravely led the way into the already-thick crowd of people.
The second dj was on when we got there around 10:30 or 10:45. He wasn't bad by any means. I got down to his last few songs, which was the perfect warm-up for Bassnectar.
What first impressed me about Bassnectar was that Lorin Ashton came on immediately after the second dj finished his last song. Not a minute between. It was perfect.
The crowd was riled up already, and I had a great spot on the right wall, up on the small, narrow rise that gives room for about 5 or 6 people to dance.
From my fantastic perch I could watch the crowd getting down to the funky grooves, I could see Ashton rock and bounce to his sick beats, and best of all, I had room to get down as hardcore as I ever have. Bassnectar played a great combination of his own songs, and sweet remixes of famous songs everyone gets excited when they recognize.
The show wasn't over until just about 2:00, and Bassnectar played from 11 until the end, non-stop. While I was determined to make it through the show from my epic spot, Nikki wandered through the venue and even took advantage of the comfortable seats with the fantastic view of the stage from the upstairs balcony. So needless to say, afterward we were tired, and staggered back to the house to relax. There were a couple of after-parties I was invited to, and both sounded fun. MOUTH was playing, a local band that I enjoyed greatly when I saw MOUTH at the Jazzhaus a couple of weeks ago.
Looking back on the show, I felt like that was one of the best shows I've seen in a long time, except for one basic component. It wasn't the music. Bassnectar threw down just as well as he did last time I saw him perform last year at the Granada. Bass was what the crowd was craving and Bass is what he gave us.
It wasn't even the crowd. The even mix of chill people you know are cool, and fakers who were there for their ONE cool concert of the year, was just decent enough that I couldn't really complain. Basically at any big show I go to I know that as a boy I'm going to have to fight for every square inch of my personal dancing, moving, breathing, existing space. Girls and guys alike will try and get in my face, bump and nudge from behind and the sides, and always, always there are the budgers, who think "I've pushed by about fifty people already, I can get ahead of one more dude and stop in front of him and take his space." Fortunately my stone-cold heart, energetic dancing, and hard-headed determination meant bad news for every douche and slut that tried to take my place. Yep, it was just another concert, and everything I could expect from that kind of crowd.
The lights, and the smoke machines made the experience a little more epic. When the houselights would all come on, everyone was eagerly looking around them at the rest of the audience, marveling at our own awesome mix of beautiful, ugly, sweaty, happy faces, flinging arms, bouncing, swaying bodies. When the songs took deep paths the lights followed in suit, cutting rays of neon green, electric blue, in swathes and sharp lines, while clouds of amber and magenta wafted over the crowd, and small, short puffs of grey smoke rose up from the crowd, like so many little steam-whistles from the hot, endlessly grinding machine that was the audience.
No, the only thing really missing from that show, was the most important thing to me. My friends.
Not enough friends were at this show. I recognized a few people, ran into a few friends on my way into and out of the venue, but really, I just wish I had my crew around me when I was getting down to those songs.
So, next time you hear about a Bassnectar show, or the next time you hear he is playing at a festival, let me insist that it is more than worth the money, but it's always better with a friend.