|
HIGHTECH HIGHTOUCH @ DIGITAL BE-IN 11
This is Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV
 How to sum up the Eleventh Annual Digital Be-In? How about "a collaboratively produced ritual-concert-exhibition-dance-rally-forum." It's rather difficult to reduce the Be-In to a few words. Luckily, now we have the Web!
It's been the Decade of the Desktop, and also a
decade of consecutive January Digital
Be-Ins. The 90's Be-In could only have emerged in San Francisco's unique cyberdelic
petri dish of Silicon Valley acid/gear-heads, Haight Ashbury Hippies/Ravers, North Beach
Powerbook Hipsters, Berkeley Nobel Laureate Tripsters, Santa Cruz Goddesses and
Animator-Kings, and a slew of Macintosh Faithful, international new media hotshots and
astute tech journalists in town for the Macworld Exposition in early January.
 What began as a tip of the hat to the code-warriors and
pioneering artists of the desktop revolution became a celebrated "cyberculture"
event with change-agent Timothy Leary, 1967 Human Be-In organizer Allen Cohen, Dead
lyricist/cyber-pundit John Perry Barlow, researcher Brenda Laurel, net seer Ted Nelson and
others bridging the psychedelic '60s with the cybernetic '90s. In recent years, rave
culture, with its sixties influences and its high tech mixes, has intersected in many ways
with the Be-In, and the event's influence as a resonator of humanistic and evolutionary
ideals in the digital age has been strengthened by this conjoining.
The theme of Be-In 11 was Body, Mind and
Cyberspace, with a special focus on the launch of the Drug Peace campaign,
a newly formed political action committee (PAC) and web channel . In the early evening, the highly attuned attendees
grokked a series of brief but info-intense presentations by a distinguished series of
speakers. The infotainment sequed to musical acts as John Perry Barlow's impassioned talk
gave way to the colorful entrance of the Merry Pranksters and
Ken Kesey's theramin performance.
 After
the speeches, music ruled the night. The Venusians, making a return landing at the Be-In
(a big hit at #8), brought the crowd to its feet with electro-pop compositions by head
Venus-dude Matt Venuti with his extremely novel EVI (electronic valve instrument) and very
tight band. Next up was cyber-songstress Joie Favier backed by live players as well as her
trusty Roland 303 and composed tracks. Then Craig Russo poured on the love vibe with his
soulful electronic performance. Toward midnight, Galactic Dreamspellbrought voice to the
rave vibe, and Arc Angel
Gabe Real took over with a properly enlighted drum 'n bass set on into the morning.
The Be-In featured, according to established tradition, an immersive environment of
projections, laser light art, fabulous black light murals, and an array of artistic
altars. Macro and micro sacred spaces created with skill and care and the spirit of
sharing by several different San Francisco underground rave collectives.
Exhibitors and
attendees enjoyed the live interaction that only BODYspace can offer, in the hopeful,
excited exchange of vital ideas. From Alexa
Internet to NORML to Zavtone Magazine , there was no lack of
relevant content and the buzz around the information booths never stopped.
 The
rave was woven through the 12+ hour Be-In continuum, with mellow grooves in the Ambient
Salon thanks to Galen, Dagny and a circle of live and electro-players. There was
psy-trance in the Trance Cube, holding the cosmic beat until dawn, courtesy of Guides Rob,
Lorin and Tim, and special guest DJ Anunnaki from the UK's Dragonfly Records.
Digital Be-In 11. It was a stone groove. More to come!
Part Two: Rhythmagik at Digital
Be-In 11 by Miss E
How the muse moves the Be-In crowd...by our resident groove expert.
Part Three: SpiriTechno Tribal Altars
by Nikki Lastreto
Altar artist and Beam editor Lastreto takes us inside the altar art of the Be-In.
Part Four: Making of the Be-In
Netcast by Cyberguy
Since #8, the Digital Be-In has mounted a live Internet "netcast" featuring
streaming audio and video and on-the-fly photojournalism. This year's account.
MORE ON THE BE-IN
Netcast
Photo Archive
|
