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Alternative
Press (US); September 1996 It was that time of the year again. Time to get wet and wild with 4000 intimate friends while some of the world's finest DJs spun fun in the middle of another Wisconsin campground. Even Furthur '96 was ample proof that Milwaukee's Drop Bass Network, Minneapolis' Communique and renaissance man David Prince really know how to throw a party. This annual, four-day techno campout/ electric festival continues to grow in stature and style. Occupying the entire Eagle Cave and Mountain Campgrounds, participants were exposed to numerous sound systems, live music, a killer Main Stage line-up and nothing but the warmest sense of community.
Like any good trip, things were paced well and the peaks were plentiful. The weekend started slowly to allow us to get our blood pumping. "Who's playing inside?" I asked one young gabber. "I don't know, but they're playing guitars!" He replied incredulously. It turned out to be Rehab from Chicago, churning out a quiet storm while most everybody's socialized outdoors. Later, Minnesota's Low emitted a monolithic wall of sound that crept over the early evening like a glacier. From our campsite, we could hear three different sound systems booming simultaneously.
The DBN side stage quickly turned into a hot sea of mud, but no one seemed to mind. Plenty of hiking was required to check out the entire campground, which hosted small musical communities in every conceivable clearing. Substantial contingents from Madison, Minneapolis, Chicago and Milwaukee represented only a portion of the thriving techno-nation. At night, one could see countless campfires burning as beats echoed through the air. A gathering of tribes, indeed.
The Main Stage DJs and PAs proved to be the main reason for going to Even Furthur. They would begin around midnight and not let up until 8 a.m. At least 1200 people were moving under the tent, smart drinks were flowing, and the energy was completely off the scale. International in scope, the gamut of styles had an intensity which kept even the most avid ravers ecstatic. On Saturday, Daft Punk, a live-acid duo from France, made their superfine U.S. debut. Perennial East Coast favorite Frankie Bones appeared for his third Even Furthur, and Detroit's Laura Grabb
contributed a fierce hardcore set. All this with a spectacular laser extravaganza and a brief intermission for the ritual of the Burning Man. Sunday night may have been even better.
Chicagoan Boo Williams began the evening with a freestyle dynamic that was matched only by San Francisco's Scott Hardkiss. Finally, Mixmaster Morris' U.K. vibe gently melted into the Monday morning sunlight and it was time to go.
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