Senerity Gathering 2015
(Main/Untz Stage)
Serenity Gathering kicked off the 2015 festival season with a BOOM!(The Function 1 sound system definitely played a part in that.) With such an eclectic lineup, blue-chip vendor booths, awe-inspiring art installations, and a wide variety of food vendors, one could not have better spent $160. Let me tell you about my weekend on the legendary La Jolla Indian Reservation.
Entry was quick and painless. The staff was competent, accommodating my crew and I with ease. Though we arrived late, staff handled entry well enough not to let a line build as more attendees arrived. Impeded by darkness, traffic directors swiftly guided us to the staff camping area.
Camping areas had a lot of room and did not seem to be overcrowded as other festivals of this size can sometimes be. The staff area was a bit cramped, but being located conveniently behind the main area kept us close to the hippy hubbub of Serenity/The Untz stage.
Food vendors had top shelf, organic (for the most part) food. Most establishments only had vegan/vegetarian options, but 4 others offered smoked salmon, souvlaki, shawerma, chicken and beef. All had options for vegans, carnivores, and those with dairy, gluten, or wheat allergies. No one went hungry. For clothing, stones, and other wares, all the usual suspects were present. Grassroots displayed their new line of hats; while Third Eye Pinecones provided smiles, beats, and one of a kind jewelry. Beach Beauty Culture of Venice, Ca brought their mobile hair salon for those having a fashion crisis mid-festival.
The layout of the festival was well planned but did not match the layout in the festival guide. With no map provided, many were confused about the name of the stage and where to catch their favorite artists. Stages were also spread very far apart which could be discouraging at times. As I ventured through the guest camping area, I found the soothingly illumined Revo Lounge and Renegade Magic stage, aka Blackbird of Desert Hearts fame. Toward the main area, a Sacred Spaces tent provided an area to relax under shade in tranquility while the Healing Sanctuary offered free classes, massages, and pungent oils. Though stages were widely dispersed, art galleries and installations were planted in between each stage, giving attendees much to marvel at along their trek.
By the main stage, there were over 10 live painters in addition to the Sananda Art Gallery of Venice, Ca. Robotic Gypsy Entertainment Santa Cruz, Ca provided talented dancers on stage, breaking out some new-school twists on old-school break moves. Walking towards the Bridge Family Stage past the first line of vendors, there was an intellectually cooperative Art Dome put together by Sketch the Soul. All were welcome to a variety of canvasses to express themselves freely (and free of charge) with the assistance of other artists in the collective. Next to the psytrance-heavy Frequinox stage stood the towering Cactiferrum (Iron Cactus) by Boris and the crew of Boko Fine Art. The installation was interactive, with a box providing a button for each flame cannon atop their iron giant. With a wildly dilated 3rd eye, I spent many hours bewildered and perplexed, playing with fire… forgetting about music and the world and time. Along the path toward the New Moon stage, sacred geometrician Aurum Lux provided his own work as well as gigantic blank canvass-tarps and paint for the artistic expression of passersby. Never before have I seen so much art at a festival, let alone so many opportunities for attendees to participate as well. 
Cactiferrum (Iron Cactus) by Boris Kostov and the crew of Boko Fine Art.
The most important aspect of every festival is the crowd. The people who show up determine my overall experience. Serenity was a very conscious gathering, even for a transformational. “Bros†and ravers (who seem to be increasingly prevalent among music festivals) were non-existent. Literally everyone I met was a long-time Burning Man veteran. Though waste management lacked in providing receptacles for various types of recyclables and completely neglected compost, a group of attendees started a trash sorting party. A beer was traded for every heap of trash. 
Official Beatmaps Rating Overall, BeatMaps gives Serenity Gathering an 8.7/10 Rating. The art, crowd, music, and location were all on point. For next time: I would like to see a more prepared waste management crew, a stage layout that coincides with that of the festival guide, and activity areas for the many children in attendance.
Article By BeatMaps Staff Writer Aaron Huitt
Photography by Jason Lee
1 Comment. Leave new