Kalistani Major History

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4705 GanJam underscores commitment to Arts in Kalistan
Artist profiles boosted at Music and Art Festival
Vrassa City, Vrassa
May 1, 4705


The National Amphitheater hosts the GanJam, for the first time in 4705

The High Vrassa Plateau rang out with the sounds of the 4705 Annual International GanJam Music and Arts Festival this year, marking the fist year that the National Amphitheater on the River hosted the festival. While this year's Jam has followed the recent trend of smaller crowds than have historically attended, the venue was sold out over the three days, and refocused on the Arts, a focus which had far too often been neglected in favor of big named bands packing tight bills. By the Numbers, the Concert sold about 72,000 tickets over the three days, with 96.2% of all Night 3 Tickets redeemed at the gate. General Admission to the Amphitheater was just 26 KRB per ticket per day, though Day Music was free for all to enjoy. The Art Installations saw visits from more than 45,000 visitors over the three days. ODEN supplied nearly 1400 pounds of marijuana, as well various all other quantities of the most popular drugs sold at the Jam. In all, ODEN grossed more than 7.3 million KRB, and net profits were estimated to nearly 1.2 million KRB.

This year's Festival Planner, ODEN-K's Julia Bank, had this to say: "The National Amphitheater also has some great gallery space tied to it as well as several participating galleries through the City. We really wanted to use the space to get back to the roots of the festival: Showcasing music and art. The art installations of past festivals have given way to more subdued work which can, and should be viewed and appreciated sober. This is not to say that those who are fully enjoying the festival were denied entry, but sometimes meeting a pretty brunette at the door who politely reminds you to stay more than three feet away from the art and open containers are strictly forbidden from the art space, that tends to put a damper on that sort of behavior."

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Wood Sculpture by Vrassan carver Dexter McGuinness, titled "Staredown"

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"Surfist" by Eveari Bronze artist Donna Sunshine

A lighter music schedule, especially during the day encouraged more people to go visit the art installations. "People would come out to the Amphitheater for a Morning Maniac Set, usually beginning around 6. Then the Festival offered Breakfast for all, and various activities. We had some Brethrenists hold a Meeting on the mainstage one morning, and a bunch of yogis come out and do some yoga... They claimed that breathing can get you as high as weed." After morning programs, People were encouraged to visit one of the 14 art galleries associated with the Festival. "It helped," said Bank, "That the Galleries also had various food vendors and restaurants nearby. People would see the art work during the day, have lunch, an check out a little more before heading back to the Amphitheater for the Evening."

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"The Virtuoso" painted by Vrassan artist Freddy Donahue


Gendaris based artist Pedro Alacar wins Best in Show award with his painting "The Lovers"

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"Best of PopArt" winner "The Kalistani Mind" by PopArtist Rachael Simmins, out of Kaliburg

Music wise, the Jam featured its typically excellent mix of Kalistani styles. The aforementioned "Morning Maniac Sets" were often ska and reggae bands, who always played upbeat music designed to wake people up. A various mix of chemicals were on sale during the Morning Maniac Sets, including Dah Delta product, various powders, and other assorted edibles. "We also had coffee, cigarettes, and tea, for those who didn't want to get messed up too early," said Bank. Generally, Morning Maniac sets were very well attended, and served their purpose. "The bands were great: they were always like 'Come on, you Maniacs! get up and dance' or something like that!" said Bank with a smile. Morning Maniac sets were also showcases for lesser known local bands from different scenes. "A lot of times, they brought their friends up from another band, and they all jammed together. It was a good way to expose the audience to local bands that they may not have heard before, but might like."

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Yoshimi based ska act "Best of Everything" performed Morning Maniac duties on Day 2 of the festival

Incidental music played throughout the day. "We actually had music all day long, but the stuff we played during the hours when we preferred people go check out the installations and exhibits was not necessarily music that was geared toward wide audiences. We played cult favorites, and other things which is atypical for the Jam. On Day 2, we had a jam band named Kingfisher. They have very intense fans, but most people don't like their style of music. I mean, on Day 1, we had a violinist named Mimi ben-Callis, who plays hiphop with her DJ and her violin. It was a VERY eclectic group. The sets were attended, and more music fans would attend later in the afternoon than directly after the Maniac sets."


Mimi ben-Callis, Classically trained Violinist from Port Swedes who has turned her talents to HipHop

The Night Sets were more in line with the Traditional GanJams. The first Night was the International Showcase, where international acts are featured the entire evening. International acts included Lodamese sludge band "The New South', a relatively hot alternative band from Kizenia named "Whales", and the Trigunian two tone act named "North Star:. Headlining the International Showcase was Luthori songstress and guitar ace Dianna Kauffman. "Kauffman really got the crowd moving," said Greg Henry, from Sulari. "The way she treated her guitar, she was clearly a master of axe-weilding and shredding. Kauffman made amazing and absolutely precise music, and accompanied her performance with beautiful makeup and staging. Truly an experience that was transcendent!"

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Luthori virtuoso Guitarist Dianna Kauffman headlines The International Showcase

Night Two was dedicated to acid rock and drug influenced music. Kalistani acid rockers Temple Hill 6 played sets back to back with Sulari based Terrace Dub AllStars. Other acts from the night include RF crew Donna DiGarret and the Teddies, and hardcore roots reggae act "Root and Branch." "Man, My favorite night is always L Night!" said spacey RF fan Madi Goshen. "You really see some pretty wild stuff when you hear this pulsing like, life beat and look out over like 65,000 screaming, tripping freaks. Its cool. Its a night for community. I have made life long friends during L Night. I've had some real intense life changing experiences. This year was a little chiller. I think it reflects the mood of the country." The Night was headlined by ODEN International Music Ambassadors and crowd favorites "Coyne and the Rabbits", who played an entire set of new music ahead of the October release of their next record.

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Though RF has slipped from popularity in mainstream culture, it is alive and well at the Jam. Donna DiGarret and the Teddies reunite human sexuality and science fiction once more.

The Final Night, which is usually reserved for massive fan favorites, did not disappoint. Four bands graced the Stage for Night 3. Alternative metal band "Hammer and Tongs" brought a political message over machine precision beats and staccato rhythm. Reggae Massives, and ODEN supported band "Righteous Bong Hunters" boomed hard reggae beats for more than 2 hours. Alternative rock veterans "Carmel" returned to the Jam this year, featuring their classic line up of Denise and Ron Ballard on rhythm Guitar and Drums, Joanne Small on lead Guitar, and Daniel Fullani on bass. The Crowd roared their set, and demanded an encore. Denise Ballard then introduced Daniel De Laurent and Claire-Louise Bisset, hosts of the massively popular Night Show on Radio Kaliburg. De Laurent and Bisset had been broadcasting live from the Jam all evening, and took a break from the show to perform MC duties at the Jam. The couple were cheered and applauded wildly by the crowd. "Can you believe it?!" a random concertgoer screamed. "I can't! Its Them!!!"

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Daniel de Laurent and Claire-Louise Bisset in the broadcasting booth at 4705's GanJam shortly after hopping on stage to introduce Show Closers Logos and Fat Lenny

Bisset introduced the Night's Headliners and Show Closers Logos and Fat Lenny, the Hip Hop duo from Kaliburg. The duo took the stage to massive applause, and Logos held the crowd for more applause for De Laurent and Bisset. "Someone should give these dudes a medal!" Logos said of the two DJ's, who smiled and waved. Logos bowed in mock fealty to the incredibly popular radio hosts, who shook his and Fat Lenny's hands before leaving the stage. The Headliners immediately kicked into an extremely high energy set of Old School hip hop, beginning with their massive song "Hype." The political and cultural lyrics met with booming bass and driving beat of Logos' backup band got the crowd moving. "There was like, moshpits to hip hop? " said an incredulous Taylor Ferrell. "It was wild. They were really getting the people into the music!" Logos and Fat Lenny played a two hour double set, before finally closing the show at around 3am

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Logos, of Logos and Fat Lenny, closes the GanJam early Monday Morning, before more than 70,000 screaming fans

The Jam, though it follows the smaller format of recent years, still was an incredible festival. Bank, the planner announced that the Jam will begin the search for next year's venue. "If we could do one over seas, that would be cool," she said. "But given how unlikely that is, we are just going to keep that in the dream file."