One of the most influential and followed artists in the underground bass scene is Lorin Ashton, also known as Bassnectar. If you do not know who he is, Bassnectar is an American producer and DJ who was a born and raised in San Francisco Bay Area. Originally, he was putting his efforts towards visual arts rather than music, creating movies with his dad’s camera at the age of ten. As the 90’s progressed, “DJ Lorin” which is what he used to go by, became immersed and openly accepted by the electronic music scene immediately.
He started off by playing shows in the Bay Area at local house parties and small venus just to start trying out new music. Bassnectar gained some big momentum at Burning Man, which is an annual gathering that takes place at Black Rock City—a temporary city erected in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, playing several sets in one night. He released his first album in 2001 and performed as Bassnectar for the first time in 2002, which jump-started the incredible fanbase and movement that he is today.
Bassnectar, who doesn't consider himself to be a part of the modern electronic genre, has a sound that is extremely unique infusing some of the most intense speakers and bass I have personally ever experienced. He explained in an interview after his 2012 Lollapalooza set, "Even though my approach is a lot more complex than this, I consider DJing as simple as sharing a song with someone else." I agree with him in this statement, because a lot of “DJing” that you come across today often is simply someone sharing music with a crowd.
His shows also incorporate a visual blend of psychedelia with high-grade lasers and animated geometric patterns or visuals of all kinds projected on at least one screen at whatever venues or festival he's playing at. The whole time you're there you feel as though you have entered into another dimension on a count of the abnormality of your environment. As he mentioned on his website about his upcoming show on New Year's Eve, “Our intention is to design a magical portal into an Alternate Universe…. when you cross the Threshold we intend to explore new undiscovered dimensions using a time machine built out of human energy”.This quote from his website, bassnectar.net, pretty much explains itself, the environment that this man brings is one of the most followed and anticipated events that I have seen fans drawn to in my life.I looked around on Facebook where there is a group called, “You know we love it”, which is a Bassnectar fan page with over twenty-five thousand members, and there are posts from fans that claim they have been to 100+ shows. This fanbase is like nothing I have ever seen, no matter where the show is being held, there will be fans coming from all over the nation to see him.
Another important aspect of Bassnectar is that he is known for his strong connection with is fans and his lack of the need to be famous. He performs for his fans and the enjoyment of performing music. When you are at a show you can barely even see him because of the intense lights and his traditional performance outfit which is a black shirt and pants. He also has consistently, since the beginning of his career, been trying to supply fans with the cheapest tickets that he possibly can. You don’t see him on mainstream media platforms such as television or even radio, the best way to hear his music is through seeing a show firsthand or listening to his sets on Soundcloud.
