November 2, 2000

'Moonshine Overamerica 2000', San Francisco

The fourth annual 'Moonshine Overamerica Tour' sets up camp on a chilly night by the San Francisco bay...

Devoted to promoting generalised facets of the electronic underground in the
US, the Californian label has recently assumed the guise of a
travelling circus, taking their roster on the road for a gruelling five-week
road tour with 25 stopovers across the country. The fourth annual 'Moonshine
Overamerica Tour' sets up camp on a chilly night by the San Francisco
bay, showing off a rotating line-up of their most-prized DJs to masses of easy-
to-please dance fiends, before heading home to L.A. to play one final
date.

Four bright, roomy tents transform the industrial sector of Oakland
into a mini electronic-themed, open-air amusement park, dividing junglists from
trance fiends and house heads from techno freaks beneath one of the Bay Area's busiest freeways. Swarms of glowstick-bearing, pacifier-sucking, semi-
shirtless ravers worship at makeshift altars of such notables as Carl Cox
, Donald Glaude, AK1200 and Cirrus as they spin, sweat and
force smiles despite fatigue.

Clad in matching black jumpsuits decorated with plastic accessories glowing
green, Cirrus set the main stage spinning with a crowd-devastating one-
hour live P.A. full of crackling, rock-ready breaks and electrifying acidity.
The duo's well-received knob-twiddling talents give way to an exhaustive set by
AK1200 featuring MC Navigator. The drum 'n' bass dictator hunches
over his records, sweat pouring as he bobs behind the decks while MC
Navigator delivers a semi-freestyle, ragga-trained lyrical flow flailing
cautiously against a loud backdrop of a massive American flag.

While AK1200 demonstrates his precise mixing proficiency and technical
aptitude with a host of doom-laden, bass-heavy cuts, former Seattle
scenester and master of facial expressions Donald Glaude sheds all
seriousness as he merrily works an aurally appreciative crowd in the
Trance'n'Dance arena. Smiles spread, fists pound thick air and circular
visual effects rotated out of control as the yellow-haired Glaude
playfully slid levers and twisted knobs with the ease of positivity-producing
expertise. But as the peak-hour approaches, Glaude's admirers
collectively migrate back to the main stage to experience the unmatched skills
of Carl Cox like lemmings.

Cox's arrival onstage is met with a din of respectful noise.
Masterfully taking to the decks with a mix of unpretentious enthusiasm and
energetic promise and dropping tracks like Storm's 'Time To Burn' and
Underworld's 'Push Upstairs', Cox serves up his standard floor-
levelling set to an expectant crowd of veterans and newcomers, proving to the
rest of Moonshine's roster what it takes to be an global entertainer -
modest confidence and an inimitable style.

Melissa Piazza