A quick journey across the festival grounds brought us to The Cabana. Designed by PK Sound, the DJ table sat in the mouth of a towering tiki head, and featured a full PK Trinity array and the new Gravity 30 subwoofers. The Cabana was without a doubt the place to catch ALL things bass at MoNo, including sets from Datsik, Dirtyphonics, Kytami, AU5 and more. With all this bass accompanying the PK sound rig the stage packed a serious punch with sound, while never feeling too crowded even for some of the bigger sets.
Photo: Banana Cam Photo
The final official stage of Motion Notion was the Ancient Gardens located just off the river. During the day it was the place to be and offered the perfect vibe when hanging by the river. At night the stage transformed into an immersive projection-mapped tent that extended beyond the DJ booth and over the crowd. The Ancient Gardens was all about bringing together unique and creative sounds with beautiful visual art. We loved walking into this stage and taking a seat on one of the benches only to get lost in the moment it created.
Photo: Banana Cam Photo
In addition to the festival’s 3 official stages, Motion Notion also approves a number of Independent stages. These are built separate of the event and managed by attendees, allowing them the opportunity to not only showcase their own music and production, but add a unique element to the festival experience. This was something we really enjoyed about Motion Notion, and hopefully other events will look into adding similar features in the future.
Photo: Banana Cam Photo
Something we’ve come to notice about British Columbia festivals, in particular, is how they manage to listen and engage with their community. These events have found a way to not only bring together some of the best musical talent in the industry, but also provide a place for unheard sounds to be discovered. While “music” makes up half of “Music Festival”, many of the events have also done a great job creating an atmosphere for the festival vibe to flourish. Motion Notion has certainly clued in to what makes an event successful, and with 18 years of experience they’re still finding ways to make things better.
Our first year attending this festival provided more than we’d ever hope for. Motion Notion was the perfect end to our festival season and a great place to get one last weekend of dancing in the wilderness.We never had a moment where things felt too crowded and certainly loved the room we had both at camp and the dance floor. The event was welcoming and provided an atmosphere that was fun, creative, and energetic. Its diverse lineup, excellent production, emphasis on great sound, and intimate feeling hit all our prerequisites for a great festival. Golden provided the perfect backdrop for the festival with a beautiful cascade of mountains, trees and a glacial fed river running straight through it.
Photo: Banana Cam Photo
Motion Notion would make the perfect addition to anyones summer calendar. Whether it’s your first or 100th, the festival delivered the type of experience many other try to replicate. Its family friendly environment also added a unique element which we felt changed the general atmosphere of the event for the better. If you’re looking to add another “must-attend” festival to you list, or are searching for the right one for your first time, then allow us to offer Motion Notion as a top choice. 2017 proved to us why the festival has enjoyed it’s 18 year history and we’re looking forward to returning next year, and hopefully with a few more of you!
Important things happen in Pacific Northwest nightlife, and DMNW will send you alerts!
