Opening our minds up to new experiences

By Alan Ouellette
The Collegian

LET’S FACE IT: the people of Fresno can be stubbornly conservative at times.

I’m not talking about politics, but in terms of the arts.

While Fresno’s artistic community continues to burgeon, many are unwilling to partake in this ever-expanding scene.

As such, it is difficult for aspiring artists who are attempting to push the boundaries of traditional forms to cultivate an audience.

Consider, for instance, the state of electronic music in Fresno.

While some are able to pack shows in the Tower District with smooth, chunky house grooves and breaks, many DJs are having difficulty pushing the movement forward with new styles and sounds.

Tonight we have the opportunity to hear something truly innovative and refreshing at Club Fred.

Amidst a lineup of rock bands, DJ Hyena will be spinning some of the most cutting edge drum and bass in an attempt to launch a sonic assault on our ears and pry open our resistant hearts and minds to something new.

Chances are you’ve never heard of drum and bass and, even if you’re familiar with the genre, you may have the tendency to conflate it with an incredibly inaccurate umbrella term for dance music and dance culture in general: techno.

Drum and bass has its roots in London and, since its incarnation in the early 1990s, has quickly spread around the world.

Drum and bass nights can frequently be found in the Bay Area, as well as other large cities such as Los Angeles and San Diego.

Fresno, however, seems to have been left in the dark.

Hopefully, tonight’s event will spark your imagination. Give it a try and support local artists that are trying to expand Fresno’s cultural capital in the Golden State.

There is a lot of talent in the Central Valley, but many artists simply need an audience.

Support musical forms outside of the mainstream and, if you’re lucky, you may be turned on to the beautiful aural landscapes that lie just outside of the boundaries we have constructed for ourselves.

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