From a more granular perspective (say a festival like North Coast), it’s easy to combine seemingly disparate elements like live jam bands and electronic DJs. Reducing that formula to a single group of performers can result in a jack of all trades, master of none scenario that will turn trips bad and buzzes into preemptive hangovers. This is not the case with Lotus because they’re the solution to the equation of North Coast Music Fest.
In large field with killer sound system, take four talented live musicians and combine one part jam band with one part electronic fiesta. Groove vigorously. Lotus. It’s a recipe for success because Lotus was one of the few bands that was capable of uniting the crowds there to see live music with those who just wanted to see buttons get pushed.
Upbeat but groovy, Lotus gave everyone a reason to dance without making love to your ears so forcefully you were incapable of hearing yourself think. The collection of electronic bwah-nahs and stringed meedely-meedelys ebbed and flowed, building a rhythm that crescendoed into, well, nothing. Lotus might be the perfect solution to North Coast Music Fest, but without that climax it’s too much math and not enough romance.
