This Thanksgiving eve I had the pleasure of attending one of the more unique events I have ever been to. Denver, Colorado is home to one of the most vibrant and diverse scenes of electronic lovers and this years installment of Trancegiving was another epi reminder of this.
Leading the auditory feast for 2014, was none other than the man, the myth, the legend, Paul Oakenfold. The venue, The Church Nightclub could not have been a more fitting environment for the uplifting vibe of the evening. For those of you not familiar, The Church isn’t just a name, it’s an actual church, or at least at one point it was. The venue is a stone walled example of gorgeous religious architecture complete with stained-glass and multiple dance floors. For those who can list their religious beliefs as Trance, there is no more fitting venue than The Church to practice their faith. 
Our party arrived as local hero Trajikk took to the decks to warm the night up. I have seen Trajikk possibly more than any other DJ and expected him as always to deliver a phenomenal set. Sticking to a mostly electro/bigroom sound, Trajikk delivered juicy tunes mixed with his signature sensibility, blending popular samples with aggressive electro. Fun fact about Trajikk – it’s rumored that every time he smiles, a unicorn is born on the top of a mountain made of pure rainbow to a cacophony of angels singing. Unfortunately this has never been confirmed to date, as no one has actually seen Trajikk smile.
I must make a note, that I also used the night to do a bit of field testing for Doppler Labs new ear plug, the DUBS Acoustic Filters. While, I’ve had the chance to test them on a Funktion 1 system, this was a good experiment to determine their versatility. As expected the DUBS performed wonderfully and added a level of clarity to the high end frequencies that would have otherwise been completely drowned out by sub tones. I was able to easily remove and store them as I migrated around the venue and found that unlike a lot of plugs I’ve worn in the past, the experience was in no way sacrificed. Waking up the next day with a clear head and happy ears is a treat in and of itself, I’d full heartedly recommend them.
The crowd began to swell before Paul Oakenfold took to the stage. The most notable aspect of the night was the sheer diversity seen in the people celebrating Trancegiving with us. Young people, older folk, kandi ravers, club culture aficionados, and the LGBT scene were all represented in impressive numbers. Oakenfold’s following was incredibly varied. – to such a degree that it was inspiring. Old fans, new blood, and every shade in between made a full showing, filling the venue to the brim.
Paul took to the decks and brought the tempo back up. With the tempo sitting in the 138-140 bpm area, the night began to heat up. Like Trajikk, Oakenfold kept a solemn demeanor, but delivered the energy in the form of a technically flawless set. With decades of experience behind him, Paul led the crowd through an experience rather than a simple set. No gimmicks, no tasteless drop to drop mixes, just a brilliantly executed mix. Sadly, I did not hear the classics that I would have hoped to, but sadly Starry Eyed Surprise and RSG don’t fit the modern club environment. In a way, I was happy to be led through a set filled with tracks that I didn’t recognize but nevertheless found absolutely infectious. While I have never considered myself an overtly massive trance fan, that night I felt that I was truly part of the “Trance Family.” Despite the almost complete lack of rave vibes, I felt that the ideal of PLUR was alive and well in the vibe. Just like every good Thanksgiving, family and the memories we share were the main attraction.
