On November 18th, I hopped aboard the train for a night that I won’t soon forget. WAVES presents: Railway, the second event of their pop-up series. The event took place in downtown Seattle’s Orient Express restaurant, in the form of a roaring 20’s throwback party.
I got there around 10 pm. Since it was my first time at The Orient Express, I didn’t know what to expect. Before I went inside, I admired the exterior from the parking lot; seven revamped 1900’s train cars, coupled together with the original building.
I learned later that one of the train cars was once Franklin D. Roosevelt’s personal transport. Maybe that’s why, when I saw it, I felt like I was admiring a piece of history. I stared for a moment, and then headed inside, drawn by the tempting call of bass music.
As soon as I walked through the first train car, I felt like I’d gone back in time to the 1920’s. The only difference was, instead of a prohibition, there was a bar, and instead of a train conductor, Haelix and Quackson were on the turntables conducting some heat.
As I explored, I fell in love. There was plenty of seating, good lighting, and a fascinating atmosphere; the perfect place for a throwback party. Between the venue itself, free parking and inexpensive entry, I was already stoked. It was time to grab a drink and listen to some music.
I watched as Ladice took the stage, then Mortals, Inaudible B2B Kumarion, Frida K, Quackson again, B2B Luckdragon, and finally Meglados with the closing set. What I really enjoyed about the show was not just the originality, but the varied genres played throughout the night. From Frida K’s tech house, to Inaudible and Kumarion’s heavy hitting drum and bass, to Quacksons experimental bass vibe.
The music was truly stellar, with lots of surprises and 20’s throwbacks that had everyone getting down on the dance floor, electro-swing style. The build up was smooth and consistent, with plenty of bang saved for the end of the night, to make this event more than just a hype train.
All of these artists came out with amazing tracks I was not expecting, so I dropped my favorites below. However, if there’s one thing that I want you to take away from this read, it’s this: I got to party inside Franklin D. Roosevelt’s train car.
Keep a look out for WAVES Presents as they raise the tide for electronic music in the Seattle area. You can check out their next event, Dark Matter, on January 19th at Fred Wildlife Refuge, in Capitol Hill. This event will be featuring special guest; Frequent.
Best Tracks Of The Night
Haelix B2B Quackson:
“Jungle” by Noizu, killed, as well as “Battery” by Valy Mo.
Ladice:
Not only did Ladice throw an incredible set, he did a pretty impressive job salvaging some technical difficulties while making an unforeseen emergency loop actually sound pretty good.
Mortals:
My favorite from Mortals was when they dropped Gareth Emery & Standerwich – “Saving Light’ (Intercom mix).
Inaudible B2B Kumarion:
“Dum” by Cruk, and “Take you back” by Gentleman’s club were the bees knees.
Frida K:
When Frida K dropped “I Operate” by DB-122 and Billy Kenny and Abby Lane, everyone lost their minds.
Quackson B2B LuckDragon:
These guys dropped a “Man’s not hot” live edit that had my heart. Second best moment of the night for sure.
Meglados:
Finally, Meglados’ 1920’s styled remix of Gangsters Paradise was the all-time best moment of the night. Definitely the cats pajamas.
Gallery and featured photos: Connor Reiland
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