Twenty-five years deep
From a mailing list to a tribe
Moksha Tribe began as a thread on the SFRaves mailing list in 2002, when Apollo put out a call for people who wanted to throw a different kind of party. More than forty-five of us answered: DJs, sound and lighting crews, artists, and plenty of folks who just loved to dance. The scene was under pressure from the police, the DEA, and a press that had decided raves were about greedy promoters and drugs. Apollo's answer was to build a collective with no hierarchy, run everything above board, and give whatever was left after expenses to charity. Not a loophole, just a better reason to gather. Raise money, help people, and show the city what this community actually looks like.
He chose the name carefully. Moksha is a word from Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain thought for liberation, freedom from the ordinary and mortal world. To Apollo it described what happens on a dancefloor late at night, when the music carries you out of the everyday and into something close to spiritual. The first party, Aboriginal, came that January, and every one since has followed the same idea. Twenty-five years later we are still a family rather than a company, and the door money still goes to people who need it. This year it goes to Larkin Street Youth Services, in loving memory of Apollo and Joey.
The original BSPs
Saturday, January 26, 2002Aboriginal
An intimate underground tribal experience
Aboriginal
An intimate underground tribal experience
moksha: liberation and enlightenment; transcending the limitations of the differentiated, temporal and mortal world of ordinary experience.
House-lovin' family room
- Apollo
- Shawn Allen
- dj2 (live PA)
- David Coleman + Sen-Sei (DJ + live keys)
- Justin Hale
Downtempo chillroom
- DV8
- Red Stickman
- DFD.07
- DJ Howlin' Bob
Transcendent tribal visuals by Viberation
- ↗Free water, fruit & refreshments
- ↗Free coffee and pastries
- ↗Free CDs for everyone arriving before 9PM
All profit donated to the Larkin Street Youth Center
Twenty-five years on, that promise still holds, and every dollar of profit goes to Larkin Street Youth Services.
Sunday, April 28, 2002· 12PM – 6PMDelphi: The Rites of Spring
A daytime Dionysian dance experience
Delphi: The Rites of Spring
A daytime Dionysian dance experience
Come celebrate the rites of spring with the Moksha Tribe in the amphitheater of the gods: a beautiful natural bowl surrounded by nature trails, overlooking the City.
Bring blankets, a picnic basket, and good vibes. Pagan costumes and dancing encouraged.
The Amphitheater of the Gods
One stage, open sky
- Nomadic DJ (trance / darkwave)
- ShezTek (tech-trance & techno)
- Redstickman (house)
- Jauncy & ShezTek (breaks tag-team)
Sound by Neuroscience Creations · Visuals by the Goddess · Lighting by the sun god Apollo
- ↗Free fruit
- ↗Water at the adjacent restrooms
Free for friends & family, donations welcomed for the Larkin Street Youth Center
Twenty-five years on, that promise still holds, and every dollar of profit goes to Larkin Street Youth Services.
Saturday, July 20, 2002· 10PM – 6AMDeviance
An innovative, intimate underground experience
Deviance
An innovative, intimate underground experience
Deviance: departure from the norm. Deviance is the source of all innovation and progress: biological, scientific, social, artistic, and personal. Deviance is an innovation “virus,” one that infects the status quo, changing traditional thinking at a cellular, primal level.
Deviant attire encouraged.
The Den of Nonconformity
Techno · Psytrance · House
- DV8
- Justin Hale
- Chris Jackson
- Dragn'fly
- ShezTek
The Chill Room of Eccentricity
Downtempo · D'n'B · Breaks · House · Ambient · Experimental
- Marcine
- Jauncy vs DFD.07
- Redstickman
- Origami (live PA)
- DJ Howlin' Bob
Avant-garde visuals by Viberation · Non-standard sound by Neuroscience Creations
- ↗Free water, fruit & refreshments
- ↗Free coffee
- ↗Free toys
- ↗Smart drinks available
- ↗Massages by Ravin' Riz for Larkin Street
All profits donated to the Larkin Street Youth Center
Twenty-five years on, that promise still holds, and every dollar of profit goes to Larkin Street Youth Services.
Saturday, August 2, 2003· 10PM – 6AMJagan
The third eye
Jagan
The third eye
The Jagan: the mysterious “third eye,” kept concealed upon the forehead, said to hold magical powers of psychic perception.
Moksha Tribe celebrates Japanese anime and culture, and Jagan, the chakra of psychic perception that can overcome the demons of oppression. Three full rooms of rockin' house, breaks, tech-trance, drum 'n' bass, psytrance, ambient and experimental beats.
Dress as your favorite anime character or in traditional Japanese attire.
The Izou Room
Legacy
- Marcine (Moksha Tribe)
- DV8 (Moksha Tribe · Evolving Spectrum)
- Andrew Phelan (Olive Records)
- DilemaFunk Doc (Moksha Tribe)
- Shawn Allen (Moksha Tribe)
The Tentou Room
Destiny
- Phaedrus (Moksha Tribe)
- Apollo (Moksha Tribe)
- Les Elemental (Eden / Pangea · NY/SF)
- Dragn'fly (Epiphany)
- ShezTek (Moksha Tribe · Evolving Spectrum)
The Sougou Room
Synthesis
- Andy TieDye (Moksha Tribe)
- Cubik y Origami: live PA (Moksha Tribe · newstylesound)
- Red Stickman (Moksha Tribe · Ambient Mafia)
- Boomerang Fidget (Ambient Mafia)
- Howlin' Bob (Moksha Tribe)
Visuals by Viberation · Sound by Marshall (Neuroscience Creations) · “Third eye” artwork exhibition by Sarah Schumm
- ↗Free water, fruit & refreshments
- ↗Free coffee
- ↗Free toys & games
- ↗Massages by Ravin' Riz, benefiting Larkin Street
All profits donated to the Larkin Street Youth Center
Twenty-five years on, that promise still holds, and every dollar of profit goes to Larkin Street Youth Services.
Saturday, November 15, 2003· 10PM – 6AMHarvest
A gathering of the underground tribes
Harvest
A gathering of the underground tribes
Dancing is prominent in all harvest festivities: to bless the seed, assure fertility, and provide the life force for the next season.
Moksha Tribe invites you to join this gathering of the underground tribes, to celebrate our harvest: the power of music and dance that unites our bodies and spirits.
The Ferona Room
Techno
- nomadic DJ (Moksha Tribe · SF)
- Reclipse (BayRaves · Deciblast)
- Chris Jackson & Andy W: special 2×4 set (Resource Records · Refined Music)
- Catharsis (EGR Records · Redwood City): Xenos EP release party
- Shawn Allen (Moksha Tribe · SF)
The Kornwolf Room
Drum 'n' Bass · Breaks · Ambient
- Phaedrus (Moksha Tribe · HIP · SF)
- hak (Ease Up Records · Killasubz)
- Jauncy (Moksha Tribe · SF)
- Calamity Jane (Moksha Tribe · Ambreaks · SF)
- V0lljude (Dub Beautiful Collective)
Visuals by Viberation Graphics · Special 5-screen video installation · Lighting by Radiant Atmospheres · Sound by SWAT
- ↗Free water, fruit & refreshments
- ↗Free coffee
- ↗Free toys
- ↗Massages by Ravin' Riz, benefiting Larkin Street
All profits donated to Larkin Street Youth Services
Twenty-five years on, that promise still holds, and every dollar of profit goes to Larkin Street Youth Services.
Saturday, March 20, 2004 · Spring Equinox· 10PM – 6:30AMCatch 20-2
Celebrating twenty years of house music and two years of Moksha Tribe parties
Catch 20-2
Celebrating twenty years of house music and two years of Moksha Tribe parties
In the beginning there was Jack, and Jack had a groove…
Four full rooms with decorations and themes from past Moksha Tribe parties. Come dressed as you did at your favorite Moksha event.
Jesse Saunders
Using a blueprint of old-school funk, disco, R&B, early pop and hip-hop, Jesse Saunders is the architect of the style known as house music. He wrote, produced and released the first documented house record, “On & On,” through his own label, Jes Say Records.
Adam Ohana
Adam Ohana has been DJing and producing electronic music for over 10 years under various monikers, an instrumental part of San Francisco's underground. He's been focusing his energy on breaks as a medium for different styles, with releases scheduled under the name an-ten-nae, and is the force behind the “Get Freaky” parties.
The Aboriginal Room
House & Tech House
- Apollo (Paradise Garage · founder of Moksha Tribe)
- Origami (Moksha Tribe · newstylesound)
- Jesse Saunders (originator of house · King Street/Broken Records · Sony Music)
- DJ Amber (:CODE · SisterSF · Justsayagency)
- DilemaFunk Doc (Moksha Tribe)
The Jagan Room
Breaks · Tech House · Psytrance · Industrial
- ShezTek (Moksha Tribe · Ambreaks · Evolving Spectrum)
- Adam Ohana (an-ten-nae · Get Freaky)
- Shazbot (Moksha Tribe · newstylesound)
- nomadic DJ (Moksha Tribe)
- Marshal (Moksha Tribe · SWAT Sound)
The Deviance Room
Breaks · Ghetto Tech · Hip Hop · Ragga Jungle · Drum 'n' Bass
- Jauncy (Moksha Tribe)
- Andy W (Resource Records · Refined Music · Viberation) w/ MC Boomerang Fidget (Ambient Mafia)
- Koda (Urban Drums · Basedonbass.com · Owned Clothing)
- The Doctor (BayRaves · Liquid Vinyl DJs)
- Marcine (Moksha Tribe)
The Harvest Room
Ambient beats · chill room
- DV8 (Moksha Tribe · Evolving Spectrum)
- Red Stickman (Moksha Tribe · Ambient Mafia)
- Calamity Jane (Moksha Tribe · Ambreaks)
- V0lljude (Dub Beautiful Collective)
- Brian Behlendorf (founder · sfraves)
Visuals by Viberation · Sound by SWAT
- ↗Free water, fruit & refreshments
- ↗Free toys
- ↗Massages by Ravin' Riz, benefiting Larkin Street
- ↗Smoothies by Philip Diaz
All profits donated to Larkin Street Youth Services
Twenty-five years on, that promise still holds, and every dollar of profit goes to Larkin Street Youth Services.
Saturday, June 25, 2005· Noon to sunsetGroove in the Grove
A sunny, free day party in the grove
Groove in the Grove
A sunny, free day party in the grove
With spring comes rebirth: the Moksha Tribe Collective returns for summer with infectious beats and happy vibes. Our DIY ethic and not-for-profit focus remain in full effect.
Bring your own drinks, pack out your trash, and no pets, please.
Baylands Groove
Open-air day party
- Cubik & Origami
- Marcine
- DV8
- ShezTek vs BAM (Evil Breaks)
- Faye Valentine vs DJ Dilema (aka DFD)
- Hypnotoad
Not for profit: after costs, all proceeds go to Larkin Street Youth Services
Twenty-five years on, that promise still holds, and every dollar of profit goes to Larkin Street Youth Services.
Saturday, March 29, 2008· 10PM – 6AMPhoenix
In celebration of the rebirth of Moksha Tribe
Phoenix
In celebration of the rebirth of Moksha Tribe
A universal symbol of the sun, mystical rebirth, resurrection and immortality, this legendary red “fire bird” was believed to die in its self-made flames periodically, then rise again out of its own ashes. Linked to the worship of the fiery sun and sun gods such as Mexico's Quetzalcoatl, it was named “a god of Phoenicia” by the Phoenician. To alchemists it symbolized the destruction and creation of new forms of matter, along the way to the ultimate transformation: physical and spiritual.
Two full rooms of music with new and past Moksha Tribe decorations. Come dressed in the theme of Fire & Flight.
Presale tickets · phoenix.mokshatribe.net
Fire Room
- Forest Green (ForestGreen.org · Cute Fang Recordings)
- Dragn'fly (DJDragnFly.com · DJ4NORML)
- AndyW vs Chris Jackson (Resource Records tagteam)
- Andy Kaotik (Audio Dream Control · Boston, MA)
- ShezTek (Moksha Tribe)
- NomadicDJ (Moksha Tribe)
Flight Room
- Bam (Evil Breaks)
- Brian Behlendorf (Cloudfactory · FNF · Hyperreal)
- DV8 (Moksha Tribe)
- Jose Padilla (Moksha Tribe)
- Marcine (Moksha Tribe)
Visuals by Viberation · Sound by SWAT · Lighting by Radiant Atmospheres · Hookah service by Fauxdive
Dedicated to Apollo & Joey, for the vision, the dream, and the love they created.
All profits donated to Larkin Street Youth Services
Twenty-five years on, that promise still holds, and every dollar of profit goes to Larkin Street Youth Services.