Washed Out (DJ Set)

Photos by Christopher Kocher

Opening Party for Noise Pop 2020 - Nightlife at The California Academy of Sciences.

I have always enjoyed Nightlife at the Academy of Science. It sits at the top of my personal list of best events in San Francisco. Great location, consistently friendly and fun crowds, and a stimulation for both creativity and social interaction. Usually I find myself there on Pride and Halloween, two of the greatest holidays in the city, but the Academy also hosts live music focused events as part of their rotating entertainment.

Last week’s Nightlife was a kick off party for the annual Noise Pop Music & Arts Festival, a celebration of upcoming local (and a handful of international), independent artists. Headlining the party was Washed Out, stage name for Earnest Weatherly Greene Jr., with support from local artists Bad Girl Bailey (Bailey Greenwood) and femmelectric (Regan Parrish), both giants in their own rights within the local music scene.

Femmelectric opened the dance floor promptly at six pm. The doors had only just opened and not everyone had arrived given most attendees were still jetting over from work. While the dance floor felt sparse, everything quickly changed as femmelectric brought to life an eclectic mix of synth pop, and a handful of heaters (a Darkside remix of Daft Punk’s “Instant Crush”!) - while still managing to weave in fellow Noise Pop artists Maya Jane Coles and Kornel Kovacs. Those in attendance were there to get down as they celebrated the evening with their first drink. A group of earnest supporters rallied early and gathered around to warm up the dance floor.

Bad Girl Bailey took the decks with vigor and truly unleashed powerful dance beats. Her smiles and consistent BPM gathered a crowd that, by the end of her set, nearly stretched to the end of the main room. Even while I was still taking in the sights and chatting with friends I couldn’t help but groove along. Her music selection kept me moving while mentally I took note to check out her mixes online. Meanwhile, Earnest himself could be spotted floating through the crowd.

After setting up nearly all his own gear, Washed Out started his set with his own "Don't Give Up" off Paracosm. He went on to mix tracks such as "I Can’t Go for That (No Can Do)" (Daryl Hall & John Oats), "Hard to Say Goodbye" (Washed Out), into "Better" (SG Lewis x Clario). From there he dived into a mix of throwback songs like "Everywhere" by Fleetwood Mac, to contemporary house hits like "Moonlight" by Disclosure. The crowd eagerly kept pace and the energy never dissipated. Washed Out felt the love as he continuously smiled while layering tracks together on the decks.

My favorite part of the night - outside the music - was running into familiar faces and close friends. Noise Pop is the first Bay Area festival of the year and it felt like the first day back at school. Everyone was dressed to impress and happy to reunite after a long winter. I look forward to this week’s upcoming events and hope to see some of ya’ll out on the dance floor.

(Many thanks to our friend Sarah Moir for her mastery of track spotting during Washed Out’s set!)