Duke Dumont: House Music, Fresh Air, & Sunsets at the Malkin Bowl

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By Ryan Hayes

Since 1934 Stanley Park’s Malkin Bowl has been hosting summer events and getting Vancouverites under the stars to experience live music. This year Blueprint is using the illustrious venue to extend long weekend vibes and chase away the post festival blues that will be stirring in house music fans after Foundation 10 Open Radius—the two-day event headlined by Purple Disco Machine & Fisher. Just five days later, on May 24th, Duke Dumont is set to bring club energy and festival ready choruses to the Malkin Bowl.

Over the last year Blueprint Events has focused on curated house music events covering the vast spectrum of the genre. Although Duke Dumont’s event isn’t Foundation Series branded it is the ultimate follow up to Open Radius. The storied producer has been active since the early 2000s—releasing house anthems like “I Got U” “Won’t Look Back” & “Ocean Drive” for well over a decade.

His debut album, Duality, released in 2020 with a contingent of tracks for house purists; “Therapy” & “Love Song” are sure to be highlights of his Malkin Bowl show.

The sheer power and perfection of “Ocean Drive” & the essential live music moment it will create should be enough to sell dance music fans attending…but if you still need convincing give his 2023 Red Rocks show a listen. It doesn’t disappoint.

Foundation 2.0 & John Summit prove you can come home again

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All photos by Ryan Hayes

Last November Blueprint Events celebrated its 25th anniversary with a weekend of genre specific festival nights. The closing event was for house music lovers and headlined by Fisher. While it was an all-ages event the audience noticeably skewed older. There was a buzz in the air, something was different, and whether Blueprint was aware of it going into the event or not, it was the start of a new foray for the company. That night Foundation Series was born.

Foundation was meant to represent a haven for house music fans, a series thoughtfully curated to explore sub-genres and draw upon the fandom of long-time dance music lovers. The result was a full circle return to the early pre-boom days of EDM. Foundation feels both big in stature and deeply personal. An energy has returned to the scene, and it is easy for fans to get caught up in the notion that they are on the cusp of something larger.

The entire event revived an atmosphere that has largely been dormant in Vancouver for over a decade. A spark not felt since the days of massive 19+ spectacles at Vancouver Convention Centre. To return to the significance of that era is both a testament to the current state of dance music and Blueprint’s acumen as a promoter.

Although the 19+ designation may not seem like a defining characteristic of the event—the lineup curation remained the dominating factor—it markedly pushed the median age above those in attendance at Fisher and helped establish the kind of positive-inclusive energy the dance music scene has always attempted to advocate for.

While volume one was rightly headlined by Chris Lake, Easter long weekend was helmed by John Summit. As an auteur, Summit perfectly embodies the new wave of dance music currently breathing life back into the scene. House music with a smattering of dark driving techno dominated Summit’s set and his hold over the audience was palpable. Unlike Chris Lake who had to work within a standard festival runtime Summit was given a two-hour set, a needed alteration by Blueprint. The extra hour allowed Summit time to stretch his legs; a necessity for an artist like Summit who doesn’t adhere to traditional genre barriers.

The visuals were restrained, they popped at the right moments, and let the music lead the way for most of the night. For one night the PNE Forum transformed into an oversized club.

While all the acts were all phenomenal, Summit was the standout. He capped off the night with his newest release ‘Where You Are.’ It’s rare that both the audience and the performer are aware that they are experiencing a seminal moment in a song’s upward trajectory. Seconds into the track Summit’s grin said it all, he knows what he has, and the audience’s elation reinforced his resolve. ‘Were You Are’ is on the verge of tapping into the very ethos of dance music. The track is a testament to Summit’s artistry and a leading indication that 2023 may be kicking off a second—more restrained—golden age for the scene.

Blueprint nailed the entire experience of Foundation Series, and it should leave fans hopeful for whatever they have in store for us next.

By Ryan Hayes (@VanCityDanceNrd)