This week’s guests are Luis of F*ck Fentanyl San Diego and The Artist Spiderman. The pair have teamed up to bring awareness to the fentanyl epidemic through a common thread, social media.

Spiderman is an artist that is more than passionate about the issue, he spreads his message across the country, and one day, the world.

Luis is a San Diego native, F*ck Fentanyl ambassador, and a recovering addict. He found Spiderman’s art and had a small dream that turned into a bigger reality than he could’ve ever imagined. In this episode, we hear his story and how Spiderman turned a sticker into a movement and a plan for the future.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, don’t wait to reach out. We’ve provided addiction recovery resources below.

Minnesota Recovery
SAMHSA
Al-Anon

Fentanyl Awareness Etsy Shop 

This interview was recorded and broadcast live on May 31, 2023, on FuzzTalkRadio.com.
Tune in every Wednesday at 7:00 pm CST for interviews and good music!

The feeling of meeting someone for the first time, locking eyes and dancing the night away. Not wanting it to end, wanting those butterflies and that moment to live on eternally. It’s the classic rave-bae love story. This one hits differently, though. “Go” by Cole Jackson, featuring vocals by Claire Dejean, asks the real question: “where is this gonna go?” 

Self-released on Electric Hawk Records, “Go” is a summer tune that’s gonna be playing on repeat in your noggin. This is Jackson’s first release on the label, and he is determined to expand his melodic horizons. He doesn’t want to be boxed into one niche, as his past bill has included remixes of hits by Flume, RAC and more. 

The indie-electronic bop has Louis the Child vibes and early 2000’s girl-band vocals. Soft drops followed by sprinkles of wubs and a catchy melody will have anyone crushing on a special someone singing along.

Check out “Go” out now! Listen to more from Cole Jackson on SoundCloud and Spotify. Give him a follow on Instagram and Twitter. 

Also, hear more from Claire Dejean here!

This is Perfect Harmony LLC is a multimedia collaborative focusing on communities and artists in the Midwest. We’re asking those who value our publication to make a monthly donation to our publication here. Rather make a one-time donation? Follow the yellowcell “donate” button to the right (desktop) or below ( phone/tablet). Any amount helps us continue making free content and sharing perfect harmony. 

“Dorthy, I’m Melting” is what melodic EDM dreams are made of—ethereal melodies, an upbeat opening and a mystical break-down. The self-produced track embodies delicate vocals from the Chicago-based artist and has a smooth, break-beat pattern. It takes on influences from the likes of Grimes, Zeds Dead, Purity Ring and Charli XCX.

Written and produced during a personal time of deep depression, the song is an anthem for change. BELELA wanted to emulate the state of the world when it seemed at its lowest.

“It was inspired by the portentous condition of the environment and the destruction humans cause themselves,” said BELELA.

BELELA drops “Dorthy, I’m Melting” today on all major music platforms
Photo by: Ari Akuma

This up-and-coming producer prides herself on intertwining music with the causes she cares about most. Listen to the track on Spotify now! You can hear a preview below!

Follow her on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook!

Feature Photo by: Darius 

This is Perfect Harmony LLC is a multimedia collaborative focusing on communities and artists in the Midwest. We’re asking those who value our publication to make a monthly donation to our publication, here. Rather make a one-time donation? Follow the yellow “donate” button to the right (desktop) or below (cell phone/tablet). Any amount helps us continue making free content and sharing perfect harmony.

All proceeds will benefit Seven Mile Music, an organization dedicated to providing afterschool and summer camp programs to engage youth in music and arts. As a Detroit native, GRiZ knows first hand how important having a background in music is. 

“Music programs in school is where I found my rhythm for music,” GRiZ said in a mini-doc with Nest HQ. “I did sing in the choir in church for a little bit. I took piano lessons. But that was all really motivated by the offerings that I was able to experience through elementary and middle school education. And it just pains me so much that those opportunities might not exist for someone else.” 

2020 GRiZMAS Schedule

In past years, GRiZMAS has raised money and given back to the community by holding mic nights, caroling, yoga, hosting volunteer days, futuristic themed roller disco and so much more. 

“It turned into this, kind of like, ‘beyond us’ experience in effort to raise money for other people,” said the EDM producer. (Nest HQ)

A holiday pop-up shop filled with limited edition, holiday-themed GRiZ merch normally has lines around the corner. Fans, supporters, families and community members wait patiently for the GRiZMAS kick-off party and Grand Opening of the shop. GRiZ and his friends Muzzy Bear, Prob Cause and other artists he’s collaborated with work the floor and spread holiday cheer. And that’s just night one. 

2018 GRiZMAS Poster

The main event, however, is perhaps the most magical part of a traditional GRiZMAS. A two-night concert, held at the Masonic Temple, is usually crawling with little Santa hats that say “Merry GRiZMAS.” As the night proceeds, GRiZ fam from around the world settles in to experience the funk and really freaking cool lasers.

Devin Culham of the Metro Times said, “Like some beautiful, weed-infused advent calendar, the agenda for 12 days of GRiZMAS is sweet and stuffed,” in a 2018 article. 

The agenda for GRiZMAS 2020 is a little different, but it’s still packed with 12 days of GRiZMAS fun. Friends will join him for virtual shows and you can watch him and his momma bake cookies. A Digital Charity Auction will be held online Dec. 14-24 with GRiZ swag such as a signed saxophone from GRiZ, one-of-a-kind memorabilia, future GRiZ concert passes and more. The virtual event will conclude with a Twitch live stream, “GRiZMAS Digital Charity Festival,” on December 23. The lineup includes: 

GRiZMAS kicks off Saturday at 5 p.m. ET with “Killer Crafts & Cocktails” on Zoom. The event is a $5 suggested donation. Pre-register for this guided arts and crafts workshop led by Taylor Kamen Beardsall or to see the full list of events click here. 

Events by Date:

Dec. 13— Holiday Jazz Stream with GRiZ & Friends: 8:30 p.m. ET, Twitch – @mynameisgriz.

Dec. 14— Digital Charity Auction Opening: 11 a.m. ET, www.12daysofgrizmas.com (runs until Dec. 24).

Dec. 15— Bake Cookies with GRiZ’s Mom: 11 a.m. ET, Instagram Live.

Dec. 16— Global Mic Night: 8 p.m. ET: Twitch – @mynameisgriz channel, Click here to perform! 

Dec. 17— Serve our Community Day: 12 a.m.-12 p.m., your city, find volunteer opportunities here!

Dec. 18— Team Trivia Day featuring Crowdpurr: 8 p.m., Twitch – @mynameisgriz 

Dec. 19— Snow Day: Do a fun snow activity— everywhere.

Dec. 20— Community Yoga Day: 11 a.m. ET, 1 p.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. ET, Zoom, $15 donation fee.

Dec. 21— Kulabunga Activity Day – Guided workout, Activity Day Guided Worksheet, Self Love Coaching: 11 a.m. ET- 3 p.m. ish, $5 suggested donation per workshop, pre-registration required, click here to register.

Dec. 22— Family Board Game Night: Nighttime, your house.

Dec. 23— GRiZMAS Digital Charity Festival: Twitch – @mynameisgriz, set-times TBA.

Photos via GRiZ Instagram.

This is Perfect Harmony LLC is a multimedia collaborative focusing on communities and artists in the Midwest. We’re asking those who value our publication to make a monthly donation to our publication, here. Rather make a one-time donation? Follow the yellow “donate” button to the right (desktop) or bellow (cell phone/tablet). Any amount helps us continue making free content and sharing perfect harmony.

Katie Miller may not have created an all-woman music festival, but she helped keep it alive. Lost Compass Productions and Get Down Enterprises present, “Gurlzilla: Virtual Premiere.” The online music festival, hosted by powerhouse vocalist Mae Simpson, will feature musicians based in Minnesota, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Performers include Kate Dressed Up, Druzy Rose, Maggie Mae, Red Eye Ruby, The Foxgloves, Fawziyya Heart and one artist to be announced. 

What once was an in-person event is now virtual — but still live! The great thing about internet concerts is while attendees miss out on a live and intimate experience, they get to experience a multi-community collaboration with artists and production teams that operate in different cities. 

The festival will be held on Crowdcast music channel, Parallax TV, which brings together independent musicians and high-quality production teams in multiple states. Proceeds from Gurlzilla will go to Planned Parenthood and will benefit reproductive rights for all. Get tickets by clicking here.

Tune-in Saturday at 4:30 CST and 5:30 EST. The event is sponsored by The PS 14 Foundation and Change.stream. Other contributors include Shxt Happens and Daughterboard Audio. Check out this Q&A with organizer, Katie Miller. 

Des & The Swag: by Xinos Photography

Q: What was the inspiration to start Gurlzilla?
KM: The very first Gurlzilla was actually not my idea. In the spring of 2016, I had a show in Montclair, NJ where I met Rebecca Emont, who is an incredible artist herself and one of my dearest friends. She asked me if I would be interested in helping throw a women’s benefit show within probably 10 seconds of introducing herself. Rebecca moved away after the first Gurlzilla, and I’ve been doing my best to carry the torch since.

Q: How many years have y’all been doing Gurlzilla?
KM: The first Gurlzilla was in December 2016, so about four years now. Gurlzilla isn’t exactly an annual event though. I do them when I have space in my life and brain to coordinate and make them something really special, which this virtual premiere is shaping up to be. 

Q: How does Gurlzilla benefit your local music community?
KM: By showcasing all these non-male talents in roles on- and off-stage, we inspire other people to feel confident in their own artistic pursuits. We want that inspiration extends to areas of expertise outside music and entertainment as well. The hope is that Gurlzilla inspires not only artists, but also businesspeople, politicians, community leaders, scientists, and really anyone at all in our audience to go for their dreams full force, and don’t be afraid to take up space. The flipside of that is showing patriarchal thinkers what women and non-men are capable of (hint: it’s everything!). And then, of course, Gurlzilla is also a fundraiser. Until this virtual premiere, the beneficiaries have always been local nonprofits, because we want to make a direct impact in our local community as much as possible.

Q: Are there still opportunities for people to get involved?
KM: The best way to get involved is to donate and share. Help spread the word and tune in on 11/14!

Q: Tell me about how Gurlzilla came in contact with Parallax?
KM: We were introduced through Solar Circuit, a band that my company Lost Compass represents. When we met, the Parallax team was already working on a feminist benefit event on their platform. After hearing their ideas, I asked if they’d be interested in using the Gurlzilla branding and curating the event together. It’s been smooth sailing since and it feels like everything we’ve done already has far exceeded both our expectations.

Pamela Flores: by Xinos Photography

Q: What was the decision like to switch to a live stream format?
KM: It was an easy one, quite frankly. We had a tri-state series of three shows planned out this spring, which was obviously difficult to watch fall through. But thanks to Parallax, this opportunity to take it virtual feels really special and important. It feels like the right thing to do right now.

Q: Why did you choose Planned Parenthood as this year’s beneficiary? Who has it been in the past?
KM: Again, this was a pretty easy decision. Planned Parenthood is a place where everyone can exercise their reproductive rights without fear of judgment. They provide quality healthcare to people who otherwise would not be able to access that care. I’ve personally gone there several times. With reproductive rights on the chopping block here in the good ole’ US of A, it seemed apropos. We also wanted to choose something that spanned the geographic reach of the event, which is from New Jersey to Minneapolis, MN.

Little Hag fka Avery Mandeville: by Xinos Photography

Q: Anything else you would like viewers to know?
KM: I just want to thank everyone who has helped bring this together so far. Thank you to our amazing sponsors The P.S. 14 Foundation and Change.stream. Thank you to our promotional partners Daughterboard Audio and Embrace DIY Productions. Thank you to all the artists. And thank YOU, reader, for taking an interest in Gurlzilla. We hope you tune in on 11/14 at crowdcast.io/e/gurlzilla.

Graphic poster for event by MaK Art Productions – Melanie Kimple.

This is Perfect Harmony LLC is a multimedia collaborative focusing on communities and artists in the Midwest. We’re asking those who value our publication to make a monthly donation to our publication, here. Rather make a one-time donation? Follow the yellow “donate” button to the right (desktop) or below (cell phone/tablet). Any amount helps us continue making free content and sharing perfect harmony.

Thanks to Facebook and Instagram Live, Twitch and YouTube Live, artists are still able to throw down for their fans through the world wide web. Artists such as Big Gigantic, Slander, Vibe Street, The Widdler, Mortl, Ternion Sound, SoDown, Beak Nasty, Megan Hamilton, Subdocta and so many more have all blessed our feeds with live stream sets almost on the daily. When this all went down, one group, CouchFam, organized a 48 hour live stream festival that viewers were able to tune into from their couch, called Couchfest — naturally. Trap Nation and Chill Nation will throw a live stream festival, Room Service, April 24-25 featuring artists such as Big Wild, Clozee, Kill Paris, GRiZ, What So Not, Rezz and so many more. 

Bhump Day is still going strong every Wednesday, broadcasting remotely. The collective features Minneapolis DJs and artists one week, and Colorado creatives the next via Twitch and Facebook Live. During the sets, there’s always one camera on the DJ, one on the live painters and one that rotates. Last summer, they held the events in basements, backyards, cafe’s and a couple venues. Check them out on Facebook and Instagram. 

Another cool thing Artists are doing is releasing recordings of past festival sets, Red Rocks shows and regular tour sets. Lost Lands rebroadcast Couch Lands 2019 on Twitch and insomniac has done multiple re-streams of EDC sets. Virtual festivals aren’t as good as the real thing, but hey, we’ll take it. 

SoDown mixing songs on Instagram Live

Twitch has been the saving grace of the EDM community. While Instagram and Facebook live are decent mediums to watch artists go live, the sound and video quality are just sub-par to Twitch. As a streaming app, it was made for this kind of thing. One of the first streams I watched and was so excited for was GRiZ. 

It was 8 p.m. on a Friday. Two weeks had passed since the coronavirus took over the nation’s headlines and caused everything to shut down. My roommates and I were getting restless. The walls of our four-bedroom home in North Minneapolis were slowly closing in on us. We needed a release. We needed a show. 

As I mentioned in a previous article, GRiZ went live on Instagram from his home spontaneously one day. He played some old tunes, some new tunes and some tunes that aren’t complete yet and just kinda messed around. It was such a joy to see him in his element, just vibing and goofing off. In times like this, we just need a release, something to look forward to.

My household decided to throw a little party. It was just us and a couple significant others (this was before the stay at home order in Minneapolis), but we made it into a show night. We found a couple other live streams taking place that night, got a couple bottles of liquor, set out snacks and settled on the couch for an at home concert experience. I even put makeup on. 

We kicked off our night with Vibe Street, and he was an actual vibe. He couldn’t stop moving. With a joint in hand, Vibe Street played upbeat, funky music. His set up was welcoming, there were tapestries hanging on the walls and Christmas lights lined the ceiling. 

Next on our watch list was Slander, a duo based out of L.A., But they weren’t DJing. They had a recording of an old show of theirs playing and they were live streaming them watching and jamming to it. It was a little disappointing. But again, better than nothin’. 

Then the man himself, the funk-master, the saxiest human alive, came on the screen — GRiZ. He began with super chill, house tunes. Plants surrounded his set up and a yellow globe was lit up in the corner. Grant was sporting sunglasses and a white long sleeve shirt. It was a spicy little set and was so fun to dance to. He’s got this radiance to him, like every time he plays, he appears to be having a freaking blast. It’s just like when he performs on stage, he lights up the room. 

One thing I found hilarious was all the comments people left. I wrote a few of them down:

“Bro, what stage am I at”

“I like pizza” 

“*twerks”

“Wash your hands!”

“Joe Exotic loves house music”

“Griz calm down, I just lactated”

“Griz on my face”

This is our new normal, at least for a little while. Thank you to all the artists who are still out there creating music and keeping us sane during this weird time in our lives. And as always, thank you to the essential workers. Hopefully, these live streams are giving you a little escape from reality. Stay safe, wash your hands. 

“It was the summer of 2011 and I was camping with some friends at the Coralville Reservoir. I was down on the beach by the lake and the thought just hit me that to make peace on earth you can write a peace sign on the earth,” Dank Phart said. “I walked up to the campsite and asked my friends if they wanted to see peace on earth.”

You can join the movement by performing his hit poem, “Seed Bomb of Love:  How to make peace on earth in under a minute, a lesson in poetry magic.” Film yourself performing the poem, post it to all your social medias with the hashtag #PeaceFoolMotherLover and then challenge a friend. Donate $1 to make your impact go even further. There’s no deadline, but he is running the campaign for 77 days. Click *here* to see the campaign video.

“I would like to see the peace on earth movement last for generations seeding our planet with love,” Dank Phart said. “Alone we’re but a drop of water upon a thirsty desert but together we are the ocean that feeds the water cycle of the entire planet.”

We did a little Q&A with Dank Phart, you can learn more about the movement and who he is below.

When/how did the idea for the P.O.E.M. come to you?

My thought process has always been playful with imagery and language. It was the first sign to me that I was a poet. An example of this, is the word ‘mind.” When I think of it in relation to the third eye and the letter ‘i’ in the word, I see the potential for it to be meyend, which represents the higher mind guided by the third eye. Many of my poems can’t be fully understood unless seen as the word play breaks apart the language in a way that wouldn’t make straight forward sense in many cases. The concept of peace on earth came to me back when I was still living in Iowa City, IA where I went to the University of Iowa. It was the summer of 2011 and I was camping with some friends at the Coralville Reservoir. I was down on the beach by the lake and the thought just hit me that to make peace on earth you can write a peace sign on the earth. I walked up to the campsite and asked my friends if they wanted to see peace on earth. 

How long have you been teaching this poem?

I don’t remember exactly when I started teaching it in earnest. I do have an earlier off the cuff video of me teaching the poem during my first time at Harmony Park in 2014, so I have for sure been teaching it at least that long. I’ve likely been doing it since 2011 when I first had the idea for the concept but my memory doesn’t have a clear vision of when I really started teaching it. 

What does “Peace on Earth” look like in your mind?

Peace on earth looks, to me, like systems designed with organic flows of energy taken into account. We’re manufacturing more products than we as a planet can consume and much of it goes to waste, which is just energy that hasn’t been properly used. In human biology the waste is urine and feces: both of these when managed properly can be put to use within a closed loop system. Our current system is based on extraction of resources while putting as little as possible back into the system to achieve an ever increasing profit margin. A business in the current paradigm needs to meet quarterly gains and if those gains aren’t met it is considered unsuccessful. Why is meeting the needs of its employees and sustaining itself while serving a mission of providing a beneficial service or content not successful? How much money is enough? At what point is it just a pissing contest at the expense of the rest of the ecosystem? We can transform our systems through a philosophical understanding and integrate it into our established infrastructure to create a future that doesn’t require us to tear down the existing one. Peace will come through people getting their basic needs met. From there with a belly full they will be able to make decisions not based on instincts of survival but from more nuanced places as they can begin to explore their passions. When we are all voluntarily living our lives and not feeling yoked by societal expectations our lives will come from a place of “getting to” instead of “having to” which will transform society into a place rooted in joy.  For too long have we lived under societies rod bending us to tasks that insulted our very being. Yes life requires work, but it must be work that sparks our spirit.

Dank Phart performing

What’s your hope for this project? 

The hope of this project is that it will cross all international borders and languages, to be a seed to connect our human family back to the one thing that we all have in common; this planet as the force that sustains us. The vision that swirls upon my mind is after the 77 days there are a minimum 1 million people that have done the #PeaceFoolMotherLover challenge, seeding this garden home with their loving intentions. From there, they teach those close to them and those they encounter upon their journey spiraling this metaphysical seed to all areas of the planet. Until one day we all remember that there’s no community without “u and i.” If another struggles then you to struggle and we all struggle and always will in some fashion. Alone these struggles are unbearable but if we all support each other in the struggle then there’s no weight we can’t carry. 

What’s the story behind your pen name?

This story is the introduction to my first full length book of poetry “heART rEvolution,” due out late this year. It was fall Iowa, City 2009 and I was hanging out in my apartment with some friends. One of my friends, whom I had just met that day, and I were talking about how hilarious it would be to be on stage ripping massive farts into the microphone leaving everyone in the audience slack jaw in wonderment. Another friend on the other side of the room said  “Bovard, you smoke so much pot you fart dank. Your dank fart. I can smell them at my house all the way across town.” From there it just stuck and I started going by it as a badge of honor in the name of cannabis and the psychedelic rEvolution. Looking back on it I’ve come to call it a Gonzo Mystic Naming ceremony, which is an unintended ceremony where the individuals open themselves up through forms of conscious alteration, that is anchored by previous experience giving them knowledge of the territory thus able to traverse the strange without having a freak out, that allows them to be a pure channel of transference. The name was originally Dank Fart. Shortly after I moved to Colorado I was at a friends and he introduced me to his roommate as Dank Fart and his roommate replied “is fart with a ph?” I replied “It is now.”  (I know this isn’t grammatically correct but not sure what is)  From then on it was Pretty Hot and Really Talented. Then last year at Arise 2019 I was getting food at the Rainbow Lightening staff kitchen and my friend Leaf who was serving me introduced me to his fellow crew as Dank P.H.A.R.T. explaining that it was P.H.A.R.T. meaning Pretty Hot and Reasonably Talented and so it was. 

Dank Phart the Pirate Poet

 Where are you from?

I grew up in a small Iowa farm town that is also the epicenter of Transcendental Meditation, the meditation technique that the Beatles went to India to study with Maharishi. I grew up  surrounded by farm fields mixed with an international culture that was highly philosophical, intellectual and artistic. Then spent 6 years in Iowa City where I went to the University of Iowa and received a degree in theatre. I always knew I wouldn’t be staying in Iowa as my love for cannabis was not looked upon kindly by the local authorities. On September 17, 2011 the day I got off probation for cannabis in Iowa I moved to Boulder, CO where I’ve been ever since working in the regional art and psychedelic scene. 

When did you realize you were an artist?

I grew up around art with both of my parents being talented artists in their own right and it was something that just happened. I don’t know exactly when it was that I realized I myself as one. I did a little theatre when I was in elementary school and always felt called to the stage. In high school while watching SNL I decided that I could do sketch comedy and tried out for the improv team on the speech team. The coaches were stoked that I tried out and were mystified that a football player would be on the speech team. It was around that same time that I discovered I was a good creative writer by trying to piss off my English teacher. He would give assignments and  I would write absurdist essays that had no bearing on reality, an example was a research essay that was supposed to have three sources sighted as the place where information was found, I cited only myself and wrote about how Al Qaeda was trying to take over America through reality television. I was expecting to get an F but he gave me a B. In that class the teacher had us free-write every day in notebooks and that became a habit. It was in my freshman year of college that I realized I was a poet. In a remedial English class that went over the different areas of literature there was a poetry section. As part of that section there was a packet passed out of quotes from heavy intellectual thinkers from the past such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Freud, Emmerson and the likes. The quotes were about the fire, passion, madness, darkness, ecstasy of life that were the fuel for poetry. As I read the quotes I thought to myself “I think that’s what I do” and from that moment on I called myself a poet. I think the artist always was and it wasn’t a recognition of myself as an artist it was just a recognition that expressing myself authentically was what I had always been doing. I think the root of art is authentic expression. You can be a master having perfected all the notes, strokes, rhyme but have no feeling creating compost or you can be totally untrained but be totally in tune with the feelings that will create masterpieces. Those are both extremes I see a true master as one that is able to fully feel while knowing the strokes they place. An example of this that wouldn’t necessarily be called art is Bruce Lee when he’s in a fight. 

When did you decide to start pursuing poetry more seriously?

The moment I read that packet of quotes about poetry by major thinkers of the past there was no going back. I didn’t have a clue of what I would be doing with it but I was forever a poet and it was beyond my control. It was soon after I graduated college that I was thinking to myself about how to make a successful career as an artist, specifically a poet. Having heavily studied the Beats of the 1950’s specifically Allen Ginsberg and his work promoting the whole community, I was struck with the idea that if I cultivated a successful art community then plugged myself into it, I would find success. From that moment on I started organizing events and working at as many festivals as possible.

What is it that you really love about poetry? 

What I love about poetry is that it is connected directly to spirit through its intimate connection to breath. I see the most basic poem as the breath itself. If you look up the etymology of the word spirit it directly goes back to breath (Wiktionary, n.d.). “From Middle English spirit, from Old French espirit (“spirit”), from Latin spīritus (“breath; spirit”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)peys- (“to blow, breathe”). Compare inspire, respire, transpire, all ultimately from Latin spīrō (“I breathe, blow, respire”). Displaced native Middle English gast (“spirit”) (from Old English gāst (“breath, soul, spirit”)), whence modern English ghost. Doublet of sprite.”

Where can people find your art? 

As of now I’ve got profiles on all major social media outlets Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. All under the name Dank P.H.A.R.T. You can also find me on the up and coming network Nectar.earth again under Dank P.H.A.R.T. 

How can people support your art?

The best way to support my art at the moment is to participate in the #PeaceFoolMotherLover challenge to make peace on earth and contribute $1 to the campaign of which 33% will to organizations supporting the ideas and stories to cultivate an equitable future for all. Subscribing to my Patreon patreon.com/dankphart or following and commenting on my social media channels.

Remember when we could go to shows? Pictured: GRiZ at #FreeShowsforthePeople

I’m not gonna lie, I’m going nuts. I’ve sat on my couch more than I’ve walked outside. Granted it is pretty cold out still. Even though we’re all practicing social distancing and life is changing every second, I think there’s something very beautiful that will come out of this — we come out as better humans. 

Could this be the break we needed to work on our creativity? I keep seeing people posting about all the art they have time to create. There are groups being formed on Facebook where people can share what they’ve created in quarantine called Art I made Because of the Coronavirus.  There’s a group called Live Stream Cover Challange! where a chain of musicians are challenging each other to perform covers of songs. As I write this, John Hanson of Iron Star is covering “Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift. There are nine live streams going on right now. Our favorite artists are playing from their freaking living rooms. Like, what a time to be alive. 

John Hanson at Galactic Get Down 2019

Let’s not forget though, there’s many people working their day jobs from home. Grocery store employees are still on the front lines making sure we all have supplies. Restaurants continue to serve up food for take-out and delivery. Emergency personnel worke around the clock to find cures, test and see patients, perform surgery, give a cancer patient chemo, work with patients who need physical therapy and so much more. Life is continuing on outside of this virus. 

Do some soul searching during this time. Try to think of how you can create a better version of yourself through all of this. 

Take this time to write the book you always wanted to write. Take this time to learn how to play the dusty guitar you bought five years ago because you needed a hobby. Take this time to tell stories to your little ones, call your grandma and chat, text your long lost best friend and say, “remember that time you got lost in a cornfield?” 

Before, life didn’t give us that time. We were too busy working 40 hours a week and then spending the weekends getting wasted, when all we really wanted to do was set up an easel and paint for 12 hours. Don’t take this time for granted. 

I don’t know what the future holds, but I do now that this is not a time to hide. We may have to stay in our homes, but that’s okay. Home is where your heart is. Whether your heart is family, friends, music, art, writing, photography, videography, religion, yoga, mediation, fitness or whatever it is that fuels your passion and ignites your joy; Let that light shine. 

Every good podcast has a killer intro song. We thought, “Hey, we know some dope DJs … we should ask one of them to help us out with a track!”

We need theme music for our new project, “This is a PHodcast,” so we’re reaching out to you for help. Come up with a melody you think would be fitting for “This is a PHodcast.” Share your entry by uploading your track on Soundcloud and use #PHodcast. Send the link to jennaperfectharmony@gmail.com and we’ll pick our favorite!

Feel free to share your track on social media using our hashtag, #PHodcast. Tag us using @thisisperfectharmony on Facebook and Instagram.

Submissions are due by March 11.

Oh and there’s a cash prize.   

Rules:

• Max of 1 minute, we’ll work with the winner to cut it down. Looking to use 30 seconds of the track. 
• No words
• Electronic tracks only 
• Must be original work for the contest
• One entry per artist 
• Collaborations allowed.
  

Prize:

• $100 cash prize (but, probably Paypal)
• Guest on a podcast episode
• Credit/link in podcast ‘about’ section.

***Contest winner is giving This is Perfect Harmony LLC full rights to use their track on “This is a PHodcast.” Following the contest, all other submissions may be used however artist sees fit! ***

More about our PHodcast:

Brittany Ann (featured left), PHotographer, and co-PHounder Jenna (featured right) will be bringing you bi-weekly episodes featuring Midwest artists, event coordinators, musicians, environmentalists and so much more!

If you are looking for another way to be involved, we are looking for two brands interested in sponsoring the first season! We have two 15-second commercial spots available. One ad directly after the intro and the other halfway through. If you’re interested, please reach out to our producer at alyciaperfectharmony@gmail.com. 

This Is Perfect Harmony LLC is a Midwest based, arts and humanities website. Our mission is to connect philanthropic and grass root artists of many mediums. We’re asking those who value our publication to make a monthly donation of any amount to help us continue to make free content and share perfect harmony. Click here to find out how.

While the kids didn’t join him at GGD, everyone was dancing and everyone was singing. Not only is Haley an amazing performer, he’s also a really cool dude to talk to. 

I sat down with Haley after his set and got to know a little bit more about one of my new favorite musicians. 

Q: So Cas Haley! How was your set? What did you think of Galactic?
CH: It was good! I really like John and Joe so I’m a little bias — I love the two guys. It looks like a beautiful spot here in missor- Minnesota! It looks sort of like Missouri, it’s kind of crazy. I didn’t expect the hills. It’s really pretty. It was super hot, so it was definitely a challenge, but I had a good time. 

Q: Do you prefer playing shows or Festivals?
CH: I love it all. They’re definitely different things, I really love the storyteller, sort of house concert vibe — small theaters and just me by myself. I love doing the band thing as well, it’s just two different things. I totally enjoy both of them equally, i really have a love for the story so I do like those environments where stories can be told. 

Q: Is that how your albums are? Stories?
CH: It’s definitely personal stories. My music’s more about the songs and the story then necessarily the vibe or the genre. We skip around. We’ve got country vibes, we got reggae vibes — it’s more about the song. I’m a songwriter. A song lover. 

Q: How long have you been songwriting/playing music?
CH: I started playing when I was about 12 years old, and I started writing songs from the get go. My parents are both musicians, they really encouraged me to keep doing it, [they’d say] “do whatever you want, Cas! You can do it!” They set me on the path to believing in something so crazy, as far as “oh yeah, you can drive around the country and play songs for people and it’ll work! It’ll pay for everything!” That whole idea, most of our culture is like “now that’s a .. I mean if you’re really, REALLY talented, or even then you might not get the support.” 

I feel really lucky to have been blessed with the idea that it was possible. Because that made me fearless, especially in my teens and 20’s, there was absolutely no way in hell I was doing anything else. I did it long enough to where it just worked, and it’s too late to turn back now. 

Q: Going off the family vibe, your son plays with you quite often, yeah?
CH: Yeah! My son is 13 years old, and he’s been playing a few years, my daughter plays too. I’m trying to encourage them to get on stage as much as possible just for everything, developmentally, that that does. The courage of facing your fears, being able to get in front of people. They’re excellent musicians, they’ve been around it their whole lives so it’s pretty natural to them. We’re trying to get the family band thing going. 

Q: Kinda like the Partridge family/ Brady Bunch? Travel the country?
CH: Yes, but like the Country/North Texas/Hippie version.

[Still not sure if he was joking or not, but I’d buy that album.]

Q: Do the kids stay home and go to school?
CH: They’re home-schooled, soon to be “road-schooled.” Which is a challenge, but my son’s been home-schooled since he was in second grade and Nola’s been home-schooled her whole life. It’s a huge part of our lives. Me and Cassy, we love it because we get to relearn everything! We’re only a couple weeks ahead of them. So people are like, what are you gonna do when they get to 10th grade? What we’re studying now in my sons 7th grade, I never even studied in high school! We do a Waldorf inspired home school — it’s very holistic, really thorough. We do a block study, so we study one thing for six weeks and we incorporate the other elements into that. 

Q: I know you probably get this all the time, but I want to touch on America’s Got Talent. How did it changed your life and what did you take away from it?
CH: I took a lot away from it, the circumstances going into the scenario were a little different for me. I actually hated reality shows. I thought they were disgusting, commercial — everything that I was against. I had a friend who was like, “My brother in law knows a talent agent that can get you a back door audition to the main producers [America’s Got Talent].” So he said, “you should go,” and he really pressured me, not even expecting anything. So I went and the next thing you know, I’m living out in LA and I was on the TV show. Everything started rolling and I’d signed my life away. I get to the end of the show, and it’s me and this other guy Terry Fator and Terry Fator ends up winning. 

After the TV show, they exercise all their legal options. So they basically bought my career for free, just by putting me on the show — their exposure was the price that they paid me, but they owned it. It didn’t seem fair. I was like, man I’m signing all these deals, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I just got into it for the chance of a million dollars and exposure and I really don’t want to do this shit. So I changed my phone number, went back to Texas, ignored them for a year and a half and they tried to lock my career up legally and I had to hire a lawyer. I ended up having the lawyer get out of my deal there and I have built it from the ground up after that. I’m not affiliated with them whatsoever anymore. 

It’s like, imagine having a really good cheese burger that you make at your burger shop, and then going’ and somebody sweeps it out from under you. Now they want your name and everything that you do, but then they’re gonna change everything. It just didn’t feel right. 
Now you have this fixed identity that a show portrayed you as something, and then all these people had an opinion of who were. And they wanted that product! That was their product and they didn’t want it evolving. They wanted it the same. So that’s the psychological turmoil that you get into when you’re in that big of a situation where millions of people think you’re this one thing, and it taught me a lot about how not to get caught in that “fixed identity” mode. And keep moving and keep evolving as who I am as a human being and who I am as an artist. And to differentiate between the two. Like my music, and who I am as a human being are very different things. My music is something I love to do. Being a human is my relationships and my family. It’s taught me a lot about being a human and what I want from my career.   

After meeting Haley and seeing him perform at GGD and Shangri-La, it became clear why he took the route he did. Cas Haley is soulful. When he’s on stage, he appears to be at home. There’s a real connection between him and his audience. He doesn’t need to perform for the entire world. Each stage, at that moment, is his entire world. 

Cas Haley will make another Minnesota appearance at Wookiefoot’s Halloween show at Skyway Theatre November 1. Tickets can be purchased here!

John Merhen joined Joe Scarpellino for “The Smokin’ Joe Show” live from GGD. The rest of the night consisted of live music from Karate Chop, Silence, Whiskey for the Lady, Splimit, Big Zach, Flowstate, Goop City and Lifted Mindz. Space Monster closed out the Pre-Party and ended just in time for attendees to make it back into their tents before it began to storm. 

Perfect Harmony caught the last few acts of the evening — here’s our favorite moments. 

Photos by: Jenna Vagle and Shane Adams; Edits by: Brittany Innes

To see the whole GGD Night 1 album, click here!

This Is Perfect Harmony LLC is a Midwest based, arts and humanities website. Our mission is to connect philanthropic and grass root artists of many mediums. We’re asking those who value our publication to make a monthly donation of any amount to help us continue to make free content and share perfect harmony. Click here to find out how.

“I had asked the Galactic crew if they’ve ever had artwork done for their festival, the two years before they just had pictures,” Dizz said. “I didn’t really have an idea yet, just asked them what they were looking for. Then I went to the drawing board.”

Eventually, the little space dude we all know and love came to life. Atom’s featured on most of the promotional posters and even has his own pin! He was named by the Galactic fam through a contest, put together by the organizers and Dizz. 

“I started as a vendor and the next year, got to do the artwork,” Dizz said. “This year, I got to do it again. I’m thankful I’ve had this opportunity twice. To say I’ve gotten to do festival artwork is awesome. They’ve [GGD] helped me get to where I am. And I’ve helped them — it’s family.”

The GGD pre-party starts today at Outback Ranch and tickets will be available at the gate. You can catch Dizz live paint and jam all weekend long. Atom Moonesotan pins will also be available in four color variations.

In May, Dizz did a live painting of Atom to the GGD Spotify Playlist during a Facebook live stream. Hope you enjoyed the shots and get ready for an out of this world weekend.

Photos by Brittany Ann

This Is Perfect Harmony LLC is a Midwest based, arts and humanities website. Our mission is to connect philanthropic and grass root artists of many mediums. We’re asking those who value our publication to make a monthly donation of $1 to help us continue to make free content and share perfect harmony. Click here to find out how. 

PH: How long have you been hooping?
AR:  I started hooping in 2014 but I didn’t get serious about it until 2015, so for about four years.

PH: What made you want to start?
AR: I knew hooping was something I had been missing for such a long time. There are actually so many reasons why I started but the most direct answer is because I was looking for a healthy emotional outlet and I‘m so glad I found it.

PH: What’s your favorite: LED, fire or day hoop? Why?
AR: I haven’t had the chance to play with fire yet but that needs to happen sooner than later for sure! I like LED hoops at night when I’m the one watching. I prefer a bare polypro overall because of the freedom I have with it. To be specific, I would pick UV polypro so that you can see the shapes and trails in most lighting and backgrounds.

PH: Do you flow with any other props?
AR: Not yet. I recently have become very drawn to fans and dragon staff though!

PH: Who do you get your hoops/props from?
AR: Utopia Artistry Hoops.

PH: What’s your favorite hoop trick?
AR: Chest rolls, they never get old!

PH: What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever hooped?
AR: At the top of Mount Rosa in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

PH: Obviously you’d bring your hoop, but what are the other 2 things you’d have with you on a desert island?
AR: A knife and a hammock

PH: What type of music do you like to flow to?
AR: I can flow to just about any music genre and enjoy it but I could hoop to any ambient rock music forever and never get sick of it.

PH: What’s one piece of advice you’d like to offer new flowmies?
AR: Be patient with yourself. This applies to real life, not just hooping times.

This Is Perfect Harmony LLC is a Midwest based, arts and humanities website. Our mission is to connect philanthropic and grass root artists of many mediums. We’re asking those who value our publication to make a monthly donation of $1 to help us continue to make free content and share perfect harmony. Click here to find out how.

What made you want to start?
I had always admired hoopers at festivals and shows, I found it so captivating. One day I went to a local hippy boutique in my town called “The Happy Hippy” and bought my first hoop. Once I started, I never stopped.

What’s your favorite: LED, fire or day hoop? Why?
My favorite would have to be my day hoops, I practice with them the most. I do adore my led and fire as well. I want to explore more into the fire world this year!

Who do you get your hoops from?
All of my days hoops are from the fabulous, MissHoopsALot!

What’s your preferred size of hoop?
My favorite size is 28’ 5/8.

What’s your favorite trick?
It’s hard to choose just one but, I would have to say coin flips. I love how many ways you can incorporate them into flow and it’s just awesome to flip the hoop around your body.

What’s the most beautiful place you’ve ever hooped?
I’ve hopped in lots of beautiful places but by far, the coolest place, was at an elementary school in Worcester, MA called Elm Park Elementary. I had always wanted to hoop in front of murals. I did some research and found that the entire school was covered wall to wall. It was totally worth the two hour drive and I can’t wait to go back in the summer.

Obviously you’d bring your hoop, but what are the other 2 things you’d have with you on a desert island?
I would definitely have my practice fans from Forged Creations and some type of device that could play music.

What type of music do you like to flow to?
My favorite type of music to hoop to would, for sure, be electronic. I like anything that’s weird, glitchy and full of wubs.

What’s one piece of advice you’d like to offer new flowmies?
If I could give advice to a new flowmie it would be: never give up, practice daily, and try not to be too hard on yourself. Everyone’s flow is unique and beautiful.

Photo courtesy of Muni Shot.

This Is Perfect Harmony LLC is a Midwest based, arts and humanities website. Our mission is to connect philanthropic and grass root artists of many mediums. We’re asking those who value our publication to make a monthly donation of $1 to help us continue to make free content and share perfect harmony. Click here to find out how.

Here’s our Q&A with the passionate flow artists, himself!

Q: How long have you been gloving?
A: I have been gloving for about five years. I started in late October of 2013.

Q: What made you want to start?
A: Around 2012, I was introduced to electronic music for the first time, and being a musician since I was ten years old, anything that had a rhythm and emotion was  always good music in my book. So, you put that with gloves that light up and bend to your will – I felt like a music conductor in a way. So I had to try it for myself.

Q: What’s your preferred color of lights?
A: Bubblegum is a nice color that sends a fun loving energy to the receiver. The colors just have to consist of some variants of pink and light colors.

Q: What’s your favorite trick? Is that what it’s called? Like when you make a cool shape or animal with your fingers?
A: It’s funny because I haven’t named any of the moves i’ve created over the past five years. My favorite move I’d have to say is the endless finger-roll, which is a very nice, basic, fundamental move that helped me figure out how to switch directions smoothly, and now it’s one of my most entertaining skills.

Liddell at Lost Lands 2017:

Q: Who do you get your gloves from?
A: Emazing lights.

Q: Have you ever thought of collaborating with a hooper or other flow artist?
 A. I have actually. There were a couple of times I have done random collabs with glovers but we were just messing around with concepts and ideas. Although, thinking outside the box is also a fun time as well.

Q: What do you like better: gloving with a few friends or gloving in the middle of a crowd?
A: A few friends. If you’re really deep in the crowd, you are there for a whole different reason. I’d rather kick it and glove with some homies on the side or in the back parts of the venue.

Q: Obviously you’d bring your gloves, but what are the other 2 things you’d have with you on a desert island?
A:One big pack of 1620 batteries and a phone with all my spotify songs downloaded.

Q: What type of music do you like to flow to?
A:Recently, I dived into post-hardcore, just to try it out, and got amazing results actually.

Q:  What’s one piece of advice you’d like to offer new flowmies?
A:To have fun and not let people take that flow away from you. If you like gloving on your way home from work, or hooping at 2 a.m. because you can, or you wanna juggle or spin on your way somewhere, do it. The flow is in all of us, so don’t keep it caged up.      

IG: ttliddell

This Is Perfect Harmony LLC is a Midwest based, arts and humanities website. Our mission is to connect philanthropic and grass root artists of many mediums. We’re asking those who value our publication to make a monthly donation of $1 to help us continue to make free content and share perfect harmony. Click here to find out how.