“One of the more significant aspects of No Way Back sets throughout the years has been an acknowledgement of older and sometimes near-forgotten music, infusing curve balls, and marrying that to the context of a modern audience. Adapting to a streaming format presented a challenge and rare opportunity to build on that concept and push it further. The lack of dance floor translated into less concern for tempo and constant energy feedback, while an extended set length allowed for development of a stretched, more calculated narrative. Accentuated by the accompanying video, these elements resulted in a deep and hazy theme that plays with the perception of time.”

— Patrick Russell 

Video art by Patrick Russell

No Way Back: Streaming From Beyond

A 36+ hour take on No Way Back, with 24 hours of the No Way Back room residents and 12+ hours of the Outer Space room immediately following. An excess of the mindmelting wormhole dance experience followed by many hours of floating in space and beyond. When we considered podcasting some sets, we decided to just release them all, one week at a time, in an order different than their original broadcast, with the concept of bringing further ideas with the continuum to light.

For us the toughest moment of the pandemic shut down was the thought that we could not gather on Memorial Day weekend for our annual rite of No Way Back. We need our community now more than ever, to connect and to feel free, in a world of shifting real and unreal realities, sequestered in isolation, how can we get together? Time feels different now, we have more patience for everything, so we applied that space for exploration to the sets at No Way Back, extending them to 3 hours so the DJs can fully explore their ideas.

The Electrifyin' Mojo would say "if you reach the end of your rope, just tie a knot and don’t let go" and this stream and podcasts are our knot. This was the first ever NWB without a defined space, without the transformational art of Amber Gillen and crew, let's hope we can get together in the future safely. Grab a little bit of netting or a parachute, turn on some red lights, move into another dimension. Please stay safe and live to dance another day.