SATURDAYS @ THE DEEP DOWN LOUNGE
126. S. JACKSON ST SEATTLE, WA.
"This drum-n-bass night is for the heads, by the heads. These folks don't dabble- they eat, sleep, and breathe this music, and the relentless beats are geared for this gathering of the converted. That's not to say that newcomers aren't welcome, but if it seems like everyone in the room knows one another, it's because they do."-The Stranger, July 2007
"While the War Room's weekly drum-n-bass night has history and a sizable chunk of the genre's Seattle fan base on its side, Onset is strongly challenging the incumbent for jungle supremacy. In Temple Billiards' basement, bass (and drums, obviously) caroms 'round the cozy room with the high-impact potency beloved by junglists everywhere." (Deep Down Lounge in Temple Billiards, 126 S Jackson St, 276-7543. 10PM-2AM, $3 [cover varies depending on lineup], 21+.)
-The Stranger Suggests Aug 2005
"The 'punk rock of electronica' is alive and heaving in the great northwestern United States. Drum and Bass has worked its talons over the populous and there is no end in sight. It has worked its way out of the all ages rave and party scene and reached a thirsty audience in the club realm, begging for a little more to throw back before last call. By 2004, Seattle would play host to a club nights all week long in different locales to feed this seething hunger.
Out of the bowels of this beast has come a staple to the scene. A weekly drum and bass night in the belly of this city, Onset has taken on a life of its own.
Nestled in the basement of Temple Billiards in Pioneer Square, the Deep Down Lounge has played host to a party that is more vibe than scene. Old underground Seattle has become the perfect locale for the junglists. Original Seattle storefronts are still visible between the brick and mortar, setting a tone for musical anarchy.
Basking in the grit of the music, loyalists pound drink after drink, never stopping to take a breath. One can stand back from the mayhem and silently observe the crowd, moving in unison as if it was one organism. Innocents trickle down the stairwell and are quickly consumed, bringing to mind a scene cut straight out of the 50s noir throwback, The Blob.
Granted, there is always the type of music, venue, and staff to take into account when planning a successful evening. But those collectively dont mean a damn thing without a tried and true crowd to patron it. Nowhere else in this rain-drenched metropolis can you find a night where all sects of the populous come together to create one synthetic rhythm. In a city where heads are always caught staring at the cracks in the sidewalks and its hard to get a smile out of a hipster, Onset comes as almost a breath of fresh air. There is no end in sight to this baby, either. Crowds continue to pour in, dance their friggin asses off, and empty their pockets of their earnings for the week. The drum and bass scene in Seattle should be grateful to the kids that have put their efforts into making this an inviting night, with that edge we all need when the rain doesnt end its persistent drizzle for nearly 9 months. We all need a dark, dank basement to work out the issues between frontal lobes. And Onset provides that."
-Johnny Bigwheel, Feb 04